SEQUANI, in ancient geography, a Celtic people who oc cupied the upper basin of the river Arar (Saone), their territory corresponding to Franche-Comte and part of Burgundy. Before the arrival of Caesar in Gaul, the Sequani had taken the part of the Arverni against their rivals the Aedui, and hired the Germans under Ariovistus to help them (71 B.c.). But although they thus defeated the Aedui, the Sequani were worse off than before, for Ariovistus deprived them of a third of their territory and threat ened to take another third. The Sequani appealed to Caesar, who drove back the Germans (58), but at the same time compelled the Sequani to surrender all that they had gained from the Aedui. The Sequani therefore joined in the revolt of Vercingetorix (52) and shared in the defeat at Alesia. Under Augustus, the district known as Sequania formed part of Belgica. Af ter the death of Vitellius, the inhabitants refused to join Iulius Civilis and Julius Sabinus in revolt against Rome and drove back Sabinus, who had invaded their territory. A triumphal arch at Vesontio (Besancon),
which in return for this service was made a colony, possibly com memorates this victory. Diocletian added Helvetia, and part of Germania Superior to Sequania, which was now called Provincia maxima Sequanorum. Fifty years later (A.D. 355) Vesontio was sacked by the barbarians. Under Julian it recovered some of its importance as a fortified town, and was able to withstand the attacks of the Vandals. Later, the Sequani became merged in the newly formed kingdom of Burgundy.
BIBLIocRAPHY.—See T. R. Holmes, Caesar's Conquest of Gaul, P. 483 (1899) ; A. Holder, Altceltischer Sprachschatz, ii. (1904) ; Mommsen, Hist. of Rome (Eng. trans.), bk. v. ch. vii.