Bibliography
Krausz, Sophie, “En 52 av. J.-C., les Bituriges face à César : l’énigme de Noviodunum et de Gorgobina”, Études Celtiques 41 (2015): 7–30.
- journal article
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Contributors
Article
“En 52 av. J.-C., les Bituriges face à César : l’énigme de Noviodunum et de Gorgobina”
Periodical
Études Celtiques 41 (2015)
Études Celtiques 41 (2015).
Persée – Études Celtiques, vol. 41, 2015: <link>
Volume
41
Pages
7–30
BibTeX
Description
Abstract (cited)
[FR] L’année 52 av. J.-C. représente le point culminant de la guerre des Gaules engagée six ans plus tôt par Jules César, alors proconsul de la Transalpine. Sous la conduite de Vercingétorix, la coalition gauloise monte en puissance dès le début de cette année. Les peuples du Centre de la Gaule, notamment les Bituriges, vont jouer un rôle décisif à ce moment de la guerre, jusqu’à la prise de leur capitale et au massacre des habitants d’Avaricum, en avril 52. Depuis le XIXe siècle, de nombreux savants ont disséqué les événements qui se sont déroulés chez les Bituriges entre février et avril 52. Le texte de César, au livre VII, rapporte une série d’épisodes à partir desquels on peut déduire les stratégies privilégiées par les Gaulois. Le proconsul donne également les noms des oppida qu’il a attaqués chez les Bituriges, mais seulement deux : Noviodunum et Avaricum. Si la localisation d’Avaricum à Bourges ne pose pas de problème, celle de Noviodunum a fait couler beaucoup d’encre et n’est pas encore parfaitement assurée aujourd’hui. La mention de Gorgobina, l’oppidum des Boïens cité dans le même épisode, présente également des difficultés : d’abord à cause de sa situation aux confins des cités biturige et éduenne qui brouille sa localisation, ensuite au sujet de son rôle dans la guerre qui n’est pas clair. Cet article propose de reconsidérer la localisation des oppida de Noviodunum et de Gorgobina, en croisant le texte de César, les études savantes des XIXe et XXe siècles et les connaissances archéologiques sur l’âge du Fer dans le Centre de la France. Pour Noviodunum, il s’agira de réexaminer les découvertes anciennes et récentes rassemblées à Neung-sur-Beuvron (Loir-et-Cher). En particulier, les fortifications seront reconsidérées en détail et un nouveau plan de l’oppidum et de son territoire potentiel sera proposé. S’agissant de Gorgobina, une synthèse des connaissances archéologiques à Sancerre et à Saint-Satur (Cher) tentera de dégager les éléments pouvant appartenir à La Tène finale. Enfin, en croisant encore une fois texte et données archéologiques, cet article fera le point sur la question des frontières de la civitas des Bituriges, liées d’après César à la Loire, au nord avec les Carnutes, à l’est avec les Éduens.
[EN] The Bituriges in conflict with Caesar in 52 BC : the enigma of Noviodunum and Gorgobina.The year 52 BC forms the high point of the Gallic Wars, started six years earlier by Julius Caesar while proconsul of Transalpine Gaul. Under the leadership of Vercingetorix the Gallic coalition had been increasing in power from the beginning of the year. The people of central Gaul, notably the Bituriges, were to play a decisive role at this point in the war, up to the capture of their capital and the massacre of the inhabitants of Avaricum in April 52 BC. Since the 19th century many scholars have scrutinised the events which occurred among the Bituriges between February and April of 52 BC. Caesar’s text, in book VII, describes a series of events from which it is possible to reconstruct the strategies favoured by the Gauls. The proconsul also gives the names of the Biturigan oppida which he attacked, but names only two : Noviodunum and Avaricum. The identification of Avaricum with Bourges poses no problems, but much ink has flowed on the siting of Noviodunum and even today we are still uncertain. Likewise the oppidum of the Boii, Gorgobina, which is mentioned in the same passage, also poses problems, firstly because of its position on the boundary between the states of the Bituriges and the Aedui which obscures its location, and also because of its role in the war which is far from clear. This article aims to reconsider the location of the oppida of Noviodunum and Gorgobina, comparing Caesar’s text, the scholarly discussions of the 19th and 20th centuries, and the archaeological evidence for the Iron Age in central France. For Noviodunum this involves re-assessing the ancient and recent finds from Neung-sur-Beuvron (Loir-et-Cher). In particular the defences are discussed in detail, with a new plan of the oppidum and its possible territory. In the case of Gorgobina, we present a synthesis of our knowledge of the archaeology of Sancerre and of Saint-Satur (Cher), with an attempt to identify the finds which can be dated to the Late La Tène. Finally by comparing again the written text with archaeological discoveries, we deal with the question of the boundaries of the civitas of the Bituriges which according to Caesar was bounded by the Loire, with the Carnutes to the north and the Aedui to the east.
[EN] The Bituriges in conflict with Caesar in 52 BC : the enigma of Noviodunum and Gorgobina.The year 52 BC forms the high point of the Gallic Wars, started six years earlier by Julius Caesar while proconsul of Transalpine Gaul. Under the leadership of Vercingetorix the Gallic coalition had been increasing in power from the beginning of the year. The people of central Gaul, notably the Bituriges, were to play a decisive role at this point in the war, up to the capture of their capital and the massacre of the inhabitants of Avaricum in April 52 BC. Since the 19th century many scholars have scrutinised the events which occurred among the Bituriges between February and April of 52 BC. Caesar’s text, in book VII, describes a series of events from which it is possible to reconstruct the strategies favoured by the Gauls. The proconsul also gives the names of the Biturigan oppida which he attacked, but names only two : Noviodunum and Avaricum. The identification of Avaricum with Bourges poses no problems, but much ink has flowed on the siting of Noviodunum and even today we are still uncertain. Likewise the oppidum of the Boii, Gorgobina, which is mentioned in the same passage, also poses problems, firstly because of its position on the boundary between the states of the Bituriges and the Aedui which obscures its location, and also because of its role in the war which is far from clear. This article aims to reconsider the location of the oppida of Noviodunum and Gorgobina, comparing Caesar’s text, the scholarly discussions of the 19th and 20th centuries, and the archaeological evidence for the Iron Age in central France. For Noviodunum this involves re-assessing the ancient and recent finds from Neung-sur-Beuvron (Loir-et-Cher). In particular the defences are discussed in detail, with a new plan of the oppidum and its possible territory. In the case of Gorgobina, we present a synthesis of our knowledge of the archaeology of Sancerre and of Saint-Satur (Cher), with an attempt to identify the finds which can be dated to the Late La Tène. Finally by comparing again the written text with archaeological discoveries, we deal with the question of the boundaries of the civitas of the Bituriges which according to Caesar was bounded by the Loire, with the Carnutes to the north and the Aedui to the east.
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page name: Krausz (Sophie) 2015 41kna
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Contributors
Dennis Groenewegen, Pierre Faure
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April 2020
