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Narbonensis's District of
Lugdunum
Ceann mor:
Position is currently vacant
Lugdunum was a Roman Fort and colony in south-central France. Named for the Celtic God, Lugh, one must suppose there was a Celtic settlement at that place before the Romans came. Sadly, whatever Celtic evidence may have been left, it was buried beneath the city that Rome built.
 (present day Lyon) Little is left of Celtic Lugdunum. The high headland at the confluence of the Rhône and Saône Rivers was an ideal site for an Oppidum. The hillfort contained a sanctuary to Lug, the Gallic equivalent of Lugh, the god of light. A village or farming settlement was located on the flatlands, a little to the north. A few artifacts from the late Iron age have been found in the area, but nothing to suggest there was any great concentration of population prior to the arrival af the Romans in 43 BCE. The city as we know it today, was founded by one of Caesar’s generals from the Gallic Wars. Lucius Munatius Plancus was made governor of the region and chose the hill for the beginnings of his capital city. Not only was the site convenient for river transportation, but it also happened to be on two of the area’s major roads. From Lugdunum, it was easy to travel to Lutetia, Massilia, Colonia Agrippina, or into the Alpine regions. One of the most important archaelogical finds from the area is the Coligny Calendar. This bronze plate bears a five-year lunar calendar, written in the language of the early Gallic Celts. It has been dated to the late first century, CE. The calendar is currently housed in a museum which is built into one of the ancient Roman Theatres. Sources: "Sites and Museums in Roman Gaul, Athena Review Vol. I, no. 4 Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites Biblioteca Riccardiana Map and icon by MacMorna Niafer. Guide to Celtia
The Discussions of Lugdunum:
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