Oppidum gaulois et camp de César

English translation

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History

Site occupied since prehistory and at the dawn of prehistoric times. Before Roman occupation, it was an important Gallic oppidum of the Bellovaci people. This oppidum probably played an important role in the defence of the Bellovaci against Julius Caesar, not far from Clermont and Catenoy. From the conquest onwards, the Romans established a military camp there as at Bratuspantium, Vendeuil, Caply and Caesaromagus. It is a chalk hill culminating at 137 m above the Thérain valley where the river flows at 50 m above sea level. The upper part presents itself as almost entirely flat over a large area. However, to the north-east buttes appear and above all it must be noted to the west a slight elevation which was doubtless made by human hands in the time of the Gauls. The north-east part entirely wooded, the south part almost entirely uncovered sees its counter-slopes cultivated always higher by farmers, who cannot however reach the top because of the terrain greatly disturbed by Gallic fortifications.