After years of campaigning, Caesar has lost his first open battle against the Gauls, this
time led in a revolt by the Arverni king Vercingetorix. His allies both in Rome and in Gaul were now
wary of the situation and would pounce, if he couldn’t prove that he was still in control.
The final chapter of the Gallic War is about to start.
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While Caesar was fighting a losing battle against Vercingetorix at Gergovia, his best
legate Titus Labienus was sent to deal with rebellions in northern Gaul. Local Gauls emboldened
by Vercingetorix and led by Camulogenus were consolidating around modern Paris, which was
called Lutetia at that time and was the capital of the Parisii. Labienus has left a legion
near Agedincum in order to have a supply line to Caesar and marched with 4 more legions
towards Lutetia. His troops took Metlosedum along the way, but the attempts to cross the
river Seine were blocked by Camulogenus. Labienus was forced to retreat back to Metlosedum.
Luckily for him, his scouts have found another crossing near Metlosedum and he crossed here
and moved against the Gauls. However, Camulogenus used Vercingetorix’ scorched earth tactic,
burning Lutetia and retreating to the swamps beyond. At the same time, Labienus learned
about Caesar’s defeat at Gergovia, which provoked a big Gallic tribe called Bellovaci
led by Correus to rebel, so he knew that he had to retreat beyond Seine and unite with
his legion in Agedincum. Labienus’s decision to divide his forces into three provoked Camulogenus
into attacking him to the south of Lutetia without waiting for the Bellovaci and in the
ensuing battle the Romans used the fact that their divided forces were closer to each other
– each group supported the other and the legions managed to defeat the Gauls with ease.
Camulogenus was killed in the process, which slowed down the consolidation of the anti-Roman
rebellion in northern Gaul. Caesar and Labienus both retreated towards
Agedincum, where they united their forces. Meanwhile, more and more Gauls were joining
the rebellion and after the rest of the Aedui joined it, even the Roman province of Narbonensis
were attacked by them. Caesar and his 10 legions moved through the Sequani and Lingones territory
to the east in order to gain a line of retreat to the Roman province of Gallia Transalpina.
At the same time, Caesar’s envoys secured a group of Germanic mercenaries, who joined
the Roman cavalry. Vercingetorix and his 80 thousand tried to attack Caesar, when the
latter was trying to cross the Vingeanne river, but the Romans were able to stop the attack
with ease. It is not clear why, but this minor defeat either disheartened Vercingetorix or
showed him that he couldn’t win against the Romans in an open battle, so he probably
tried to recreate the factors that led to the victory at Gergovia, when retreated to
the Mandubii capital of Alesia. Caesar followed him to the settlement.
Alesia was a well defended city on a hill, and sent messages to his nearby allies to
come to his aid. Vercingetorix was in a strong position; he outnumbered Caesar, commanding
a force of up to 80,000 men, and was surrounded by allies who would be able to quickly send
men to reinforce him. From his position, it should be a simple rerun of Gergovia: he would
wait on the high ground for his allies to arrive so they could either disrupt the Roman
supply lines, or attack them from the rear. Caesar had learnt his lesson though. Despite
his smaller numbers, he immediately began the work of fully surrounding and besieging
Alesia, something which Vercingetorix had been able to prevent him doing at Gergovia.
The Romans began constructing a 16km wall fully encircling the entire city, complete
with palisades, trenches and towers, hoping to cut off any escape.
Vercingetorix sent his cavalry out to try and disrupt these works, but the Legions were
able to form a defensive line to hold them, while the German auxiliaries flanked around
the side. The Germans proved to be vital to the Roman cause, and their superior horsemanship
forced the Gallic cavalry to retreat back into the city, killing many as they were funnelled
into the narrow gates. Realising that he would soon be completely
surrounded, Vercingetorix decided to send out what was left of his cavalry at night
to sneak past the Roman line and to head to the nearby tribes to request reinforcements
as soon as possible. Upon completing the first wall, Caesar learned
from some Gallic deserters that these messengers had been sent, and so constructed a second
wall, this one almost 21km long and complete with 2 trenches and a moat, facing outwards
to protect against any Gallic reinforcements, creating a donut like structure with Alesia
in the centre. He next sent out huge foraging parties to
collect enough food to sustain his troops for the next 30 days. In doing this, Caesar
had effectively robbed Vercingetorix of his advantages; with the Romans thus defended
and supplied, it was the Gauls who now faced a well dug in enemy, and it was now Vercingetorix
whose time was running out. With an army of 80,000 men inside the city, plus the civilian
population and no way of resupplying, it was only a matter of time before he was starved
out. This was Caesar’s magnum opus. Faced with a desperate situation, Vercingetorix
made the difficult decision to expel anyone who wasn't going to be fighting, the old,
the sick, women and children. He had hoped that Caesar would allow these people through
the Roman defences and to safety. But Caesar was not in a merciful mood. He refused to
let them pass and the civilians were left between the walls of Alesia and the Romans,
imploring both sides for food and water, neither side relenting. Over the next few days, many
died of starvation and thirst, the space between the armies becoming full of the dying and
dead. The Gallic allies finally arrived to try and
relieve the siege, under the command of Veringetorix’s cousin, Vercassivellaunus. It is hard to say
precisely how many there were: Caesar claims that the number was as high as 250,000, with
modern estimates suggesting somewhere between 70,000 to 100,000. Whatever the true number
was, all agree that the Romans were now significantly outnumbered; at least two to one.
On the first day of their arrival, they quickly filled in the first Roman trench and sent
across a combined force of light infantry and cavalry to probe the defences, whilst
the rest of the army set up camp. Caesar countered by sending out his own Germanic cavalry, and
a fierce skirmish ensued. From their elevated position inside the city,
the besieged Gauls saw that their allies had arrived and simultaneously began massing for
a sally against the inner fortifications. However, the Germans once again proved their
skill, outmanoeuvring and flanking their Gallic counterparts, forcing them back across the
trench and into the Gallic camp. Seeing his allies defeated, Vercingetorix decided to
bide his time and held off his attack. The reinforcements spent the next day constructing
siege ladders, and then, at midnight, launched another attack. Taking the Romans by surprise,
they found some initial success, but Marc Anthony, in his first battle, was commanding
this section of the wall and proved himself to be a composed and skillful lieutenant,
pulling troops from other sections of the walls to reinforce his position. Again, Vercingetorix
began to sally out to try and help his allies, but was delayed by having to fill the Roman
trench. By the time he had crossed it, Anthony had successfully fought off the assault and
Vercingetorix again withdrew into the city. Following these two failed assaults, Vercassivellaunus
conducted more thorough reconnaissance of the Roman position, and discovered that a
steep hill overlooked the Roman wall in the northern section. Hoping to use this high
ground to his advantage, the next day the Gauls used their overwhelming numbers to attack
the entire length of the outside wall but concentrated a large force under Vercassivellaunus
on this portion. At the same time, Vercingetorix again sallied
out, this time attacking the length of the interior Roman fortifications, hitting wherever
looked weakest. This was the toughest the fighting had been so far. Caesar, as he had
done at the battle of the Sabis, dashed from cohort to cohort, urging his men on, leading
reserve cohorts personally to points where the defences looked like they were faltering.
Vercassivellaunus began making headway, pilling earthworks up against the walls in order to
mount them, and using hooks and siege engines to tear down the Roman defences. Caesar committed
every man he had left of his reserves, pulling every man who could be spared and sending
them into the action. It was a desperate battle for the Romans; between the two walls there
would be no escape, and if the line faltered the entire army would surely be wiped out.
The Roman line was holding the Gallic army, but it seemed like it wouldn’t last for
long. But then Caesar appeared at the top of the hill; leading the Germanic auxiliaries
he crashed into the rear of the Gallic reinforcements. Surrounded now on all sides, the Gauls who
had pushed through the breach were decimated and the tide of the battle changed. Seeing
their largest contingent broken, the moral of the rest of the Gallic reinforcements shattered
and they quickly fled. With this threat thus neutralised, the Romans turned to deal with
Vercingetorix, who was attacking the interior wall, and they were able to force him back
into the city. With the city still besieged and with his
reinforcements spent, Vercingetorix surrendered. It is unknown how many Romans died, but the
casualties must have been fairly significant given the intensity of the fighting, particularly
at the point where the fortifications had been breached. The Gallic relief force suffered
heavy casualties, the entirety of the besieged army in Alesia was either killed or enslaved,
and both Vercassivellaunus and Vercingetorix were taken alive. The Romans had lost around
13 thousand in this battle.
Although most the rebel leaders were either dead or captured, the resistance against Rome
was far from over, as Bituriges, Carnutes, Bellovaci, Atrebates, Andecavi and others
were still in open rebellion. In January of 51 BC, Caesar moved against Bituriges. This
winter campaign surprised Bituriges, who were probably unprepared for it, and soon they
sued for peace, which allowed Caesar to return to his winter quarters.
However, soon, the Bituriges were attacked by the Carnutes for yielding to the Romans.
Once again Caesar marched swiftly and took his enemies by surprise, forcing the Carnutes
to submit. The Romans made a new winter quarters at the capital of Bituriges Cenabum and stayed
there until the Spring. Leaving 6 legions in the area, Caesar took
4 and moved against the Bellovaci of Correus and the Atrebates of Commius. This campaign
proved difficult, as both tribes abandoned their lands and fought a guerilla war against
the Romans. Fortunately for the legions, Correus was killed in one of the ambushes, which proved
to be the final straw for the Bellovaci and they were convinced to seek peace, while Commius
retreated to the east to continue his resistance. To the south the Andecavi attacked Lemonum
and were defeated by Caesar’s lieutenants. Remainder of the Gallic forces in the area
attempted to defend at Uxellodunum, but were defeated by Caesar soon after. The last engagement
of the war saw Commius defeated in the north and the rebellion was over.
Gaul was pacified and Caesar won over the remaining Gallic leaders with gifts and the
promise of the lower tribute. He knew that the battle for Rome is about to start. The
Civil War that would end the centuries long republic was just around the corner.
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