The Siege of Autun (356 CE) was part of an armed conflict between the Roman Empire and the invading barbarian tribe of Alemanni, who were ravaging Gaul. The Romans successfully defended the city, and the barbarians retreated on the approach of reinforcements.

The fight between Rome and the Alemanni arose out of the Roman civil war 350-353. At that time, the empire was split between two factions: that of Emperor Constantius II and of Magnentius. Here is how that came about. When Constantine I died in 337, his empire was divided between his three sons: Constantine II was granted Gaul, Spain and Britain; Constantius II was given Asia Minor, Egypt and Syria, and; Constans I got Italy, North Africa and Illyricum (Greece). The brothers did not get along and Constantine II was killed in a failed invasion of Italy by Constans soldiers, who gained hegemony over all the western provinces of the empire. Unfortunately for Constans, he was disliked by his military, and in 350 he was overthrown and died attempting escape.

With the death of Constans, the legions of the western empire appointed a Gallic commander, Magnentius, as the new Emperor of the West. So, by 350 there were just two emperors – Magnentius in the West and Constantius II (the only remaining son of Constantine I) in the East.

To put pressure on Magnentius, Constantius urged the Alemanni to cross the Rhine and invade Magnentius' dominions in Gaul. The Alemanni were a confederacy of Germanic-speaking people living in present-day Germany and had a long history of conflict with the Romans. This plan worked out well for Constantius as the Alemanni, under the leadership of Chnodomar (also known as Chnodomarius,) invaded Gaul and defeated the army of Magnentius. Elsewhere in the empire, the armies of Magnentius and Constantius clashed several times, but Magnentius suffered significant defeats at the Battle of Mursa (28 Sept 351 in present-day Croatia) and the Battle of Mons Seleucus (August 353 near present-day La Batie-Montsaléon in southeastern France). Magnentius committed suicide in August 353, and with that the civil war ended.

The Alemanni decided they liked the lands they had taken from Magnentius and declined to leave them at the end of the civil war. Constantius decided their removal was necessary and for this purpose he initially conferred command of the western legions to a general named Claudius Silvanus. Silvanus instead led a revolt in Gaul in 355 and Constantius had him assassinated.

Leadership in Gaul was next given to Constantius’ ousin Julian, who was given the title of Caesar of the West on 6 November 355 and dispatched to deal with the Alemanni.

In 356, just as Julian was beginning his campaign against the Alemanni, he learned that the city of Autun, the capital of the Aedui, was under siege by a large Alemanni force.  At that time, Autun was an important centre and may have had a population as high as one hundred thousand.  It had extensive wall fortifications, but in 356 these were in poor repair and mostly abandoned by the local garrison. Despite this, the city maintained a determined defence against the Alemanni, led by a group of veteran Roman soldiers residing in the town. Julian’s army lifted the siege on 24 June. Following the rescue of Autun, Julian went on to defeat the Alemanni in a series of battles, most notably at Strasbourg in 357. Eventually Julian and Constantius went to war against each other, but Constantius died before they could face each other in battle and Julian was named Emperor of all the Roman provinces in 361.

The Battle of Autun – 532

While no battle site is identifiable from historical records, it is said that in 532 the soldiers of the Merovingian kings Clothar I and Childbert I fought and defeated the Begundian army of King Godomar at or near Autun.

The Battle of Autun – 725

In 725, General Ibn Suhayam Al-Kalbi marched on Autun with his Umayyad army and captured the town after defeating local forces led by Bishop Émillen of Nantes.

Autun today

Autun is a pleasant stopping point, highlighted by its cathedral. A series of curving roads takes you to the town centre and once you find a place to park take the time to stroll about the area around the cathedral. Map The Cathédrale Saint Lazare was originally built between 1120 and 1130 and added to over the centuries. Its claim to fame are the decorations by the twelfth century French sculptor Gisiebertus and in particular the Last Supper carving found at the cathedral entrance. There are several bistros on the adjacent streets. Rank 9

But for us, the real attraction of Autun are the remains of the original Roman fortifications which still surround much of the old town centre, particularly along Boulevard Mac Mahon. The fortifications date back to the Emperor Augustus and include the remains of two gates: Porte Saint André  Map and the Porte d'Arroux.  Map Drive (or even better, bicycle) around these walls and make your way to the Roman Theatre Map Just outside of town are the ruins of a Temple of Janus. Map Rank 9

Weekend concerts are held in the central square during the summer months. Market Days are held in the rooms of the city hall and on the forecourt on Wednesdays from 7:00 am to 1:00 pm and there is a large food market Fridays from 7:00 am to 1:00 pm.

There are two annual fairs in Autun – in early  March  and early September. This is your chance to try tête de veau (yes, calf head) with a gribiche or ravigote sauce. Or you can be a bit less adventurous and stick to typical Burgundian dishes (beef bourguignon, poached eggs, coq au vin, Morvan cured ham).

For dining, try Comptoir Cuisine at the foot of the cathedral Map or Restaurant Du Commerce at 20 Avenue de la République Map

Other local sites include:

• About a half-hour drive to the southeast of Autun is Château de Couches ("Marguerite de Bourgogne") a once important fortification from the thirteenth century, which today offers tours, a winery and Chambre d’Hote. chateaudecouches Rank 6 Map

• Also, about a half hour drive from Autun (to the northeast) is Château de Sully - one of the rare châteaus the owners, the Magenta family, still live in . Map Sully has been in the Mac Mahon family since the eighteenth century and was the birthplace of Field Marshal Maurice de Mac Mahon, elected French president in 1873, the only French president born in Burgundy. It is a very pretty spot. chateaudesully Rank 7 

• Not far from Château de Sully and Château de Couches is the very pretty town of Beaune. This town is worthy of a visit if for no other reason than to see the Musée du Vin dans l'Hôtel des Ducs de Bourgogne – Beaune.  The museum is dedicated to the history of the culture of the vine and the making of wine. The museum is housed in an almshouse and hospital for the poor built in the 1400s and features timber framing. Beaune is thoroughly Burgundian. It is very picturesque, with cobbled streets, shaded squares, and a scattering of historic buildings. Beaune is at the centre of some sixty hectares of Grand and Premier Cru vineyards and is the venue for a famous charity wine auction every November. The centre of Beaune is a joy to stroll around  and, of course, a great place to find some outstanding wine. Rank 8  Map

• The archeological site of Bibracte, pre-Roman Gaul’s largest city., is on Mont Beuvray near Autun.  Map Bibracte was a hill settlement of ten thousand that was abandoned after the Roman conquest and only rediscovered in the eighteenth century. It was here that Vercingetorix was announced as leader of the Gauls in 52 BCE before the pivotal Battle of Alesia. The Museum of Celtic Civilization at Bibracte tells the history of the site, including about the Battle of Bibracte fought in 58 BC between six legions of Julius Caesar’s army and the Helvetii tribe. Rank 7. It is about a 40-minute drive from Autun to Bibracte (to the west). bibracte