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Origin and history

Bibracte was the capital of the Celtic people of the Eduans, developed mainly in the first century BC. This 135-hectare site, located on Mount Beuvray on horseback between Saône-et-Loire and Nièvre, was a major political, artisanal and commercial centre. It housed miners, blacksmiths and coin strikers, and served as a crossroads between the basins of the Yonne, the Saône and the Loire. Its urban organization, its ramparts of the type murus gallicus, and its role in the Gauls' War make it a model of the Gauls.

The foundation of Bibracte dates back to the end of the 2nd century BC, with a first enclosure of 200 hectares, later reduced to 135 hectares by an interior rampart. Allied with Rome, the site was spared during conflicts, such as Caesar's victory over the Helvets in 58 B.C. at Montmort. In 52 BC, Vercingetorix was proclaimed king of Gauls. After the creation of Autun (Augustodnum) around 15 BC, Bibracte gradually declined, although cults and an annual fair remained there until the Middle Ages.

Archaeological excavations, initiated in the 19th century by Jacques-Gabriel Bulliot and his nephew Joseph Déchelette, revealed a complex organization: artisanal neighborhoods (metallurgy, minting), aristocratic stone habitats (like the domus PC1), and places of worship (Saint Peter's fountain, nemeton). The site now houses a museum and a European research centre, classified Grand Site de France in 2007. Discoveries, such as the early Roman basilica (50–25 B.C.), attest to rapid Romanization.

Bibracte was a strategic trade hub, controlling trade between the Mediterranean and northern Europe. The Students, allies of Rome, taxed goods transiting through the Saône, enriching their city. Their political system, led by a senate and a vergobret (annual magistrate), reflected a complex social organization. Bibracte's decline is due to the transfer from the capital to Autun, which is more adapted to the Roman urban model and to the lines of communication.

Mount Beuvray, with its three peaks (Theurot de la Wevre, Theurot de la Roche, Porrey), houses unique remains: ramparts, monumental gates (like the Gate of the Rebuttal), and a pink granite basin with solstial alignments. The current excavations, carried out by European teams, cover 12 hectares (10% of the site) and still reveal artisanal districts, necropolises, and temples. The Bibracte Museum, opened in 1996, presents these discoveries and participates in research networks such as Iron Age Europe.

Ranked a historic monument in 1984, Bibracte illustrates the climax and the decline of a Gaulish city in the face of Romanization. Its gradual abandonment, despite its past power, makes it an exceptional witness to the cultural transitions in Gaul. The continuous excavations, combining lidar and traditional methods, aim to understand its functioning and its role in the confederation of Celtic peoples allied to the Eduans.

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