Aedui

Territory: East Central Gaul
Capital: Bibracte
The powerful Aedui lived in the lands between the rivers Arar (Saone) and the Liger (Loire) in East Central Gaul (France). Even before the time of Julius Caesar, they had strong bonds with the Romans. When the Sequani, their neighbours from the east invaded their lands with the help of the Germanic chieftain Ariovistus, the Aedui sent Diviciacus, the druid, to Rome to appeal to the senate for help, but his mission was unsuccessful. Caesar restored their independence when he arrived with his forces in Gaul (58 BC).

Despite their bonds with the Romans and Caesar, whom they first supported in his Bello Gallico, the Aedui gave their support to Vercingetorix in his revolt against Caesar. After the surrender of Vercingetorix at Alesia the Aedui returned to their allegiance with Rome. Augustus dismantled their native capital Bibracte on Mont Beuvray, and substituted a new town with a half-Roman, half-Gaulish name, Augustodunum (modern Autun). In 21 BC, when Tiberius was Emperor, they revolted under Julius Sacrovir and seized Augustudunum, but were soon put down by Gaius Silius.

The Aedui were the first Celtic Gauls to receive the distinction of jus honorum from Emperor Claudius. The chief magistrate of the Aedui in Caesar's time was Vergobretus, who was elected annually. It is said that he possessed powers of life and death, but was forbidden to go beyond the borders of the Aedui territory.

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