Convictolitavis

Who is Convictolitavis?

Convictolitavis was a prominent member of the Celtic civitas of the Haedui during the Gallic Wars. He played a significant role in the pan-Gallic rebellion of 52 BC, as narrated by Julius Caesar in Book 7 of his Commentarii de Bello Gallico.

In the seventh year of the war, Caesar was surprised by the scope and strength of the resistance mounted by Vercingetorix, a leader of the neighboring Arverni, who was able to rally a number of Gallic civitates and tribes in a united effort to halt the Roman conquest of Gaul. Haeduan loyalties during this time appear to have been divided; the Aedui had been allies of Rome and enemies of the Arverni at least since the 120s BC, but Caesar was aware of opposing pro- and anti-Roman factions within the civitas from the beginning of the war.

This division recurs in the disputed Haeduan election for the annual office of vergobret, which Caesar describes as the chief magistracy of the civitas. Two men claimed victory: Convictolitavis and Cotus, whose brother had held the office the previous year.