Editing Helvetii (section)

==== Battle of the Saône ====
When they reached the boundaries of the [[Allobroges]], the northernmost tribe of the ''Provincia'', they found that Caesar had already dismantled the bridge of [[Geneva]] to stop their advance. The Helvetians sent "the most illustrious men of their state" to negotiate, promising a peaceful passage through the ''Provincia''. Caesar stalled them by asking for some time for consideration, which he used to assemble reinforcements and to fortify the southern banks of the [[Rhône]]. When the embassy returned on the agreed-upon date, he was strong enough to bluntly reject their offer. The Helvetii now chose the more difficult northern route through the [[Sequani]] territory, which traversed the [[Jura Mountains]] via a very narrow pass at the site of the modern [[Fort l'Écluse]], but bypassed the ''Provincia''. After ravaging the lands of the [[Aedui]] tribe, who called upon Caesar to help them, they began the crossing of the [[Saône]], which took them several days. As only a quarter of their forces were left on the eastern banks, Caesar attacked and routed them. According to Caesar, those killed had been the [[Tigurini]], on whom he had now taken revenge in the name of the Republic and his family.<ref>''Is pagus appellabatur Tigurinus; nam omnis civitas Helvetia in quattuor pagos divisa est. Hic pagus unus, cum domo exisset, patrum nostrorum memoria L. Cassium consulem interfecerat et eius exercitum sub iugum miserat. Ita sive casu sive consilio deorum immortalium quae pars civitatis Helvetiae insignem calamitatem populo Romano intulerat, ea princeps poenam persolvit. Qua in re Caesar non solum publicas, sed etiam privatas iniurias ultus est, quod eius soceri L. Pisonis avum, L. Pisonem legatum, Tigurini eodem proelio quo Cassium interfecerant.'' Bell. Gall. 1.12.</ref>

After the battle, the Romans quickly bridged the river, thereby prompting the Helvetii to once again send an embassy, this time led by [[Divico]], another figure whom Caesar links to the ignominious defeat of 107 BC by calling him ''bello Cassio dux Helvetiorum'' (i.e. "leader of the Helvetii in the Cassian campaign"). What Divico had to offer was almost a surrender, namely to have the Helvetii settle wherever Caesar wished them to, although it was combined with the threat of an open battle if Caesar should refuse. Caesar demanded hostages to be given to him and reparations to the Aedui and Allobroges. Divico responded by saying that "they were accustomed to receive, not to give hostages; a fact the Roman people could testify to",<ref>Bell. Gall. 1.14.</ref> this once again being an allusion to the giving of hostages by the defeated Romans at [[Agen]].