Militia - Ambiorix
(c) 2018 Old Europa Cafe
Artist....: Militia
Album.....: Ambiorix
Source....: CD
Tracks....: 11
Genre.....: Industrial
Label.....: Old Europa Cafe
Encoder...: LAME 3.100
Quality...: 270 kbps / 441kHz / Joint Stereo
URL.......: http://legion-blotan.co.uk/product/militia-ambiorix-cd/
Tracklist:
----------
1. Resistance 4:38
2. Negociation 3:24
3. Arguing And Decision 3:06
4. Ambush 5:29
5. Burning The Wicker Man 6:29
6. Women Of Gaul 3:49
7. March On Gaul 5:20
8. Calling All Gauls 3:51
9. War 5:52
10.Rape Of Gaul 5:17
11.The Lost King 11:28
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
58:43
Total:119.73MB / 58:43
Release Notes:
--------------
Limited Edition 500 copies
After releasing the MILITIA debut album into cassette (a split with CON-DOM
entitled "Scorching Earth Policy") in 1995, Old Europa Cafe, 23 years later,
proudly comes with the new and MILITIA album "AMBIORIX" devoted to the great
Gaul King.
All sounds with the usual unmistakable MILITIA trademark, a big variety of
rythms with loads of self made percussions and wind instrumets.
Songs are sung in different languages including Latin and Gaul.
The definitive MILITIA album, the album of their maturity.
Special Eco-Leather covers.
Covers available in some different brown tonalities and with 4 different logos
printed on Eco-Leather Sleeves.
Also included is a 3-folded insert with cover notes.
Ambiorix, a musical story by MILITIA, based on CeasarÆs writings of ôDe Bello
Gallicoö
What happened before
When around 57 bC Julius Ceaser conquered Gaul, his troops marched into Belgica.
(Belgica is more or less the state of Belgium plus a part of the Netherlands
reaching to the river Rhine).
Belgica was inhabited by several tribes which were at war with each other
frequently.
The tribe of the Eburons was lead by 2 kings, Ambiorix and Catuvolcus, both
sharing power.
In 54 bC Ceasar had to provide his troops with fresh food and wood supplies and
he ordered the tribes to cede a part of their crops to the Roman armies. Because
the harvest wasnÆt a good one that year and because the Eburons needed the wood
from their forests for themselves for the coming winter, the Eburons refused.
Ceasar ordered his generals to built camps around the villages of the Euburon
tribes, take over power and confiscate the food supplies by force.
Ambiorix and his Eburons were not to let this happen.
Music on the album and the story of Ambiorix >>
Track 1: Resistance
During the intro of the 1st track ôResistanceö, you can hear ôforest soundsö,
like sounds of birds and insectsb and the wind blowing in the trees. The intro
represents the situation of Romans entering the Eburon forest and starting to
chop several trees.
The Eburons attack, the small group of Roman soldiers is taken by surprise and
only a few can escape.
Track 2: Negotiation
Ambiorix and his Eburon warriors haunt the escaping Romans, but when Ambiorix
reaches the Roman camp, he decides not to attack but instead he starts
negotiations with the enemy.
The Eburon king explains to the Romans that he doesnÆt mind their presence in
the region and that heÆs in fact Lucky with having them staying on his land,
because their presence keeps other hostile tribes from entering Eburon
territory.
Ambiorix warns both generals Sabinus and Cotta for the fact that a hughe
Germanic army is crossing the Rhine and planning to attack the Roman camps.
Ambiorix advices the generals to move their troops to another Roman camp and
join the troops there.
That way they would be stronger and capable of beating the Germanic warriors.
Ambiorix promisses the Romans a free passing through the Eburon lands.
Track 3: Arguing
The generals Sabinus and Cotta discuss all night long whether they should leave
their camp or not.
Sabinus trusts Ambiorix and thinks itÆs better to leave while Cotta prefers to
stay in the camp and wait for the attack.
They cannot agree and only after Sabinus gets furious, hitting hard the table
with his fist, Cotta agrees to leave the camp.
Track 4: Ambush
The decision to leave the camp has been taken and the Roman soldiers start
marching.
There are two possible routes to the next Roman camp, one path was behind hilly
landscape, the other through a valley.
The generals decide to go pass the valley and when descending, Ambiorix and his
warriors attack, charging downhill out of the woods and straight into the
indefensible flancs of the Roman army.
The Romans were slaughtered and a few were captured.
Noone could escape.
Track 5: Burning the Wicker Man
In his book ôDe Bello Gallicoö, Ceasar described how the Gauls used to sacrifice
their prisoners: the men or even women were locked up in a hughe puppet made of
wood and straw, like a giant, and then this giant, called the Wicker Man, was
set on fire, burning alive the prisoners inside it.
It was their way of sacrificing the captured Roman soldiers to the Gaul god of
thunder, Taranis.
Track 6: Women of Gaul
Despite of CeasarÆs claims that Gaul women had nothing to say and were treated
as inferior to men, we know from historical sources that some women occupied an
important function in their community.
We donÆt know if they were active in battle as well, but we know the story of
the Celtic female warrior called Boudicca, who got beaten and witnessed her
daughters being raped by the Romans.
She took revenge, lead her troops to war and burned down a few Roman cities
located in Britannia.
Track 7: March on Gaul
Rome received the news about the beaten army and the resisting Eburons.
Ceasar swore to exterminate every tribe of Belgica. It was important for him to
show the greatness and the power of the Roman empire, so this enormous defeat
could not be left unpunished: a complete Roman legion and 5 cohorts (in all
around 7200 men) was completely whiped out by just one tribe!
Ceasar sent a massive force to Belgica, a force never witnessed before.
Track 8: Calling all Gauls
At the same time Ambiorix united all other Belgian tribes to form a defending
force against the Roman army that was marching to Belgica. Thousands of warriors
stood behind Ambiorix.
They trained and prepared themselves for the great clash.
Track 9: War
This is the musical interpretation of the great battle between the Roman
soldiers and the Gaul warriors.
YouÆll hear commands in Latin and Gaul language.
Blood and mud, sufferings and death, victory and defeat.
Track 10: The Rape of Gaul
The Gauls lost the battle, whatever remained of the Belgican population was
slaughtered and the Gaul villages were burned down: extermination, genocide,
rape, plunder, massacres, murdering women and children, hostiges and prisoners
became slaves.
It was the end of the Gaul civilisation.
Track 11: The Lost King
Ambiorix could escape and with a few warriors he succeeded in crossing the Rhine
and hiding in Germania.
ThereÆs no trace left of him and although sometimes Roman soldiers reported to
have seen him, they can never catch him.
Ambiorix diappears in the dark mists of history.
We remember the great king who stood up against the Roman occupiers.
For evermore heÆll be a true Belgian hero in the hearts of all, in the hearts of
Militia.