Carnutes

The Carnutes were a Celtic tribe of ancient Gaul, living in central Gaul in what is now France. Their core territory lay between the Loire and the Seine rivers, with Cenabum, near modern Orléans, cited as their chief settlement. They were among the more prominent Gaulish groups before Roman conquest.

In their society, druidic culture was influential, and Roman writers describe a central assembly at Cenabum that oversaw religious and judicial matters and could coordinate actions across allied tribes. The Carnutes occupied a region with several fortified sites and towns, reflecting a developed urban and ceremonial landscape within Gaul.

Historically, the Carnutes appear in Roman accounts during Julius Caesar’s Gallic War. The Romans subdued Gaulish resistance in the area, and Cenabum was among the towns attacked and taken as Caesar extended Roman authority over Gaul. Following conquest, the Carnutes were incorporated into Roman governance, and their lands were later part of the province of Gallia Lugdunensis.

Archaeological evidence from central Gaul includes oppida, fortifications, and burial sites attributed to the Carnutes, contributing to understanding of their material culture and social organization. In classical sources, they are cited as a significant Gaulish people in the region, and their name persists in toponyms and historical references to Gaulish political and religious life prior to and during early Roman rule.