BIBRACTE, an ancient Gaulish hill-top town, 2,5ooft. above sea-level, the modern Mt. Beuvray, near Autun, in France Ex cavation has revealed an area of 33o acres, girt with a stone and wood rampart 3m. long, and containing the remains of dwelling houses, a temple of Bibractis, and workshops of iron and bronze workers and enamellers. It was the capital of the Aedui in the time of Julius Caesar. Later on Augustus removed the inhabitants to his new town Augustodunum (Autun), to destroy the free native traditions. Another far more obscure town in Gaul, near Reims, also bore the name.
See J. G. Bulliot, Foullies de Beuvray (Autun, 1899) ; J. Dechelette, L'Oppidum de Bibracte (19o3) ; also references, s.v. AEDUI.
This battle was the climax of Julius Caesar's first campaign in Gaul 58 B.C. Before he could contem plate the expansion of Rome's dominion he found that he had to deal with an imminent threat to the security of the existing province. For the Helvetii, assembling around Lake Geneva were about to begin a tribal migration into the fertile plains of Gaul. By negotiations, more diplomatic than sincere, Caesar gained time to block their path across the Rhone. The delay enabled him to return to Cisalpine Gaul and raise two new legions, con centrate three others, and then march back across the Alps to reinforce the solitary Tenth Legion on the Rhone. The Helvetii meanwhile had pursued their leisurely course along the north bank of the Rhone. Caesar caught them in the act of crossing the Arar (modern SaOne) just north of its junction with the RhOne near modern Lyon, and inflicted a sharp check. The Helvetii now turned northwards, followed cautiously by Caesar until, em barrassed by shortage of supplies, he decided to press on ahead of them to Bibracte (near modern Autun). His difficulty en couraged the Helvetii to move against him, and their harassing of his march became so unpleasant that he turned at bay on a hill before reaching Bibracte. Posting the two untried legions and the auxiliaries with the baggage on the crest, he formed the remainder in three lines. The Roman javelin (pihim) throwing was so effective that it did much to break up the solidity of the assault, and enabled the legionaries to press the enemy steadily back in the close quarter combat. But as the legions followed up the retire ment of the Helvetii they laid bare their own rear. The opportu nity to fall upon this was seized by a large body of the allied Boil and Tulungi who had been guarding the wagon-park of the Hel vetii. To meet the danger Caesar turned his third line about and after a stern struggle repulsed the double attack now launched. The success was eventually completed by the capture of the wagon-park.
