VELLAUNODUNUM
VELLAUNODUNUM in Gallia. In B.C. 52 Caesar, leaving two legions and all the baggage at Agedincum (
Sens), marches on Genabum (
Orléans). On the second day he reaches Vellaunodunum. (
B. G. 7.11.)
In two days Caesar made a vallum round Vellaunodunum, and on the third day the place surrendered, and the people gave up their arms.
There is no evidence about the site of Vellaunodunum, except that it was on the road from
Sens to
Orléans, and was reached in the second day's march from
Sens, and that Caesar reached
Orléans in two days from Vellaunodunum. Caesar was marching quick. D'Anville conjectures that Vellaunodunum may be
Beaune, in the old province of
Gâtinois; for
Beaune is about 40 Roman miles from
Sens, and the Roman army would march that distance in two days.
Beaune is named Belna in the Pagus Vastinensis (
Gâtinois, Gastinois, Vastinois; VAPINCUM), in the acts of a council held at
Soissons in 862, and D'Anville thinks that Belna may be a corruption of Vellauna, which is the name of Vellaunodunum, if we cut off the termination
dunum. (D'Anville,
Notice, &c.)
[
G.L]
