Gauls
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Vercingetorix
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Commius
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80,000 men in Alesia
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100,000-250,000 men in relief army
Battle of Alesia Background:
Arriving in Gaul in 58 BC, Julius Caesar began a series of campaigns to pacify the region and bringit under Roman control. Over the next four years he systematically defeated several Gallic tribesand gained nominal control over the area. In the winter of 54-53 BC, a revolt destroyed theFourteenth Legion. Deprived of around a quarter of his troops, Caesar was unable to receivereinforcements from Rome due to the political intrigues caused by the collapse of the FirstTriumvirate. Campaigning relentlessly, he succeeded in reconquering Gaul.Though defeated, the revolt had led to an upsurge in nationalism among the Gauls and therealization that the tribes must unite if they wished to defeat the Romans. In 52 BC, the Gallicleaders met at Bibracte and declared that Vercingetorix of the Averni would lead the united Gallicarmy. Launching a wave of violence across Gaul, Roman soldiers, settlers, and merchants werekilled in large numbers. Initially unaware of the violence, Caesar learned of it while in winter quarters in Cisalpine Gaul. Mobilizing his army, Caesar moved across the snow-covered Alps tostrike at the Gauls.
Gallic Victory and Retreat:
Clearing the mountains, Caesar dispatched Titus Labienus north with four legions to attack theSenones and the Parisii. Caesar retained five legions and his allied Germanic cavalry for the pursuitof Vercingetorix. After winning a series of minor victories, Caesar was defeated by the Gauls atGergovia when his men failed to execute his battle plan. Temporarily falling back, Caesar continuedto attack the Gauls over the next few weeks through a series of cavalry raids. Not believing the timewas right to risk battle with Caesar, Vercingetorix withdrew to the walled Mandubii town of Alesia.
Besieging Alesia:
Situated on a hill and surrounded by river valleys, Alesia offered a strong defensive position.Arriving with his army, Caesar declined to launch a frontal assault and instead decided to lay siegeto the town. As the entirety of Vercingetorix's army was within the walls along with the town's population, Caesar expected the siege to be brief. To ensure that Alesia was fully cut off from aid,he ordered his men to construct and encircling set of fortifications known as a circumvallation.Featuring an elaborate set of walls, ditches, watchtowers, and traps, the circumvallation ranapproximately eleven miles.Understanding Caesar's intentions, Vercingetorix launched several cavalry attacks with the goal of preventing completion of the circumvallation. These were largely beaten off though a small force of Gallic cavalry was able to escape. The fortifications were completed in around three weeks.Concerned that the escaped cavalry would return with a relief army, Caesar began construction on asecond set of works which faced out. Known as a contravallation, this thirteen-mile fortificationwas identical in design to the inner ring facing Alesia.
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