Editing Ubii

{{Short description|Roman-era Germanic people}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
[[image:Ubiens.jpg|thumb|right|350px|The Ubii around AD 30]]
[[File:DM Fannius, natione Ubius, corporis custos.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Fannius, a member of the Ubii, ''corporis custos'', the [[Germanic bodyguard]] of [[Nero]], Museo Epigrafico, [[Baths of Diocletian|Terme di Diocleziano]], [[Rome]]]]

The '''Ubii''' were a [[Germanic tribes|Germanic tribe]]<ref>{{cite book |last1=Brogan |first1=Olwen Phillis Frances |author-link1=Olwen Brogan |last2=Drinkwater |first2=John Frederick |author-link2=John Frederick Drinkwater |date=2012 |chapter=Ubii |chapter-url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199545568.001.0001/acref-9780199545568-e-6630? |editor1-last=Hornblower |editor1-first=Simon |editor1-link=Simon Hornblower |editor2-last=Spawforth |editor2-first=Antony |editor3-last=Eidinow |editor3-first=Esther |editor3-link=Esther Eidinow |title=The Oxford Classical Dictionary |title-link=The Oxford Classical Dictionary |edition=4 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |isbn=9780191735257 |access-date=26 January 2020 |quote=Ubii, a German tribe just east of the Rhine }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.degruyter.com/view/j/bgsl.1993.1993.issue-115/bgsl.1993.1993.115.367/bgsl.1993.1993.115.367.xml|title = De Gruyter}}</ref> first encountered dwelling on the east bank of the [[Rhine]] in the time of [[Julius Caesar]], who formed an alliance with them in 55 BC in order to launch attacks across the river. They were transported in 39 BC by [[Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa]] to the west bank, apparently at their own request, as they feared the incursions of their neighbors, the [[Chatti]].<ref>William Smith, ''A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography'' ''s.v.'' "Colonia Agrippina".</ref>

A colony for Roman veterans was founded in 50 AD under the patronage of Agrippa's granddaughter, [[Agrippina the Younger]],<ref>[[Tacitus]], ''Annales'' 12.27.1–2.</ref> who had been born at Ara Ubiorum, the capital of the Ubii. The colony derived its title from the names of Agrippina and her husband, the emperor [[Claudius]], and received the name ''Colonia Claudia Ara Augusta Agrippinensium'', which is the origin of the city's modern name, [[Cologne]]. Alongside the allotment of land to veterans, the existing town of Ara Ubiorum was elevated to the status of a ''[[Colonia (Roman)|colonia]]'', which would have conferred many privileges on the inhabitants.<ref>Barrett, Anthony A. (1996). ''Agrippina: Sex, Power, and Politics in the Early Empire'', New Haven and London: Yale.</ref> The Ubii were also at Bonna ([[Bonn]]) of the [[Eburones]].

The Ubii remained loyal allies of Rome; they were instrumental in crushing the [[Batavian rebellion]] in 70 AD and, although some of them made part of the invasion of [[Pannonia]] in 166 AD, they become ''[[foederati]]'' supporting Roman troops in the [[Marcomannic Wars]] in 166–67 AD.

They seem to have been so thoroughly [[Romanization (cultural)|Romanized]] that they adopted the name ''Agrippinenses'' in honour of their "founder",<ref>[[Tacitus]], ''Germania'' c.28 and ''Histories'', iv.28 (as noted in Smith, ''loc. cit.'').</ref> and their later history is submerged with other [[Franks]] in that of eastern [[Gaul]] as a whole.

==Roman interactions==
In 55 BC, Julius Caesar was preparing for an invasion of [[Roman Britain|Britain]], when several Germanic tribes, including the Ubii,<ref>[[Cassius Dio]], Book 39, discussing Caesar's actions in 55 BCE, offderrs slightly different motivation and sequence of events: "the Ubii, whose land was coterminal with the [[Sugambri]] and who were at variance with them, invoked his aid" ([https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/39*.html  on-line text]) and Caesar crossed the Rhine; this is Dio's single mention of the Ubii.</ref> crossed the Rhine river. This movement included the [[Usipetes]] and [[Tencteri]] tribes, who wished to relocate to avoid contact with the [[Suevi]]. Caesar, concerned that fighting might break out in the region and draw troops away from his planned invasion, marched toward the Rhine. He met with ambassadors from the Germanic tribe and offered them land with the Ubii and an alliance against the Suevi; however, Caesar soon became worried that the tribes were delaying until their cavalry could return.

Together with the [[Batavi (tribe)|Batavi]], the Ubii furnished soldiers for the [[Germanic bodyguard]], the personal bodyguard of the early Roman emperors.

==See also==
*[[List of Germanic tribes]]
{{Germanic peoples}}

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.unrv.com/fall-republic/crossing-the-rhine.php Summary of Julius Caesar's Campaigns]

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Early Germanic peoples]]
[[Category:History of the Rhineland]]
[[Category:Istvaeones]]