Editing Helvetii (section)

==== Prelude ====
The Helvetii were the first Gallic tribe of the campaign to be confronted by Caesar. He narrates the events of the conflict in the opening sections of ''[[Commentarii de Bello Gallico]]''.<ref>Book 1, Chapters 2-29</ref> Due to the political nature of the ''Commentarii'', Caesar's purpose in publicizing his own achievements may have distorted the significance of events and the motives of those who participated.<ref>{{cite book |title=Julius Caesar as Artful Reporter: The War Commentaries as Political Instruments |editor-first=Kathryn |editor-last=Welch |editor2-first=Anton |editor2-last=Powell |editor3-first=Jonathan |editor3-last=Powell |location=Swansea |publisher=Classical Press of Wales |year=1998 |at=passim}}</ref>

The nobleman [[Orgetorix]] is presented as the instigator of a new Helvetian migration, in which the entire tribe was to leave their territory and, according to Caesar, to establish a supremacy over all of Gaul. This exodus was planned over three years, in the course of which Orgetorix conspired with two noblemen from neighbouring tribes, [[Casticus]] of the [[Sequani]] and [[Dumnorix]] of the [[Aedui]], that each should accomplish a [[coup d'état]] in his own country, after which the three new kings would collaborate. When word of his aspirations to make himself king reached the Helvetii, Orgetorix was summoned to stand trial, facing execution on the pyre should he be found guilty. For the time being, he averted a verdict by arriving at the hearing set for him with ten thousand followers and bondsmen; yet before the large force mustered by the authorities could apprehend him, he died under unexplained circumstances, the Helvetii believed by his own hand.<ref>{{harvnb|Caesar|58 BC|loc=Book I Section 4}}.</ref>

Nevertheless, the Helvetii did not give up their planned emigration, but burned their homes in 58 BC.<ref>{{cite book|title=Berlitz: Switzerland Pocket Guide|date=April 1999|chapter=A Brief History|publisher=[[Berlitz Corporation|Berlitz Publishing Company]]|location=Princeton, NJ|page=14|isbn=2-8315-7159-6}}</ref> They were joined by a number of tribal groups from neighbouring regions: the Raurici, the [[Latobrigi]], the [[Tulingi]] and a group of [[Boii]], who had besieged [[Noreia]].<ref>{{harvnb|Caesar|58 BC|loc=Book I Section 5}}.</ref> They abandoned their homes completely with the intention of settling among the [[Santones]] ([[Saintonge (region)|Saintonge]]). The easiest route would take them through the [[Rhône valley]], and thus through the Roman ''[[Provincia Narbonensis]]''.