Lucterius
Encyclopedia
Lucterius was a leader of the Carduci, a Celtic people whose territory was located around Cahors
in the modern French department of Lot. In the 50s BC, the Cadurci were under the rule of the Arverni
, the civitas
of Vercingetorix
, under whom Lucterius served during the last stages of the Gallic Wars
. In his memoirs, Julius Caesar
calls him a man of unsurpassed boldness.
During the Gallic rebellion of 52 BC, Vercingetorix placed part of his forces under the command of Lucterius and sent him to secure the allegiance of the Ruteni
, a border people. Advancing through the territory of the Nitiobriges and Gabali
, he amassed an impressive number of troops and was on the point of invading the Narbonensis, the Roman province
of Mediterranean Gaul, when the arrival of Caesar and his army forced him to withdraw.
Lucterius remained at large after the surrender of Vercingetorix at Alesia
and continued the resistance the following year in an alliance with Drappes, a Senonian
under whom motley contingents of Gallic rebels had gathered. They attempted another invasion of the Narbonensis, but were blocked by Gaius Caninius Rebilus
. They temporarily withdrew to the oppidum
of Uxellodunum
, in the French province of "le Quercy
", though its exact location is still a matter of debate. Mindful of the fate of Vercingetorix under siege at Alesia, they found it imprudent to remain within walls, and encamped about 10 miles away. For a time they were able to keep the town provisioned with grain despite the Roman presence.
Despite the capture of Vercingetorix, continued rebellion and guerilla warfare in Gaul, coupled with the political situation in Rome, had put increasing pressure on Caesar as he neared the end of his legal term as proconsul
. He thus joined the siege with the intention of making Uxellodunum an example of the consequences of resistance. When the town fell, Caesar spared the lives of those who had fought, but had their hands cut off as a visible reminder of the penalty for what he considered betrayal. Lucterius, having fled before the surrender, sought refuge among the Arverni, but was betrayed and turned over to the Romans.
Lucterius was the basis of the character Vitalstatistix from Asterix and Obelix.
Cahors
Cahors is the capital of the Lot department in south-western France.Its site is dramatic being contained on three sides within an udder shaped twist in the river Lot known as a 'presqu'île' or peninsula...
in the modern French department of Lot. In the 50s BC, the Cadurci were under the rule of the Arverni
Arverni
The Arverni were a Gallic tribe living in what is now the Auvergne region of France during the last centuries BC. One of the most powerful tribes in ancient Gaul, they opposed the Romans on several occasions...
, the civitas
Civitas
In the history of Rome, the Latin term civitas , according to Cicero in the time of the late Roman Republic, was the social body of the cives, or citizens, united by law . It is the law that binds them together, giving them responsibilities on the one hand and rights of citizenship on the other...
of Vercingetorix
Vercingetorix
Vercingetorix was the chieftain of the Arverni tribe, who united the Gauls in an ultimately unsuccessful revolt against Roman forces during the last phase of Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars....
, under whom Lucterius served during the last stages of the Gallic Wars
Gallic Wars
The Gallic Wars were a series of military campaigns waged by the Roman proconsul Julius Caesar against several Gallic tribes. They lasted from 58 BC to 51 BC. The Gallic Wars culminated in the decisive Battle of Alesia in 52 BC, in which a complete Roman victory resulted in the expansion of the...
. In his memoirs, Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
calls him a man of unsurpassed boldness.
During the Gallic rebellion of 52 BC, Vercingetorix placed part of his forces under the command of Lucterius and sent him to secure the allegiance of the Ruteni
Ruteni
The Ruteni were a tribe of Gaul. They were located in the modern region of Aveyron, and were known as producers of lead....
, a border people. Advancing through the territory of the Nitiobriges and Gabali
Gabali
The Gabali were a Gallic Tribe from Gallia Aquitania, in the mountainous region, where the Oltis and the Elaver emerge. They were subject to the Averni....
, he amassed an impressive number of troops and was on the point of invading the Narbonensis, the Roman province
Roman province
In Ancient Rome, a province was the basic, and, until the Tetrarchy , largest territorial and administrative unit of the empire's territorial possessions outside of Italy...
of Mediterranean Gaul, when the arrival of Caesar and his army forced him to withdraw.
Lucterius remained at large after the surrender of Vercingetorix at Alesia
Battle of Alesia
The Battle of Alesia or Siege of Alesia took place in September, 52 BC around the Gallic oppidum of Alesia, a major town centre and hill fort of the Mandubii tribe...
and continued the resistance the following year in an alliance with Drappes, a Senonian
Senones
The Senones were an ancient Gaulish tribe.In about 400 BC they crossed the Alps and, having driven out the Umbrians settled on the east coast of Italy from Forlì to Ancona, in the so-called ager Gallicus, and founded the town of Sena Gallica , which became their capital. In 391 BC they invaded...
under whom motley contingents of Gallic rebels had gathered. They attempted another invasion of the Narbonensis, but were blocked by Gaius Caninius Rebilus
Gaius Caninius Rebilus
Gaius Caninius Rebilus, a member of the plebeian gens Caninia, was a Roman general and politician. As a reward for devoted service, Julius Caesar appointed him consul suffectus in 45 BC....
. They temporarily withdrew to the oppidum
Oppidum
Oppidum is a Latin word meaning the main settlement in any administrative area of ancient Rome. The word is derived from the earlier Latin ob-pedum, "enclosed space," possibly from the Proto-Indo-European *pedóm-, "occupied space" or "footprint."Julius Caesar described the larger Celtic Iron Age...
of Uxellodunum
Uxellodunum
Uxellodunum is an iron age hill fort, or oppidum, located above the river Dordogne near the modern-day French village of Vayrac in the Lot department. This stronghold lay within the lands of the Cadurci tribe...
, in the French province of "le Quercy
Quercy
Quercy is a former province of France located in the country's southwest, bounded on the north by Limousin, on the west by Périgord and Agenais, on the south by Gascony and Languedoc, and on the east by Rouergue and Auvergne....
", though its exact location is still a matter of debate. Mindful of the fate of Vercingetorix under siege at Alesia, they found it imprudent to remain within walls, and encamped about 10 miles away. For a time they were able to keep the town provisioned with grain despite the Roman presence.
Despite the capture of Vercingetorix, continued rebellion and guerilla warfare in Gaul, coupled with the political situation in Rome, had put increasing pressure on Caesar as he neared the end of his legal term as proconsul
Proconsul
A proconsul was a governor of a province in the Roman Republic appointed for one year by the senate. In modern usage, the title has been used for a person from one country ruling another country or bluntly interfering in another country's internal affairs.-Ancient Rome:In the Roman Republic, a...
. He thus joined the siege with the intention of making Uxellodunum an example of the consequences of resistance. When the town fell, Caesar spared the lives of those who had fought, but had their hands cut off as a visible reminder of the penalty for what he considered betrayal. Lucterius, having fled before the surrender, sought refuge among the Arverni, but was betrayed and turned over to the Romans.
Lucterius was the basis of the character Vitalstatistix from Asterix and Obelix.