Sanctuary of the Three Gauls

August – formerly Sextilis in the Roman calendar – had been renamed in honour of Augustus, and its kalends (the first day of the month) was particularly auspicious as the anniversary of his victory at Alexandria.

The ara (altar) was dedicated to Dea Roma and Augustus and its first high priest (sacerdos) was Caius Julius Vercondaridubnus, a Gaul of the Aeduan elite.

His name indicates his Roman citizenship and Gallic origins - his election to Imperial priesthood may confirm a preference based on his personal standing and that of his civitas as fratres ("brothers", or allies) of Rome.

[11] The concilia at Lugdunum were also displays of loyalty and a developing role within the Roman province, which involved the renewal of vows through priestly sacrifice at the ara, feasting, games (ludi), contests of eloquence and poetry.

[14][15] Following his defeat of Clodius Albinus and his allies at Lugdunum, Septimius Severus re-founded and reformed its Imperial cult centre as an instrument of suppression and autocracy.

The geographer Strabo described it in context: "[Lugdunum] is the most populous of all the cities of Celtica except Narbo; for not only do people use it as an emporium, but the Roman governors coin their money there, both the silver and the gold.

"[17] Fishwick suggests that the images (bronze statues) and inscriptions of Strabo's account are stylistically Greek additions to the ara some time after its inauguration.

It was flanked by two winged victories of gilt bronze, holding palms and gold crowns, standing on ionic capitals, set on columns assumed to be the later source for the four pillars of the transept crossing of the basilica of St-Martin-d'Ainay, which support the dome.