All Topics  
Bibracte

 

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Bibracte
 
 
  Topics Bibracte Topic Home

Bibracte, a Gaulish oppidum
Oppidum

Oppidum is a Latin word meaning the main settlement in any administrative area of ancient Rome. The word is derived from the earlier Latin ob-pedum, "enclosed space," possibly from the Proto-Indo-European language *ped?m-, "occupied space" or "footprint."...
 or fortified city, was the capital of the Aedui
Aedui

Aedui, Haedui or Hedui , are Gallic people of Gallia Lugdunensis, who inhabited the country between the Arar and Liger , in today's France....
 and one of the most important hillforts in Gaul
Gaul

Gaul is the name used for the region of Western Europe comprising part of present day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western Switzerland and the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the west bank of the River Rhine....
. It was situated near modern Autun
Autun

Autun is a Communes of France in the Sa?ne-et-Loire Departments of France in Bourgogne in eastern France.The history of Autun dates back to Ancient Rome times....
 in Burgundy
Bourgogne

Bourgogne is one of the 26 regions of France of France.The region of Bourgogne is both larger than the old Duchy of Burgundy and smaller than the area ruled by the Duke of Burgundy....
, France
France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
. The material culture
Archaeological culture

In addition to its usual meaning in social science, in archaeology, the term wikt:culture is also used in reference to several related concepts unique to the discipline....
 of the Aedui corresponded to the Late Iron Age
Iron Age

In archaeology, the Iron Age was the stage in the development of any people in which tools and weapons whose main ingredient was iron were prominent....
 La Tène culture
La Tène culture

The La T?ne culture was a European Iron Age culture named after the archaeological site of La T?ne, Marin-Epagnier on the north side of Lake Neuch?tel in Switzerland, where a rich trove of artifacts was discovered by Hansli Kopp in 1857....
,

In 58 BC, at the Battle of Bibracte
Battle of Bibracte

The Battle of Bibracte was fought between the Helvetii and six Roman legions, under the command of Julius Caesar. It was the second major battle of the Gallic Wars....
, Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar

'Gaius Julius Caesar' , July 13, 100 BC ? March 15, 44 BC,) was a Roman Republic military and political leader. He played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
's armies defeated the Helvetii
Helvetii

The Helvetii were a Celts tribe and the main occupants of the Swiss plateau in the 1st century BC. They are prominently featured in Julius Caesar Commentarii de Bello Gallico....
 16 miles south of the fort. In 52 BC, at Bibracte Vercingetorix
Vercingetorix

Vercingetorix , born around 82 BC, died 46 BC, was tribal chief of the Arverni, originating from the Arvernian city of Gergovia and known as the man who led the Gauls in their ultimately unsuccessful war against Roman republic rule under Julius Caesar....
 was proclaimed head of the Gaulish coalition. Again at Bibracte Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar

'Gaius Julius Caesar' , July 13, 100 BC ? March 15, 44 BC,) was a Roman Republic military and political leader. He played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
, the victor at the battle of Alesia
Battle of Alesia

The Battle of Alesia or Siege of Alesia took place in September, 52 BC around the Gallic oppidum of Alesia , a major town centre and hill fort of the Mandubii tribe....
, completed dictating his Gallic Wars
Gallic Wars

The Gallic Wars were a series of military campaigns waged by the Roman Republic proconsul Julius Caesar against several Gaul, lasting from 58 BC to 51 BC....
.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Bibracte'
Start a new discussion about 'Bibracte'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


Bibracte, a Gaulish oppidum
Oppidum

Oppidum is a Latin word meaning the main settlement in any administrative area of ancient Rome. The word is derived from the earlier Latin ob-pedum, "enclosed space," possibly from the Proto-Indo-European language *ped?m-, "occupied space" or "footprint."...
 or fortified city, was the capital of the Aedui
Aedui

Aedui, Haedui or Hedui , are Gallic people of Gallia Lugdunensis, who inhabited the country between the Arar and Liger , in today's France....
 and one of the most important hillforts in Gaul
Gaul

Gaul is the name used for the region of Western Europe comprising part of present day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western Switzerland and the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the west bank of the River Rhine....
. It was situated near modern Autun
Autun

Autun is a Communes of France in the Sa?ne-et-Loire Departments of France in Bourgogne in eastern France.The history of Autun dates back to Ancient Rome times....
 in Burgundy
Bourgogne

Bourgogne is one of the 26 regions of France of France.The region of Bourgogne is both larger than the old Duchy of Burgundy and smaller than the area ruled by the Duke of Burgundy....
, France
France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
. The material culture
Archaeological culture

In addition to its usual meaning in social science, in archaeology, the term wikt:culture is also used in reference to several related concepts unique to the discipline....
 of the Aedui corresponded to the Late Iron Age
Iron Age

In archaeology, the Iron Age was the stage in the development of any people in which tools and weapons whose main ingredient was iron were prominent....
 La Tène culture
La Tène culture

The La T?ne culture was a European Iron Age culture named after the archaeological site of La T?ne, Marin-Epagnier on the north side of Lake Neuch?tel in Switzerland, where a rich trove of artifacts was discovered by Hansli Kopp in 1857....
,

In 58 BC, at the Battle of Bibracte
Battle of Bibracte

The Battle of Bibracte was fought between the Helvetii and six Roman legions, under the command of Julius Caesar. It was the second major battle of the Gallic Wars....
, Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar

'Gaius Julius Caesar' , July 13, 100 BC ? March 15, 44 BC,) was a Roman Republic military and political leader. He played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
's armies defeated the Helvetii
Helvetii

The Helvetii were a Celts tribe and the main occupants of the Swiss plateau in the 1st century BC. They are prominently featured in Julius Caesar Commentarii de Bello Gallico....
 16 miles south of the fort. In 52 BC, at Bibracte Vercingetorix
Vercingetorix

Vercingetorix , born around 82 BC, died 46 BC, was tribal chief of the Arverni, originating from the Arvernian city of Gergovia and known as the man who led the Gauls in their ultimately unsuccessful war against Roman republic rule under Julius Caesar....
 was proclaimed head of the Gaulish coalition. Again at Bibracte Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar

'Gaius Julius Caesar' , July 13, 100 BC ? March 15, 44 BC,) was a Roman Republic military and political leader. He played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
, the victor at the battle of Alesia
Battle of Alesia

The Battle of Alesia or Siege of Alesia took place in September, 52 BC around the Gallic oppidum of Alesia , a major town centre and hill fort of the Mandubii tribe....
, completed dictating his Gallic Wars
Gallic Wars

The Gallic Wars were a series of military campaigns waged by the Roman Republic proconsul Julius Caesar against several Gaul, lasting from 58 BC to 51 BC....
. A few decades after the Roman conquest of Gaul, Bibracte was abandoned in favour of Autun
Autun

Autun is a Communes of France in the Sa?ne-et-Loire Departments of France in Bourgogne in eastern France.The history of Autun dates back to Ancient Rome times....
, 25 kilometres distant. Without a continuous settlement to disturb or efface the site, Bibracte remained for modern archaeology to rediscover.

The first excavations were begun at the site by the wine merchant Gabriel Bulliot between 1867 and 1895. His nephew Joseph Déchelette, author of a famous Manuel d'Archéologie continued the excavations between 1897 and 1907

Today Mont Beuvray is generally credited as the ancient Bibracte. The site straddles the borders of the French départements of Nièvre
Nièvre

Ni?vre is a departments of France in the center of France named after the Ni?vre ....
 and Saône-et-Loire
Saône-et-Loire

Sa?ne-et-Loire is a France departments of France, named after the Sa?ne River and the Loire River rivers between which it lies....
 in Burgundy. The site is an archaeological park at the centre of a protected forest, and a site of cooperative European archaeological efforts, a training ground for young archaeologists as well as a centre for interpreting Gaulish culture for a popular audience. Important international excavations take place at Mont Beuvray, with teams from the universities of Sheffield
Sheffield

Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough in South Yorkshire, England. It is so named because of its origins in a field on the River Sheaf that runs through the city....
, Kiel
Kiel

Kiel is the Capital and most populous city of the northern Germany state Schleswig-Holstein.Kiel is approximately 90 km to the north of Hamburg....
, Budapest
Budapest

Budapest is the Capitals of Hungary of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it serves as the country's principal political, cultural, commerce, Industry, and transportation center and is considered an important hub in Central Europe....
, Vienna
Vienna

Vienna is the Capital of Republic of Austria and also one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.7 million...
 and Leipzig
Leipzig

Leipzig is, with a population of over 511,252, the largest city in the States of Germany of Saxony, Germany....
.

The city also featured as the Celtic Civilization's default capital in the 2007 Civilization 4 expansion Pack "Warlords
Civilization IV: Warlords

Civilization IV: Warlords is the first official expansion pack of the critically-acclaimed turn-based strategy video game Civilization IV....
" for PC.

External links

  • (in English)