This article is part of the series on: Military of ancient Rome (portal) 800 BC – AD 476

Structural history

Roman army (unit types and ranks, legions, auxiliaries, generals)

Roman navy (fleets, admirals)

Campaign history

Lists of wars and battles

Decorations and punishments

Technological history

Military engineering (castra, siege engines, arches, roads)

Personal equipment

Political history

Strategy and tactics

Infantry tactics

Frontiers and fortifications (limes, Hadrian's Wall)

Avaricum was an oppidum in ancient Gaul, near what is now the city of Bourges. Commonwealth English! -->The military of ancient Rome relates to the combined military forces of Ancient Rome from the founding of the city The structural history of the Roman military describes the major chronological transformations in the organization and constitution of Ancient Rome 's armed forces, The Roman army was a set of military forces employed by the Roman Kingdom, Roman Republic and later Roman Empire as part of the Roman military This is a list of both unit types and ranks of the Roman army from the Roman Republic to the fall of This is a list of Roman legions, including key facts about each legion primarily focusing on Principate (early Empire 30BC - 284AD legions for which there exists Auxiliaries (from Latin: auxilia = "supports" formed the standing non-citizen corps of the Roman army of the Principate (30 BC&ndash284 AD A Manius Acilius Glabrio -- Manius Acilius Glabrio (consul 191 BC -- Manius Acilius Glabrio (consul 91 -- Titus The Roman Navy ( Latin: Classis, lit "fleet" comprised the naval forces of the Roman state The Roman Navy ( Latin: Classis, lit "fleet" comprised the naval forces of the Roman state From its origin as a city-state in Italy in 9th century BC the rise as an empire covering much of Eurasia and North The following is a List of Roman wars fought by the ancient Roman Kingdom, Roman Republic and Roman Empire, organized by date The following is a list of Roman Battles fought by the Roman Kingdom, the Roman Republic, the Roman Empire, and sometimes the Byzantine Empire As with most other military forces the Roman military adopted a "carrot and stick" approach to military with an extensive list of decorations for military gallantry The technology history of the Roman military covers the development of and application of technologies for use in the armies and navies of Rome from the Roman Republic to the fall The military engineering of Ancient Rome 's armed forces was of a scale and frequency far beyond that of any of its contemporaries The Latin word castra, with its singular castrum, was used by the ancient Romans to mean buildings or plots of land reserved to or constructed for use as a military Roman Siege engines were for the most part adapted from Hellenistic Siege Technology. List of ancient Roman Triumphal arches (By modern country France Carpentras Triumphal Arch The Roman Roads were essential for the growth of the Roman Empire, by enabling the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate news Roman military personal equipment was produced in large numbers to established patterns and used in an established way Rome's military was always tightly keyed to its political system The strategy of the Roman Military encompasses its Grand strategy (the arrangements made by the state to implement its political goals through a selection of military goals Roman infantry tactics refers to the theoretical and historical deployment formation and maneuvers of the Roman infantry from the start of the Roman Republic to the fall Roman military borders and fortifications were part of a Grand strategy of territorial defense in the Roman Empire. A limes (or the Limes Romanus) was a Border defense or delimiting system of Ancient Rome. Hadrian's Wall ( Latin: perhaps Vallum Aelium, "the Aelian wall" is a stone and turf Fortification built by the Roman Oppidum (plural oppida) is a Latin word meaning the main settlement in any administrative area of Ancient Rome. Gaul (Gallia was the Roman name for the region of Western Europe comprising present day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western Bourges is a commune in central France on the Yèvre river It is the capital of the department of Cher and also was the capital Avaricum, situated in the lands of the Biturges, was the largest and best-fortified town within their territory, situated on very fertile lands. The terrain favored the oppidum, as it was flanked by a river and marshland, with only a single narrow entrance.

Julius Caesar, after a series of victories at Vellaunodunum, Genabum, and Noviodunum, had arrived at Avaricum in the winter of 52 BC, intent on denying its grain and steel to the rebellious Gauls. Year 52 BC was a year of the pre-Julian calendar. Events By place Rome Consuls Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius Vercingetorix, aware that he had been already been bested three times, decided to change tactics. Vercingetorix (werkiŋˈɡetoriks in Latin) born around 82 BC died 46 BC was chieftain of the Arverni, originating from the Arvernian city of Calling together a council of the tribes in rebellion against Rome, he convinced them to adopt Fabian strategy, never offering combat with Caesar's forces, and denying them supplies. The Fabian strategy is a Military strategy where Pitched battles are avoided in favor of wearing down an opponent through a war of attrition. All the towns within range of Caesar's foraging parties were destroyed, the land stripped bare, and all grain removed or burned. However, Avaricum was spared this fate since the Biturges argued the town was impossible to take, and Vercingetorix agreed to make the town an exception.

However, upon Caesar's appearance at the gates of Avaricum, Vercingetorix moved his army to a distance fifteen miles outside town, perfectly situated so Caesar could not leave without a battle, nor could he forage at will. To add to his woes, Caesar's allies, the Aedui and the Boii, were unable to supply him, the former because they had quietly joined Vercingetorix in his rebellion, the latter because they simply did not have any food to spare. Aedui, Haedui or Hedui (Gr Aidouoi) are Gallic people of Gallia Lugdunensis, who inhabited the country between the Arar ( Saone) and Liger Boii ( Latin plural singular Boius; Greek) is the Roman name of an ancient Celtic tribe, attested at various The shortage of grain was so acute that the men ate meat, despite the fact that they did not really enjoy it. Caesar personally made the rounds amongst his men, telling them that if the scarcity of food was too much, he would lift the siege and withdraw. His soldiers protested, refusing to end a siege in disgrace when they still had to avenge the innocent Romans murdered by the Gauls.

Model of the siege of Avaricum.

Contented by this, Caesar designed and began engineering an impressive siege apparatus. Starting from high ground, he built a siege terrace of sorts. Two flanking walls were made, along with two towers to be advanced fully made. Another wall was built between the flanking walls to connect them and open the front for the battle.

As construction on Caesar's siege terrace continued, Vercingetorix moved his cavalry into a camp closer to Caesar's, intent on ambushing Caesar's foraging troops. Having discovered this, Caesar countered, marching in the dead of night and threatening Vercingetorix's main camp. This drew Vercingetorix back to his main camp, rushing to its aid. His aim accomplished, Caesar withdrew.

After twenty-five grueling days of construction, and contending with Gallic raids and attempts to set the whole siege terrace on fire, Caesar's apparatus was completed. Caesar ordered the towers advanced, and much to his good fortune, a fierce storm struck, driving the Gallic sentries to seek cover rather than stand watch. Taking advantage of this lack of discipline, Caesar stealthily moved his soldiers into the towers and the wall, and launched a brutal strike. The walls fell quickly, and the surviving Gauls retreated to the center of town, forming a wedge formation, determined to fight to the end. However, no Roman legionary descended from the walls, simply stood at their ease, watching the Gauls. Panic struck the Gallic defenders, and they all fled for wherever they thought there was an avenue of escape.

However, Caesar's legions were in no mood to spare any of the forty thousand Gauls within Avaricum, especially after twenty five days of short rations and great frustration. For other uses see Legion The Roman Legion (from Latin legio "military levy Conscription," Only eight hundred managed to escape the massacre that followed. After feeding and resting his men at Avaricum until the beginning of June, Caesar moved on Gergovia, determined to draw Vercingetorix into battle in a campaign that would eventually culminate in the Battle of Alesia. The Battle of Gergovia took place in 52 BC in Gaul at Gergovia the chief town of the Arverni. The Battle of Alesia or Siege of Alesia took place in September 52 BC around the Gallic Oppidum of Alesia, a major town centre and

Source

• Julius Caesar, Commentaries on the Gallic War vii