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The Nervii were one of the most powerful Belgic tribes, living in northern Gaul at the time of its conquest by Rome. Their territory corresponds to the central part of modern Belgium, including Brussels, and stretched southwards into French Hainault. During their 1st century BC Roman military campaign, Caesar's contacts among the Remi stated that the Nervii were the most warlike of the Belgae. In times of war, they were known to trek long distances to take part in battles. Being one of the distant northern Belgic tribes, with the Menapii to the west, and the Eburones to their east, they were considered by Caesar to be relatively uncorrupted by civilization.
Usage examples of "nervii".
Gaul of the Long-hairs Caesar had gone into the lands of the Nervii, who fought on foot and lived along the Mosa below the lands of the Eburones, to which a dismayed and unhappy Sabinus was at present conveying the Thirteenth Legion and an even more dismayed and unhappy Lucius Aurunculeius Cotta.
Caesar had besieged and taken Atuatuca, but the Atuatuci did not fare as well as the Nervii had.
Those other tribes had all been on the verge of revolt, unable to believe that the Nervii and the Atuatuci in their many thousands would not annihilate the Romans.
The Nervii had gone down badly several years before, but it was a very large and populous tribe which could still field a terrifying number of warriors.
Ambiorix was intriguing in the councils of the Nervii to see what damage he could do en route to his parley with the Treveri.
Among the Nervii, however, there was no one to see what little brother Quintus got up to.
But the Ninth was up on top of the walls, each two men with one of the long siege spears to take the Nervii in the face as they climbed.
So Quintus Cicero clenched his teeth and limped onward, finding from somewhere the resolution to unclench his teeth, smile, joke, tell the men how terrific they were, how nice it was of the Nervii to light up the sky .
Roman siege towers, naturally, but fully capable of wreaking havoc when they were close enough to serve as platforms for Nervii spears.
Back and forth, back and forth, until the siege tower was blazing and the Nervii fled, their stiffened hair in flames.
Quintus Cicero when the darkness came and the Nervii wandered off in undisciplined hordes.
More fool the Nervii for not allowing their lowly to fight, but lucky for me and the Ninth.
Luckily they still had eight miles to go when the news of the defeat of the Nervii reached them.
Caesar led four legions into the lands of the Nervii to finish that tribe as a power.
Caesar caught the Nervii armed but unprepared, and accorded them no mercy.