Durocasses

The Durocasses were a Gallic tribe dwelling around present-day Dreux during the Roman period.

Name

They are mentioned Durocasis on the Itinerarium Antonini, as Durocassio on the Tabula Peutingeriana, and as Dorocas on Merovingian coins.
The etymology of the ethnonym Durocasses remains unclear. The meaning of the second element -casses, attested in other Gaulish ethnonyms such as Bodiocasses, Sucasses, Tricasses, Veliocasses, or Viducasses, has been debated, but it probably signifies ' hair, hairstyle', perhaps referring to a particular warrior coiffure.
The city of Dreux, attested ca. 930 AD as Drocas, is named after the Gallic tribe.

Economy

The production of coins by the Durocasses suggests that they benefited from some economic autonomy. Their wealth probably came from tolls collected on the inland water shipping on the Eure river.