The Aedui tribe was closely allied with the Romans in the 1st century BCE. Their leader, Divitiacus, even mediated between Julius Caesar and the other Celtic tribes as the general invaded Gaul.
However, not all of the Aedui supported Roman rule – not even Divitiacus’s own brother. Known as Dumnorix, around 56 BCE he conspired with the Sequani and Helvetii tribes to overthrow his brother and force out the Romans. However, the plot failed when Caesar pushed back the invading Helvetii at Lake Geneva. However, Dumnorix had planned for this. He had persuaded his fellow Aedui not to supply the Romans with grain, so the Genevan forces quickly ran short of supplies. When Caesar found out Dumnorix was to blame, Divitiacus had to intervene to stop the Roman
general from killing his brother.
general from killing his brother.
Dumnorix wasn’t done, though. When Caesar turned his attention to Britain in 54 BCE, he tried to take some high-ranking Continental Celts with him, but Dumnorix was having none of it. The future ruler of Rome was forced to wait for 25 days on the northern coast, while Dumnorix tried to convince the others not to go. This time Caesar did send soldiers to kill him. Defiant to the end, as he was struck down, it’s claimed Dumnorix’s final words were, “I am a free citizen of a free state!”