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81-472: They were among the first tribes to give support to the Gallic coalition against Rome led by Vercingetorix in 52 BC, then to the revolt of Sacrovir in 21 AD. They are mentioned as Turonos and Turonis by Caesar (mid-1st c. BC), Turones by Pliny (1st c. AD), Turoni by Tacitus (early 2nd c. AD), and as Touroúpioi (Τουρούπιοι, var. τουρογιεῖς) by Ptolemy (2nd c. AD). A folk etymology that

162-400: A PIE stem meaning 'tread, step, walk'; cf. Old Irish cinged ), and -rix ('king'; cf. Celtiberian reikis , Old Irish rí , Old Welsh ri ). Scholar Maigréad Ní C. Dobbs has proposed to see an Irish cognate of the name in the form Ferchinged an rí . In his Life of Caesar , Plutarch renders the name as Vergentorix (Ουεργεντοριξ). According to Florus , he was "endowed [...] with

243-601: A cavalry battle and he retreated and moved to another stronghold, Alesia . In the Battle of Alesia in September 52 BC, Caesar built a fortification around the city to besiege it. However, Vercingetorix had summoned his Gallic allies to attack the besieging Romans. These forces included an army of Arverni led by Vercingetorix's cousin Vercassivellaunos and an army of 10,000 Lemovices led by Sedullos . With

324-493: A challenger today. The event is described by Caesar himself in his Commentarii de Bello Gallico as well as several later ancient authors (namely Plutarch and Cassius Dio). After the Roman victory, Gaul (very roughly modern France) was subdued, although Gallic territories north of Gallia Narbonensis would not become a Roman province until 27 BC. The Roman Senate granted Caesar a thanksgiving of 20 days for his victory in

405-820: A common spirit, Can defy the Universe. Many other monumental statues of Vercingetorix were erected in France during the 19th century, including one by Frédéric Bartholdi on the Place de Jaude in Clermont-Ferrand . Asteroid 52963 Vercingetorix , discovered by the OCA–DLR Asteroid Survey , was named in his honor. The official naming citation was published by the Minor Planet Center on 25 September 2018 ( M.P.C. 111800 ). Vercingetorix

486-453: A defensive fortification. The Gauls continuously harassed the Romans and their foraging parties while they built their camp, and attempted to burn it down. But not even the fierce winter weather could stop the Romans, and a very sturdy camp was built in just 25 days. Siege engines were built, and Caesar waited for an opportunity to attack the heavily fortified oppidum . He chose to attack during

567-418: A dramatic fashion, riding his beautifully adorned horse out of Alesia and around Caesar's camp before dismounting in front of Caesar, stripping himself of his armor and sitting down at his opponent's feet, where he remained motionless until he was taken away. Caesar provides a first-hand contradiction of this account, De Bell. Gal . 7.89, describing Vercingetorix's surrender much more modestly. Vercingetorix

648-456: A head in 52 BC and caused the widespread revolt the Romans had long feared. The campaigns of 53 BC had been particularly harsh, and the Gauls feared for their prosperity. Previously, they had not been united, which had made them easy to conquer. But this changed in 53 BC, when Caesar announced that Gaul was now being treated as a Roman province, subject to Roman laws and religion. This

729-424: A hill could not be included in the Roman works and they placed a camp with two legions on steep and disadvantageous ground (this is indicated by a circle in the figure). Thus, the Gauls selected 60,000 men and appointed Vercassivellaunus , a near relative of Vercingetorix, to lead the attack on that spot. They marched there before dawn and launched the attack at noon. Vercingetorix made a sally and attacked any part of

810-617: A major centre of the Mandubii tribe. It was fought by the Roman army of Julius Caesar against a confederation of Gallic tribes united under the leadership of Vercingetorix of the Arverni . It was the last major engagement between Gauls and Romans, and is considered one of Caesar's greatest military achievements and a classic example of siege warfare and investment ; the Roman army built dual lines of fortifications—an inner wall to keep

891-756: A name which seemed to be intended to inspire terror". Having been appointed governor of the Roman province of Gallia Narbonensis (modern Provence ) in 58 BC, Julius Caesar proceeded to conquer the Gallic tribes beyond over the next few years, maintaining control through a careful divide and rule strategy. He made use of the factionalism among the Gallic elites, favouring certain noblemen over others with political support and Roman luxuries such as wine . Attempts at revolt, such as that of Ambiorix in 54 BC, had secured only local support, but Vercingetorix, whose father, Celtillus, had been put to death by his own countrymen for seeking to rule all of Gaul, managed to unify

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972-424: A rainstorm, where the sentries were distracted. Siege towers were used to assault the fort, and artillery battered the walls. Eventually, the artillery broke a hole in the wall, and the Gauls were unable to stop the Romans from taking the settlement. The Romans then looted and raped the settlement; Caesar took no prisoners and claimed the Romans slew 40,000. That the Gallic coalition did not fall apart after this defeat

1053-493: A retreat. But no such retreat occurred and the Romans directly assaulted the settlement. Gilliver finds it likely that Caesar did not actually sound a retreat and that it was his plan all along to directly assault the settlement. Caesar's dubious claim is likely to distance himself from the ensuing and overwhelming failure of the Romans. The Roman assault ended in clear defeat as the Romans were greatly outnumbered. Caesar (whose self-reported casualty numbers are likely much lower than

1134-510: A siege, and that the "rivers" were actually small streams. Berthier proposed that the location of the battle was at Chaux-des-Crotenay at the gate of the Jura mountains – a place that better suits the descriptions in Caesar's Gallic Wars . Roman fortifications have been found at this site. Danielle Porte, a Sorbonne professor, continues to challenge the identification of Alise-Sainte-Reine as

1215-479: A trench twenty pedes (6 metres, 19 modern feet) with perpendicular sides and built all the other works four hundred stades (probably 592 m, 1943 feet) away from that trench. The object of placing this trench so far away from the rest of the works was, as Caesar explained, that the manning of the entrenchment was not easy and, thus, this distance was a protection against surprise enemy advances at night or against javelins or other missiles being thrown at

1296-489: A young nobleman of the Arvernian city of Gergovia , roused his dependents to join the revolt, but he and his followers were expelled by Vercingetorix's uncle Gobanitio and the rest of the nobles because they thought that opposing Caesar was too great a risk. Undeterred, Vercingetorix raised an army of the poor, took Gergovia, and was hailed as king. He made alliances with other tribes, and in doing so he united Gaul under

1377-482: Is a testament to the leadership of Vercingetorix. Despite this setback, the Aedui were willing to revolt and join the coalition. This was yet another setback to Caesar's supply lines, as he could no longer get supplies through the Aedui (though the taking of Avaricum had supplied the army for the moment). Vercingetorix now withdrew to Gergovia , the capital of his own tribe, which he was eager to defend. Caesar arrived as

1458-449: Is an illustrated summation of "Caesar's Gallic Wars", written by Caesar. The 2005–2007 HBO series Rome depicts the surrender and execution of Vercingetorix . The 2001 film Druids , starring Christopher Lambert as Vercingetorix, depicts the Gallic chieftain's struggle against Caesar. The film is infamous in France for its poor quality and dismal box office performance. The script was written by Norman Spinrad , who also authored

1539-589: Is primarily known through Caesar's Commentarii de Bello Gallico (Commentaries on the Gallic War). He is considered a folk hero in France, and especially in Auvergne , his native region. The Gaulish name Vercingetorix literally means 'great/supreme king/leader of warriors/heroes'. It is a compound of the prefix ver- ('over, superior'; cf. Old Irish for , Old Welsh / Old Breton guor , Cornish gor ), attached to -cingeto- ('warrior, hero', from

1620-598: Is referenced and appears in flashbacks in several Asterix comics. Asterix and the Chieftain's Shield is about Asterix and Obelix's efforts to locate Vercingetorix's missing shield and humiliate Caesar in the process. He is the co-protagonist and title character of the 18th book in the series The Adventures of Alix . The story of his battles against Caesar and subsequent surrender are also referenced in Classics Illustrated "Caesars Conquests", which

1701-514: The Arverni tribe who united the Gauls in a failed revolt against Roman forces during the last phase of Julius Caesar 's Gallic Wars . After surrendering to Caesar and spending almost six years in prison, he was executed in Rome. Vercingetorix was the son of Celtillus the Arvernian, leader of the Gallic tribes. Vercingetorix came to power after his formal designation as chieftain of the Arverni at

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1782-578: The Pictone , king of Aquitaine . The city of Tours , attested in the 6th c. AD as apud Toronos ( in civitate Turonus in 976, Turonis in 1205, Tors in 1266), and the Touraine region, attested in 774 as Turonice civitatis ( in pago Turonico in 983, vicecomes Turanie in 1195–96, Touraine in 1220), are named after the Gallic tribe. The Turoni on the middle reaches of the Loire river. It spanned

1863-624: The Roman legions from living off the land. Vercingetorix scorched much of the land marching north with his army from Gergovia in an attempt to deprive Caesar of the resources and safe haven of the towns and villages along Caesar's march south. However, the capital of the Bituriges , Avaricum (near modern-day Bourges ), a Gallic settlement directly in Caesar's path, was spared. Due to the town's strong protests, naturally defensible terrain, and apparently strong man-made reinforcing defenses, Vercingetorix decided against razing and burning it. Leaving

1944-622: The Suebi and, to demonstrate Roman power, crossed the Rhine in 56 BC. In 57 BC he intervened in intra-Gallic conflicts and marched on the Belgae of northern Gaul. From then on he conquered the Gallic peoples one by one. His successes in Gaul brought Caesar political prestige in Rome and great wealth through the spoils of wars and the sale of war captives as slaves. Gallic existential concerns came to

2025-486: The oppidum Gergovia in 52 BC. He immediately established an alliance with other Gallic tribes, took command, combined all forces and led them in the Celts' most significant revolt against Roman power. He won the Battle of Gergovia against Julius Caesar in which several thousand Romans and their allies were killed and the Roman legions withdrew. Caesar had been able to exploit Gaulish internal divisions to easily subjugate

2106-597: The Gallic War. In 58 BC, following his first consulship in 59 BC, Julius Caesar engineered his own appointment as proconsul (governor) of three Roman provinces by the First Triumvirate . These were Cisalpine Gaul (northern Italy), Illyricum (on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea ) and Gallia Narbonensis (in southeastern France and the rest of France's Mediterranean coast). Although

2187-458: The Gallic council and proposed that he should be killed or surrendered alive to appease the Romans. Caesar ordered the Gauls to surrender their weapons and deliver their chieftains. The chieftains were brought before him and Vercingetorix was surrendered. Captives were given to the Roman soldiers as part of the spoils of war apart from the Aedui and Arverni, whom he hoped to win over. With the revolt crushed, Caesar set his legions to winter across

2268-630: The Gallic tribes against the Romans and adopted more current styles of warfare. The revolt that Vercingetorix came to lead began in early 52 BC while Caesar was raising troops in Cisalpine Gaul . Believing that Caesar would be distracted by the turmoil in Rome following the death of Publius Clodius Pulcher , the Carnutes , under Cotuatus and Conetodunus, made the first move, slaughtering the Romans who had settled in their territory. Vercingetorix,

2349-515: The Helvetii to move into Gaul. While he went to Gallia Cisalpina to collect three other legions, the Helvetii attacked the territories of the Aedui , Ambarri , and Allobroges , three Gallic tribes, which called for Caesar's help. Caesar and his Gallic allies defeated the Helvetii. The Gallic tribes then asked for Caesar to intervene against an invasion by the Suebi , a Germanic tribe. Caesar defeated

2430-571: The Roman Senate in 44 BC. His ever-increasing personal power and honours undermined the tradition-bound republican foundations of Rome. More civil wars followed his assassination. The last one was a conflict between Octavian (later known as Augustus ) and Marc Antony over who would be the sole ruler of Rome, which Octavius won. This led to the de facto end of the Roman Republic and the beginning of rule by emperors. Vercingetorix

2511-405: The Roman cavalry was sent to pursue them. Many were killed and many fled to the lands they came from. After multiple attacks, the Gauls realized that they could not overcome the truly impressive Roman siege works. At this point, it became clear that the Romans would be able to outlast the defenders, and that the revolt was doomed. The relieving army melted away. The next day Vercingetorix convened

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2592-406: The Roman circumvallation surrounded by the rest of Gaul, Caesar built another outward-facing fortification (a contravallation) against the expected relief armies, resulting in a doughnut-shaped fortification. The Gallic relief came in insufficient numbers: estimates range from 80,000 to 250,000 soldiers. Vercingetorix, the tactical leader, was cut off from them on the inside, and without his guidance

2673-567: The Roman troops who were building the works during the day. Between this advance trench and the entrenchment, he dug two more trenches 15 pedes (4.45 m, 14.6 ft) wide and deep. He filled the inner one, where the ground was level with the plain or sank below it, with water from the river. Behind the three trenches he built a rampart riveted with palisades 12 pedes high (3.57 m, 11.7 ft). On top of this he built battlements (parapets with squared openings for shooting through) and breastwork (wooden screens at breast height to protect

2754-459: The Roman works. The Gauls made sorties with large forces to attack the works. Therefore, Caesar added further structures to the works to make them defensible by the reduced number of troops. Cut tree trunks were sharpened to create stakes. They were fastened at the bottom and sunk into a five pedes deep trench (1.5 m, 4.9 ft) with the boughs protruding from the ground. They were tied in rows of five so that they could not be pulled up without

2835-404: The Romans slaughtered nearly the entire population, some 40,000 people, leaving only about 800 alive. The next major battle was at Gergovia , capital city of the Arverni . During the battle, Vercingetorix and his warriors crushed Caesar's legions and allies, inflicting heavy losses. Vercingetorix then decided to follow Caesar but suffered heavy losses (as did the Romans and their allies ) during

2916-832: The Turoni were named after Turnus from the Aeneid appears in the Historia Brittonum : "[ Brutus of Britain ] was exiled on account of the death of Turnus, slain by Aeneas . He then went among the Gauls and built a city of the Turones, called Turnis [ Tours ]". Geoffrey of Monmouth later expanded this story in the Historia Regum Britanniae , where Tours was named after Brutus' nephew, also called Turnus, who had died fighting against Goffar

2997-476: The actual amount) claims that 700 men died including 46 centurions. Caesar withdrew from his siege and Vercingetorix's victory attracted many new tribes to his cause. So too, however, did the Romans who convinced numerous Germanic tribes to join them. Vercingetorix marched the army he had gathered thus far, mainly cavalry, to intercept Caesar. The two armies met in the Battle of the Vingeanne , where Caesar won

3078-400: The attackers being impaled by the sharp stakes. Pits three pedes (0.9 m, 2.9 ft) deep which sloped inwards slightly to the bottom were dug in front of the stakes. They were placed in five intersected rows in the shape of a quincunx (an arrangement of five objects with four at the corners and the fifth at the centre). Tapering stakes, the thickness of a man's thigh, were sharpened at

3159-484: The attacks were initially unsuccessful. However, the attacks did reveal a weak point in the fortifications and the combined forces on the inside and the outside almost made a breakthrough. Only when Caesar personally led the last reserves into battle did he finally manage to prevail. This was a decisive battle in the creation of the Roman Empire . According to Plutarch , Caes . 27.8-10, Vercingetorix surrendered in

3240-536: The battle site, but the director of the Alesia museum, Laurent de Froberville, maintains that scientific evidence supports this identification. Classical historian and archaeologist Colin Wells took the view that the excavations at Alise-Sainte-Reine in the 1990s should have removed all possible doubt about the site and regarded some of the advocacy of alternative locations as "...passionate nonsense". Precise figures for

3321-551: The besieged Gauls in, and an outer wall to keep the Gallic relief force out. The Battle of Alesia marked the end of Gallic independence in the modern day territory of France and Belgium. The battle site was probably atop Mont Auxois, above modern Alise-Sainte-Reine in France , but this location, some have argued, does not fit Caesar's description of the battle. A number of alternatives have been proposed over time, among which only Chaux-des-Crotenay (in Jura in modern France) remains

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3402-403: The cavalry to follow him and part of it to leave the outer fortification and attack the Gallic relief force from the rear. Labienus was on the verge of collapse and informed Caesar of his decision of making a sally as he had been instructed. Caesar hastened. His arrival galvanised the Roman troops, who "lay aside their javelins [and] carr[ied] on the engagement with their swords." The Roman cavalry

3483-477: The chief town of the Turonian territory was Caesarodunum , corresponding the modern city of Tours. This Ancient Rome –related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Vercingetorix Vercingetorix ( Latin: [wɛrkɪŋˈɡɛtɔriːks] ; ‹See Tfd› Greek : Οὐερκιγγετόριξ [u.erkiŋɡeˈtoriks] ; c.  80 – 46 BC) was a Gallic king and chieftain of

3564-407: The construction. Caesar placed the legions in front of the camp in case of a sortie by the enemy infantry and got his Germanic allies to pursue the Gallic cavalry. Before the encompassing fortifications were complete and under cover of night, Vercingetorix sent out all his cavalry to rally the tribes to war and come to aid him at Alesia. When Caesar heard of this from deserters and captives, he dug

3645-431: The country, since Vercingetorix's attempt to unite the Gauls against Roman invasion came too late. At the Battle of Alesia , also in 52 BC, the Romans besieged and defeated his forces. To spare as many of his men as possible, he gave himself to the Romans. He was held prisoner for five years. In 46 BC, as part of Caesar's triumph , he was paraded through the streets of Rome and then executed by garroting . Vercingetorix

3726-515: The defeat of the Gauls by Julius Caesar. The libretto was by Étienne Clémentel. The Paris Opéra gave the first performance on 22 June 1933. Battle of Alesia 10–11 legions (30–50,000 legionaries) 10,000 auxiliaries The Battle of Alesia or siege of Alesia (September 52 BC) was the climactic military engagement of the Gallic Wars , fought around the Gallic oppidum (fortified settlement) of Alesia in modern France ,

3807-406: The defenders) with large horizontal pointed stakes projecting from the joints of the screens to prevent the enemy from scaling it. All round the works he set turrets at intervals of 80  pedes (24 m, 78 ft). Some of the Roman soldiers had to go a considerable distance to get the timber for the construction of the works and grain to feed the troops. This reduced the number of troops at

3888-465: The fortifications to starve to death. Meanwhile, the Gallic relief force arrived and encamped on a hill one mile from the Roman fortification. The next day the Gauls encamped near the town. They then attacked the outer Roman fortification. The besieged Gauls simultaneously attacked the inner Roman fortification. However, this combined attack was unsuccessful. The next day the Gauls attacked at night. Marc Antony and Caius Trebonius brought in troops from

3969-444: The ground and scattered close to each other all over the field. To prepare for the arrival of the Gallic relief forces, Caesar constructed an outer fortification (a circumvallation ) with the same specifications but facing the opposite way as protection against the external attack by this relief force. It followed the most favourable ground and formed a circuit of 14 Roman miles (20.7 km, 12.86 modern miles). The food supply of

4050-552: The honour of celebrating a triumphal parade , the peak of any general's career. Political tension increased, and two years later, in 49 BC, Caesar crossed the Rubicon , precipitating the Roman Civil War of 49–45 BC, which he won. After having been elected consul for each of the years of the civil war, and appointed to several temporary dictatorships , he was finally made dictator perpetuus (dictator for life), by

4131-446: The inner fortification which seemed weak. Caesar sent Labienus to support the defense of the weak area with six cohorts of cavalry. He sent Brutus with six cohorts of cavalry and then Caius Fabius with a further seven cohorts of cavalry to defend the inner fortification. Finally, leading fresh troops, he joined in. The attack was repelled. Caesar then marched to the assistance of Labienus, drafting four cohorts and ordering part of

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4212-516: The lands of the defeated tribes to prevent further rebellion. Troops were also sent to the Remi, who had been steadfast allies to the Romans throughout the campaign. But resistance was not entirely over: southwest Gaul had not yet been pacified. Alesia proved to be the end of generalized and organized resistance against Caesar's invasion of Gaul and effectively marked the end of the Gallic Wars. In

4293-417: The local civilian population, this would not have taken long. To guarantee a perfect blockade, Caesar ordered the construction of an encircling set of fortifications, a contravallation , around Alesia. It was eleven Roman miles long (16 km or 10 modern miles, each Roman mile equal to 1,000 paces ), and had 23 redoubts (towers). While work was in progress, the Gauls carried out cavalry sallies to disrupt

4374-483: The local terrain, but it is apparent that they worked. Vercingetorix's relieving army arrived quickly, yet concerted coordinated attacks by both the defenders and relievers failed to oust the Romans. Alesia was an oppidum (fortified settlement) on a lofty hill, with two rivers on two different sides. Due to such strong defensive features, Caesar decided on a siege to force surrender by starvation. Considering that about 80,000 men were garrisoned in Alesia, together with

4455-683: The modern department of Indre-et-Loire , and parts of the Indre and Vienne . Their territory was located south of the Cenomani , east of the Andecavi and the Pictones . Before the Roman conquest, the main oppidum of the tribe was probably the oppidum of Fondettes , or possibly the one which was found behind the Amboise Castle , called Oppidum des Châtelliers . During the Roman era,

4536-589: The next year (50 BC) there were mopping-up operations. During the Roman civil wars Gallia was essentially left on its own. Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa became its first governor in 39–38 BC. In 39 BC he settled the Ubians on the west bank of the River Rhine and in 38 BC he suppressed a rebellion in Aquitania. He built a radial network of roads centred on the Gallic capital, Lugdunum ( Lyon ). Gallia

4617-465: The novelization The Druid King . "Caesar the Conqueror", a 1962 Italian movie, stars Rik Battaglia as Vercingetorix and Cameron Mitchel as Julius Caesar. The movie centers around Caesar's battles with the Gauls as well as his political battling in Rome. The movie ends with the Battle of Alesia and Vercingetorix's subsequent surrender. Joseph Canteloube composed an opera, Vercingétorix , about

4698-522: The population of Alesia and the 80,000 soldiers it hosted could not last long. Vercingetorix ordered all the grain to be brought to him and rationed it. The Gauls held a council, and it was decided that the old and the sick should leave the town. The inhabitants of the town also sent out their wives and children to save food for the fighters, hoping that Caesar would take them as captives and feed them. However, Caesar forbade their being admitted to his fortification, and Vercingetorix left his people out between

4779-445: The pretense of escaping Roman rule. After having been unanimously given supreme command of their armies, he imposed his authority through harsh discipline and the taking of hostages. Leadership and unification on this level was unprecedented in Gaul and would not happen again for decades. He adopted a policy of retreating to natural fortifications , and undertook an early example of a scorched earth strategy by burning towns to prevent

4860-545: The proconsular term of office was meant to be one year, Caesar's governorship was for an unprecedented five years. He also had the command of four legions. Caesar engaged in the Gallic Wars (58–50 BC), which led to his conquest of Gaul beyond Gallia Narbonensis. When the Helvetii , a federation of tribes from what is now Switzerland, planned a migration to the Atlantic coast through Gaul, Caesar went to Geneva and forbade

4941-461: The reign of Augustus in 27 BC, and there may have been unrest in the region as late as AD 70. Paul K. Davis writes that "Caesar's victory over the combined Gallic forces established Roman dominance in Gaul for the next 500 years. Caesar's victory also created a rivalry with the Roman government, leading to his invasion of the Italian peninsula." For many years, the actual location of the battle

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5022-433: The remotest forts in support of their comrades. At the first light of day, the Gallic relief forces, fearing being surrounded by a Roman sally , withdrew. The advance of the besieged Gauls, led by Vercingetorix, was delayed by having to fill trenches dug by the Romans. On hearing of the retreat of their comrades the besieged Gauls returned to the town. The Gauls spotted a weakness in the Roman fortification. The north side of

5103-476: The sculptor Aimé Millet , on the supposed site of Alesia. The architect for the memorial was Eugène Viollet-le-Duc . The statue still stands. The inscription on the base, written by Viollet-le-Duc, which copied the famous statement of Julius Caesar, reads (in French ): La Gaule unie Formant une seule nation Animée d'un même esprit, Peut défier l'Univers. Gaul united, Forming a single nation Animated by

5184-440: The size of the armies involved, and the number of casualties suffered, are difficult to know. Such figures have always been a powerful propaganda weapon, and are thus suspect. Caesar, in his De Bello Gallico , refers to a Gallic relief force of a quarter of a million, probably an exaggeration to enhance his victory. The only records of the events are Roman and, therefore, presumed to be biased. Modern historians usually believe that

5265-411: The span of a month, some 25 miles of fortifications were built. They included a trench for soldiers, an anti-cavalry moat, towers at regular intervals, and booby traps in front of the trenches. The fortifications were dug in two lines, one to protect from the defenders, and one to protect from the relievers. Archeological evidence suggests the lines were not continuous as Caesar claims, and made much use of

5346-404: The subsequent victory defeating Vercingetorix's cavalry. With his cavalry routed Vercingetorix withdrew towards the Mandubii oppidum of Alesia , in what would become the siege of Alesia. After the poor performance at Gergovia, a direct assault on the Gauls by Caesar was no longer a viable solution. Thus, Caesar opted simply to besiege the settlement and starve out the defenders. Vercingetorix

5427-481: The top, hardened with fire, and sunk in the pits. They protruded from the bottom of the pit to a height of four fingers. Earth was pressed hard to a height of one foot from the bottom of the pit to make the stakes firm. The rest of the pit was covered with twigs and broken-off tree branches to hide the trap. Eight rows of this kind were placed three pedes (0.9 m, 2.9 ft). In front of these, one pes (0.3 m, 0.97 ft) stakes with iron hooks were sunk into

5508-419: The town to its fate, Vercingetorix camped well outside of Avaricum and focused on conducting harassing engagements of the advancing Roman units led by Caesar and his chief lieutenant Titus Labienus . Upon reaching Avaricum, however, the Romans laid siege and eventually captured the capital. Afterwards, in a reprisal for 25 days of hunger and of laboring over the siegeworks required to breach Avaricum's defenses,

5589-411: The validity of Alise-Sainte-Reine's claim. For example, the site is said to be too small to accommodate even revised estimates of 80,000 men with the Gallic infantry, along with cavalry and additional personnel. It is also alleged that the topography of the area does not fit with Caesar's description. In the 1960s, a French archaeologist, André Berthier, argued that the hill top was too low to have required

5670-418: The weather warmed and fodder finally became available which somewhat eased supply issues. As usual, Caesar promptly set to building a fortification for the Romans. Caesar then set about capturing territory closer to the oppidum . What happened in the ensuing Battle of Gergovia remains somewhat unclear. Caesar claimed that he had just ordered his men to take a hill near to the oppidum , and that he then sounded

5751-483: The writing of Caesar's reports on the war. The campaigns may well have continued, if not for the impending Roman civil war. The legions in Gaul were eventually pulled out in 50 BC as the civil war drew near, for Caesar would need them to defeat his enemies in Rome. The Gauls had not been entirely subjugated, and were not yet a formal part of the empire. But that task was not Caesar's, and he left that to his successors. Gaul would not formally be made into Roman provinces until

5832-461: Was a subject of immense concern for the Gauls, who feared the Romans would destroy the Gallic holy land, which the Carnutes watched over. Each year the druids met there to mediate between the tribes on the lands considered the center of Gaul. A threat to their sacred lands was an issue that finally united the Gauls. Over the winter the charismatic king of the Arverni tribe, Vercingetorix , assembled an unprecedented grand coalition of Gauls. Caesar

5913-404: Was divided into three Roman provinces; Gallia Aquitania, Gallia Lugdununensis and Gallia Belgica. Only the Arverni kept their independence thanks to their victory against Caesar at the Battle of Gergovia . For Caesar, Alesia was an enormous personal success, both militarily and politically. The Senate declared 20 days of thanksgiving for this victory but, due to political reasons, refused Caesar

5994-404: Was fine with this, as he intended to use Alesia as a trap to conduct a pincer attack on the Romans, and sent a call for a relieving army at once. Vercingetorix likely did not expect the intensity of the Roman siege preparations. Although modern archeology suggests that Caesar's preparations were not as complete as he describes, it is apparent that Caesar laid some truly incredible siege works. Over

6075-554: Was forced by a lack of supplies, and he besieged the oppidum of Avaricum where Vercingetorix had pulled back to. Vercingetorix had originally been opposed to defending Avaricum, but the Bituriges Cubi had persuaded him otherwise. The Gallic army was camped outside the settlement. Even while defending, Vercingetorix wished to abandon the siege and outrun the Romans. But the warriors of Avaricum were unwilling to leave it. Upon Caesar's arrival, he promptly began construction of

6156-569: Was imprisoned in the Tullianum in Rome for almost six years before being publicly displayed in the first of Caesar's four triumphs in 46 BC. He was ceremonially strangled at the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus after the triumph. A plaque in the Tullianum indicates that he was beheaded in 49 BC. Napoleon III erected a 7-metre-tall (23 ft) Vercingétorix monument in 1865, created by

6237-482: Was still in Rome when news of the revolt reached him. He rushed north in attempt to prevent the revolt from spreading, heading first to Provence to see to its defense, and then to Agedincum to counter the Gallic forces. Caesar took a winding route to the Gallic army to capture several oppidum for supplies. Vercingetorix was forced to withdraw from his siege of the Boii (allied to Rome) capital of Gorgobina . However, it

6318-464: Was still winter, and Vercingetorix realised the reason Caesar had detoured was that the Romans were low on supplies. Thus, Vercingetorix set out a strategy to starve the Romans. He avoided attacking the Romans outright, and instead raided foraging parties and supply trains. Vercingetorix abandoned a great many oppidum , seeking to only defend the strongest, and to ensure the others and their supplies could not fall into Roman hands. Once again, Caesar's hand

6399-428: Was suddenly seen at the rear of the Gauls, the Roman troops advanced rapidly and the Gauls fled. They were intercepted by the cavalry and slaughtered. The besieged Gauls were pulled back from the fortification. They fled their camps and Caesar commented that "had not the soldiers been wearied by sending frequent reinforcements, and the labour of the entire day, all the enemy's forces could have been destroyed". At midnight

6480-472: Was taken prisoner and held as a captive in Rome for the next five years awaiting Caesar's triumph (which was delayed by the Civil War). As was traditional for such captured enemy leaders, he was paraded in the triumph, then taken to the Tullianum and ritually garrotted in 46 BC. The Gallic Wars lack a clear end date. The legions continued to be active in Gaul through 50 BC, when Aulus Hirtius took over

6561-602: Was unknown. Competing theories focused first on two towns, Alaise in the Franche-Comté and Alise-Sainte-Reine in the Côte-d'Or . Emperor Napoleon III of France supported the latter candidate, and, during the 1860s, funded archaeological research that uncovered the evidence to support the existence of Roman camps in the area. He then dedicated a statue to Vercingetorix in the recently discovered ruins. Uncertainty has nevertheless persisted, with questions being raised about

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