The Éduens ( Haedui in Latin) were a people of the Celtic Gaulle .

Éduens were established in the current departments French of Saône-et-Loire and the Nievre, and Bibracte was their capital. They have the rich person grounds of the valley of the Saone, and are close (and enemies) Séquanes in the east and Arvernes in the west.

They were governed by an elective chief, the Vergobret.

The Romans made alliance with them, and the senate proclaimed them brothers of the republic. Rome benefitted from the competition which divided Éduens and the Arvernes to intervene in the businesses of Gaulle and to more easily control it in 57 years front J. - C.

Combined Romains which regarded them as “brothers of blood”, they had called those with their help in front of the threat of the Helvètes. Suppliers of contingent soldiers with César, they joined tardily (and not without reserves) with Vercingétorix in 52 av. J. - C..

The city éduenne is integrated in the Lyons Gaulle after the Roman conquest, with for new capital Autun (Augustodunum). The emperor Claude granted the complete established among to them into 48, in a famous speech transcribed on the Tables Claudiennes.

Etymology

Aedui (or Hedui, Haedui) at the Romans, Aidousioi in the Chronic of the Apollodore Athenian. All these terms come from the same root which gave as well Greek terms as Celtic words of languages:

  • aithô (to ignite, burn) in Greek old
  • aed (fire) in Irish
  • aidd (zeal) in Welsh
Thus, Éduens would be Burning the , the men of fire

The people éduen

According to César, Éduens were the most powerful people of Gaules since which they had of many customers as well as the principat of all Gaulle . This was to be a provisional function allotted to the chief of a tribe by the Parliament of Gaules. Unfortunately, there is little or not sources on this subject. One knows only according to the Commentaires about the War of Gaules that César convened it and that it was not the first time that the chiefs of tribes met. On the other hand, one knows a similar assembly in Ireland: Lugnasad.

During the period known by the historians (beginning of alliance with Rome), their power was disputed. Indeed, Arvernes threatened their power but were beaten into -121 by the Roman armies assisted from Éduens. -60 will have then to be awaited to see the power éduenne threatened by the Séquanes.

Political system

See also: Vergobret

Just like in Rome, there was a senate bringing together the aristocratic families éduennes. Only a member of each family could sit there, thus avoiding the domination of only one family on the tribe. With the top of this assembly, the Vergobret, elected publicly by a council directed by the druids, exerted its functions during one year. During its functions, it was to him interdict to leave the borders of the territory éduen. Thus, it could not order the army and thus found a monarchy. At Éduens, it seems that the Vergobret exerted also a legal role.

The druids also occupied of high positions since Diviciacos was the ambassador of the people éduen to the senate to require of the assistance against the alliance of the Séquanes and of German of Arioviste. It directed even the cavalry éduenne during the Guerre of Gaules.

Éduens known

Some names of éduens arrived to us at through work of César or objects found on the site of Bibracte:

The territory éduen as a Gaulle

Geographical location

Éduens lived in the south of Lingones and the west of Large-Séquanaise; their country answered part of the Resident of Nevers and Burgundy; it was, with Arverni, the most powerful people of Gaulle. Their principal cities were Bibracte (Mont Beuvray), Cabillonum (Châlon-sur-saône), Matisco (Mâcon), Nevirnum (Nevers). Their capital, Bibracte was forsaken after the Guerre of Gaules in favor of Augustodunum (Autun).

Allied people and subordinates

One names here by combined people, those which César named “brothers and of the same blood” in the Guerre of Gaules , which implies a narrow alliance, on an equal footing. It resides between these people a good agreement and cordial bonds. Only the people of the Ambarres (in Ain) had this title.

Then, comes what César calls the customers which are people subordinates politically in Éduens. One counts among them the Séquanes and the Mandubiens (of Alésia). The ancient texts do not specify their reports/ratios. However, the historians judge plausible that the Mandubiens were customers, if not a fraction of the Éduens.

The confederation éduenne

Éduens made parties, with more large scales of a confederation of Celtic tribes with reports/ratios which are however slacker:

but also

One can also add to it Ambluarètes and Blannovi. However, the name of Ambluarètes is known for us only by César. One thus does not know their exact territories nor the true bonds which they maintain with Éduens.

Many people join or turn over under the allegiance of Éduens when they see the fate which is reserved for combined of the Romans at the beginning of the War of Gaules .

Lastly, Éduens via the Romans have alliances of circumstances with the confederation of the Suessions and the Rèmes (their former enemies) during the Guerre of Gaules.

History

Alliance with Rome

Genesis

According to Greek sources, this one is former to 138 av. J. - C. According to certain historians, alliance would have been concluded at the 3rd century or the beginning from the 2nd century, time to which the Romans forged their divine legends and thus their blood ties with Troy, like their alliances with cities such as Massalia. It is thus not impossible that Éduens were integrated into these legends and thus regarded as brothers of blood by the Roman Senate. Indeed, the Arvernes were also asserted of these family ties with Rome although Rome never accepted it.

The historians conjectured certain reasons of this alliance with Rome. The most probable assumption consists in thinking that the territory éduen (which controlled the Loire, the Saone and Yonne) were favourable with the meetings with going Italian going up these rivers. Others think that they met by the means of alliances with people of Narbonnese and Cisalpine. According to César, alliance was due to the size of these people which held the principat of Gaulle entière' . Reciprocally, Éduens would have acted in the same direction, undoubtedly knowing the power of Rome and the prestige which they could draw to compete with the other de Gaulle people.

Operation of alliance

It is the historian Florus (2nd century which took as a starting point the work of Tite-Live which informs us about the military aid that the Romans will bring to the éduens in 121 av. J. - C by crushing the Allobroges and the Arvernes with the confluences of the Rhone and Isere: the first transalpine nation which felt the force of our weapons was that of Saliens, whose incursions had forced the town of Marseilles, our very faithful friend and allied, to complain with us. We overcame then Allobroges and Arvernes, against which Eduens addressed similar complaints to us, and beseeched our assistance and our help. We had as witnesses of our victories, and the VAr, and Isere, and Sorgue, and the Rhone, fastest of the rivers. The Barbarians tested greatest terror with the sight of the elephants, worthy to measure themselves with these savage nations. Nothing, in the triumph, was also remarkable only king Bituitus, cover of weapons of various colors, and assembled on a money tank, as it had fought. One does not know if this victory allowed the return of hegemony éduenne on the Gaulle, but according to César, it is only towards -60 with the arrival of Arioviste.

Implication of Éduens in the War of Gaules

Romanisation

See too

Sources

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