v09_0780 - SANTONES (Area of Saintes) Bronze CONTOUTOS (quadrans)

SANTONES (Area of Saintes)

(2nd - 1st century BC)

The Santons were a Celtic people who resided north of the Gironde estuary. They occupied the territory covering Saintonge, Angoumois and Aunis. The territory of the civitas is placed on the current departments of Charente, Charente-Maritime and the northern part of Gironde. Their original name is found in that of the province and its capital, Saintes. They are cited several times by Caesar in the Gallic Wars, in particular regarding the migration of the Helvetians in 58 BC. Indeed, the territory of the Santons could have been the goal of this transfer of population. In 52 BC, they provided a contingent of twelve thousand men for the relief army. Their neighbors were the Pictons, the Lémovices and the Bituriges Vivisques. Caesar (BG. I, 10 and 11; III, 11, VII, 75).