In the time of the De Bellum Gallicum Bibracte was the political and the economical capital of the Eduen. In 163 BC when the Eduens became “brothers of same the same blood than Roman” it is not sure that Bibracte exist. The occupation of the oppidum was very short like must of the oppidum of the Iron Age, less than one century before they moved to Augustodunum.

At his apogee, Bibracte had between 5 000 and 20 000 inhabitants. It was an advanced bastion on the upper oh the Arroux valley visible from far. The city was protected by two fortifications lines. The external one of seven kilometers (about 4,25 miles) protected an area of 200 ha. This line had a very short life and was find in 1986. The internal one of 5,2 kilometers (about 3,1 miles) protected an area of 135 ha.

The wall was similar to the Bourges’ one describe by Caesar as murus galicus. A wood skeleton horizontal and interlaced maintained y large iron nail full of earth. Stones was taken on the front about 4 meters high (13 feet and 1 inch) half timbered. On the top more probably a 1,5 meters high wood palisade (about 5 feets) Some reconstruction (in 1992 and 2000) make the short live of this type of construction in evidence (the first one was broken in five years).

We don’t have yet a good idee of how was the city. However we find an avenue about 20 m broad (65 feet 7 inches) who go through the city from the Rebout’s door to la Pâture du Couvent (named in memory of an Middle age Coven). On its center a pool find in 1987 eleven meters long ships like (about 36 feet) it is the best structure actually find in Bibracte. Its walls were in pink granit. It was just restored.

All around the city cohabits Gaullic’s wood and earth architectures with aristocratic stone roman like one.