Battle of Gergovia - Citizendia

Battle of Gergovia

Ancient Gergovia was located on the plateau in the background. The Gallic Wars were a series of Military campaigns waged by the Roman proconsul Julius Caesar against several Gallic tribes, lasting from The main battlefield was the area in the image's center right

Date	September 52 BC
Location	Gergovia (probably modern Gergovie), Gaul (France)
Result	Gallic victory

Belligerents

Commanders

The Battle of Gergovia took place in 52 BC in Gaul at Gergovia, the chief town of the Arverni. Year 52 BC was a year of the pre-Julian calendar. Events By place Rome Consuls Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius Gergovie (in Occitan Gergòia) is the name given in the 19th century to the French village of Merdogne on the instructions of emperor Napoleon Gaul (Gallia was the Roman name for the region of Western Europe comprising present day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Roman Republic was the phase of the ancient Roman civilization characterized by a Republican form of government a period which began with the overthrow of the Gaul (Gallia was the Roman name for the region of Western Europe comprising present day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western Vercingetorix (werkiŋˈɡetoriks in Latin) born around 82 BC died 46 BC was chieftain of the Arverni, originating from the Arvernian city of Year 52 BC was a year of the pre-Julian calendar. Events By place Rome Consuls Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius The Arverni were a Gallic tribe that inhabited the present-day region of Clermont-Ferrand, France. ^[1] The battle was fought between a Roman Republic army, led by proconsul Julius Caesar, and Gallic forces led by Vercingetorix. The Roman Republic was the phase of the ancient Roman civilization characterized by a Republican form of government a period which began with the overthrow of the Ancient Rome In the Roman Republic, a proconsul was a Promagistrate (like a Propraetor) who after serving as Consul, spent a year Gaul (Gallia was the Roman name for the region of Western Europe comprising present day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western Vercingetorix (werkiŋˈɡetoriks in Latin) born around 82 BC died 46 BC was chieftain of the Arverni, originating from the Arvernian city of The Gauls won the battle.

Prelude

Vercingetorix had earlier been expelled from Gergovia^[2], and Caesar had settled the Boii in the town after defeating them in the Helvetian War, as subordinates to the loyally pro-Roman Aedui. Boii ( Latin plural singular Boius; Greek) is the Roman name of an ancient Celtic tribe, attested at various The Gallic Wars were a series of Military campaigns waged by the Roman proconsul Julius Caesar against several Gallic tribes, lasting from Aedui, Haedui or Hedui (Gr Aidouoi) are Gallic people of Gallia Lugdunensis, who inhabited the country between the Arar ( Saone) and Liger In winter 53 BC, whilst Caesar was gathering his forces for a strike against the Gauls, Vercingetorix attacked Gergovia. ^[3] Caesar states that this left him a difficult decision, between keeping his forces safe over the winter but showing Roman weakness in defending her allies the Aedui and thus losing their support, or bringing Vercingetorix to open battle but risking running out of supplies - he chose the latter. ^[4]

Leaving two legions and all his baggage train behind in Agedincum, Caesar led the remaining legions to Gergovia's aid. History Caesar mentions Agedincum in the territory of the Senones several times in his Commentarii de Bello Gallico, and the city retains His sieges of Vellaunodunum, Genabum and Noviodunum on route caused Vercingetorix to lift his siege and march to meet Caesar in open battle at Noviodunum, which Caesar won. Vellaunodunum was a Gallic Oppidum of the Senones tribe two days' march from Agedincum. Cenabum or Genabum was the name of an Oppidum of the Carnutes tribe situated on the site of what is now Orléans. Neung-sur-Beuvron is a Village and commune in the Loir-et-Cher département of northern-central France. Neung-sur-Beuvron is a Village and commune in the Loir-et-Cher département of northern-central France. ^[5] Caesar then besieged and captured Avaricum and resupplied there. Avaricum was an Oppidum in ancient Gaul, near what is now the city of Bourges.

The battle

With the winter almost over, Caesar went in person to win back Aedui support and backing, and then detached a force of four legions under Titus Labienus to advance into Senones and Parisii territory, taking the remaining 6 legions, Aedui auxilia and Germanic cavalry to Gergovia himself. Titus Labienus (ca 100 BC– March 17, 45 BC was a professional Roman soldier in the late Roman Republic. The Senones were a Gallic people of Gallia Celtica, who in the time of Julius Caesar inhabited the district which now includes the departments of Auxiliaries (from Latin: auxilia = "supports" formed the standing non-citizen corps of the Roman army of the Principate (30 BC&ndash284 AD ^[6] In response, Vercingetorix broke down all the bridges over the river Allier and began to march along its opposite bank. The Allier ( Occitan: Alèir) is a River in central France, left tributary to the river Loire. This did not prevent Caesar from crossing, but Vercingetorix continued to advance his force faster than Caesar's, so that the choice of when and where to give battle remained his.

Five days later Caesar reached Gergovia and, realising its mountainous location made a full frontal assault risky, relied on his superior siege tactics. ^[7] He ordered a double trench, 12 feet wide, to be constructed between a captured hill and his main camp. Intending to completely encircle Gergovia and starve the Gauls inside, Caesar was interrupted by trouble with his Gallic allies the Aedui whom he combatted and defeated after a desperate struggle.

Then realising his siege was in danger he came back to Gergovia and realised his idea for a siege would fail. His only chance now of victory was to get Vercingetorix off the high ground. He used a legion as a decoy and moved onto the better ground. He then ordered a general retreat to fool Vercingetorix and pull him off the high ground but Vercingetorix saw through the ploy and fell back into the town, with most of Caesar's force missing his signal to retreat due to being too far away and pressing home a direct assault on the town's defences. Vercingetorix (werkiŋˈɡetoriks in Latin) born around 82 BC died 46 BC was chieftain of the Arverni, originating from the Arvernian city of Vercingetorix (werkiŋˈɡetoriks in Latin) born around 82 BC died 46 BC was chieftain of the Arverni, originating from the Arvernian city of This led to the loss of 46 centurions and 700 legionaries and over 6,000 wounded on the Roman side, compared to the several hundred Gauls killed and wounded, and to Caesar's raising his siege and advancing instead into Aedui territory. Centurion redirects here This article is about the Roman soldier The Roman legionary was a professional soldier of the Roman army after the Marian reforms of 107 BC. Gaul (Gallia was the Roman name for the region of Western Europe comprising present day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western

References

This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain. The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1910–1911 is a 29-volume reference work that marked the beginning of the Encyclopædia Britannica The public domain is a range of abstract materials &ndash commonly referred to as Intellectual property &ndash which are not owned or controlled by anyone

^ This site is identified with Merdogne, now called Gergovie, a village located on a hill in the Auvergne, near modern Clermont-Ferrand, France. Gergovie (in Occitan Gergòia) is the name given in the 19th century to the French village of Merdogne on the instructions of emperor Napoleon Auvergne ( Occitan: Auvèrnhe/Auvèrnha) was the name of an historically independent county in the center of France, as well as later a Province of Clermont-Ferrand ( Auvergnat dialect of Occitan: Clarmont-Ferrand / Clarmont d'Auvèrnhe) is a city and commune of France This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. There, some walls and earthworks still survive from the pre-Roman Iron Age.
^ De Bello Gallico, 7.4
^ De Bello Gallico, 7.9
^ De Bello Gallico, 7.10
^ De Bello Gallico, 7.12
^ De Bello Gallico, 7.33-7.34
^ The overall account of the battle may be found in De Bello Gallico, 7.35 - 7.59

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