Battle of Alesia, 52BC
BATTLE OF ALESIA – GALLIC WAR 52BC SUMMARY The final decisive battle of the Gallic wars, Alesia saw Julius Caesar’s forces surround and finally defeat Vercingetorix’s army at a hill fort. BACKGROUND Having been elected to take control of the main Gaul army, Vercingetorix attacked Caesar’s legions but was repelled and forced to withdraw to […]
Siege of Cicero’s Camp, 54-53BC
SIEGE OF CICERO’S CAMP – GALLIC WAR Winter 54-53BC SUMMARY The siege of Cicero’s camp was a key event in the Gallic wars, when multiple tribes came together to attempt to rid their lands of Roman invaders. The Gauls took advantage of the exhausted and thinly spread legions returning from Britain for the winter, and […]
The Battle of Octodurus, 57-56BC
BATTLE OF OCTODURUS – GALLIC WAR Winter 57-56BC SUMMARY The Battle of Octodurus BACKGROUND The Gallic town of Octodurus lay at an important pass through the alps. The pass was important to Roman trade, but merchants were often attacked or forced to pay large tolls by the Gaul inhabitants. Caesar sent a legion to secure […]
The Battle of Bibracte, 59BC
THE BATTLE OF BIBRACTE – GALLIC WARS 58BC SUMMARY While pursuing the fleeing Helvetii after the Battle of the Arar, Roman supplies began to run low. They were forced to turn back from their pursuit of the Helvetii people. The Helvetii took this as an opportunity to follow and harass the Roman legions. Seeing the […]
The Battle of Arar, 58BC
BATTLE OF THE ARAR – GALLIC WAR 58BC SUMMARY The Battle of the Arar was more an ambush than an engagement, but is notable as the first combat of the Gallic wars. Responding to the requests of the Aeudui tribe for Roman assistance in stopping the Helvetii migration, Caesar met the Helvetii people in a […]
The Gallic Wars
THE GALLIC WARS – 58-50BC The Gallic wars were a series of military campaigns waged by Julius Caesar against the Gauls, a collection of tribes which occupied modern-day Switzerland, Belgium, and France. While Gallic tribes regularly traded with Roman merchants, the two powers had a history of conflicts, with the Gauls invading Italy and threatening […]