The Lemovices were a Celtic people in central Gaul, in today's Limousin. Their name lives on both in the city of Limoges and in the whole region.
"There fell Sedullos, leader and prince of the Lemovices."after Caesar, The Gallic War VII (public domain, own translation)
The Lemovices were a Celtic people of the Massif Central of Gaul, in the hilly landscape of today's Limousin around Limoges. Far from the great trade roads of the south, but rich in pasture and ore, they belonged to the many tribes that had to decide their fate in the Gallic War.
In 52 BC the Lemovices joined the great revolt of Vercingetorix. When Caesar besieged the Gaulish prince in Alesia, the tribes raised a vast relief army to free him – and the Lemovices marched too.
Their leader Sedullos was one of the commanders of this relief army. Caesar himself names him in his account as "leader and first man of the Lemovices" – and records that Sedullos fell in the fighting for Alesia. It was one of those moments in which the freedom of Gaul was decided.
After the defeat the land of the Lemovices was incorporated into the Roman province. Their chief town Augustoritum grew into an ordered Roman city with amphitheatre and bridge – the origin of today's Limoges.
The tribe vanished, its name remained: from the Lemovices came the city of Limoges and the region of Limousin. Thus a Celtic mountain people lives on to this day on the map of France.
The Lemovices and their leader Sedullos stand for the last great fight for the freedom of Gaul. At GLANZ & GRAVUR we tell such stories from the sources – honestly and with respect for the people who fought for their world.
The Lemovices belong to the peoples of the great revolt. Continue with the Arverni and Cadurci.
The Arverni · The Aedui · The Bituriges · The Cadurci · The Celtic Warriors.
