Editing Helvetii (section)

=== First contact with the Romans ===
{{see also|Switzerland in the Roman era}}
[[Image:Charles Gleyre Les Romans p.jpg|thumb|300px|«Die Helvetier zwingen die Römer unter dem Joch hindurch» (''"The Helvetians force the Romans to pass under the yoke"''). Romantic painting by [[Charles Gleyre]] (19th century) celebrating the Helvetian victory over the Romans at Agen (107 BC) under [[Divico]]'s command.]]
The Germanic tribes of the [[Cimbri]] and [[Ambrones]] probably reached southern Germany around the year 111 BC, where they were joined by the [[Tigurini]], and, probably the [[Teutons|Teutoni-Toutonoi-Toygenoi.]] (The precise identity of the latter group is unclear).<ref>Posidonius saw the Toutonoi/Teutoni as a subgroup of the Helvetii. Cf. Furger-Gunti, p. 76f.</ref>

The tribes began a joint invasion of Gaul, including the Roman [[Provincia Narbonensis]]. A Roman army under the consul [[Lucius Cassius Longinus (consul 107 BC)|L. Cassius Longinus]] opposed them. At the [[Battle of Burdigala]] near [[Agen]]dicum in 107 BC, the Tigurini killed Longinus and captured many of his soldiers. According to Caesar, the captured Roman soldiers were ordered to pass under a yoke set up by the triumphant Gauls, a dishonour that called for both public as well as private vengeance.<ref>Bell.Gall. 1.12.</ref> Caesar is the only narrative source for this episode, as the corresponding books of [[Livy]]'s histories are preserved only in the ''Periochae'', short summarising lists of contents, in which hostages given by the Romans, but no yoke, are mentioned.<ref>''L. Cassius cos. a Tigurinis Gallis, pago Heluetiorum, qui a ciuitate secesserant, in finibus Nitiobrogum cum exercitu caesus est. / Milites, qui ex ea caede superauerant, obsidibus datis et dimidia rerum omnium parte, ut incolumes dimitterentur, cum hostibus pacti sunt.'' (Periochae LXV)</ref>

In 105 BC, the allies defeated another Roman army near [[Arausio]] and went on to harry Spain, Gaul, [[Noricum]], and northern Italy. They split up in two groups in 103 BC, with the Teutones and Ambrones marching on a western route through the ''[[Provincia Narbonensis|Provincia]]'' and the Cimbri and Tigurini crossing the eastern Alps (probably by the [[Brenner Pass]]). While the Teutones and Ambrones were slaughtered in 102 BC by [[Gaius Marius]] near [[Battle of Aquae Sextiae|Aquae Sextiae]], the Cimbri and the Tigurini wintered in the [[Padan plain]]. The following year, Marius virtually destroyed the Cimbri in the [[battle of Vercellae]]. The Tigurini, who had planned on following the Cimbri, turned back over the Alps with their booty and joined those of the Helvetians who had not participated in the raids.