Lémovices

The Lémovices - Latin Lemovices - were a Gallic people. Their name comes from Lemo “Orme” and defects “which overcomes”, and means “victorious with the elm”. They also left their name in Limoges and the Limousin.

Their chief town was Durotincum (Villejoubert) then Augustoritum (Limoges) at the time Gallo-Roman. Their other known places are: Acitodunum (Ahun), Excingidiacum (Yssandon) and Uxellum (Ussel).

The territory of Lémovices extended on the departments from the High-Vienna, Hollow the, the Corrèze like on part of the department of the Charente. The territory of Lémovices was rich in gold mines and one could count 200 of them to date.

Skilful tradesmen they were especially specialized in export and their trade extended to the coasts the Atlantic ones. In 52 av. J. - C. nearly ten thousand Lémovices combatants were sent against César to Alésia or was killed their chief Sedullos.

Bibliography and sources

• Jules César, the War of Gaules , VII.4, VII.75, VII.88 and VIII.46
• Strabon, Geography , IV, II, 2.
• Jean-Paul Brethenoux, “insurrection of people. Lémovice and the war of Gaules”, in Ancient History , out of the ordinary n° 5: the war of Gaules. Vergingétorix and the Celtic start, ED. Harnois, p. 50-57.
• Beatrice Cauuet, “the gold of the Celts of the Limousin”, Culture and Inheritance in the Limousin, 2004.