The Battle of Gergovia (52 BC)

[gilius]

Can anyone describe this battle in laymen's terms? I've re-read around <7.44> of Caear's Gallic War but just cannot understand/comprehend exactly what happened. Can anyone recommend a companion guide?

[Klingan]

You could have a look at J. Collis Oppida (1984), 15, 216, but in essence Vercingetorix was named king there and held the oppidum (hillfort town) against Caesars legions. But I'll have to look at the passage when I get home.

 

The modern identification with Plateau de Merdogne is far from secure.

[Klingan]

Well, I've read the passage you speak of and it seems to be pretty straight forward to me: Caesar was besieging the Oppidum and found an oppertunity to attack and was forced to retreat.

 

These were the major events:

 

Prelude: Caesar was about to retreat from his position at Gergovia due to the fear of being cut of from the rest of his troops which he wanted to merge with and thus gain the strength to face Vercingetorixs rebellion.

 

1: An opportunity appears as Caesar comes to know that an enemy (Gauls) position is especially vulnerable.

 

2 (midnight): He sends some cavalry and decoy troops to give the enemy the impression that the position is threatened. A legion follows, but hides along the way (presumably to make the enemy (Gauls) even more insecure).

 

3 (Night/early morning?): The Gauls send all of their troops to the vulnerable position, leaving their camp empty.

 

4 (still dark? Dusk?): Caesar in a stealthy manner sends (infantry) troops to the now empty Gaulish camp. They were not to be observed.

 

5: The infantry from point 4 is sent (marching up 1200 roman double steps along the hill) in along with the Aedui to another hill to the right.

 

6: The Romans from point 4 encounters a wall half way up and quickly overcome it.

 

7: The three Gaulish camps (from point 3) are captured. Caesar calls a retreat but only the 10^th responds. The other legions can't hear the signals.

 

8: The troops that did not hear the signal to retreat reach the city walls. Some legionaries scale them.

 

9 (reported to be late into the battle. Turning point): The Gauls from point 3 hear the battle cries and return. The Romans find it difficult to hold against the fresh Gauls and are pushed back from walls and gate. Many Romans are killed.

 

10: Caesar order several cohorts of the 13^th (480 men each) under T. Sextius to advance and take position and thus make sure that the enemy (Gauls) did not pursue the men retreating from the walls too far.

 

11: Roman at the walls retreat. Caesar moves his own legion a little bit forward to stand ready.

 

12: Though fighting.

 

13: The Allied Aedui appear on the right side. The fighting Romans think them to be enemies and are thus terrified. Heroic action at the middle wall (?).

 

14: Romans in full retreat. The 10^th legion (point 7) and the cohorts of the 13^th (point 10) under T. Sextius supports their comrades and prevents to a certain extent the pursuing Gauls.

 

15 (end): The legions reach flat ground and make a stand.

 

16 (end): Vercingetorix orders the Gauls to retreat and they comply.

 

 

Caesar also notes that almost 700 men were killed during the action, among them 46 centurions. The next day he gives a speech chastising the troops for their failure to comply with his orders, but he also encourages them (as he is afraid that moral will be lost otherwise). The troops marches to the field for another two days, ready for a battle, but the Gauls stay inside their walls. Caesar therefore retreats to the land of the Allied Aedui.

[Auris Arrectibus]

Hi Gilius,

 

Don't know where you are from, but if you can read dutch I recommend this book: Vercingetorix, author Fik Meijer.

I don't think it's available in English. Some of his books do, like "Emperors don't die in bed".

 

The author is a very inspiring story-teller (non-fiction). He was my teacher of "Classic History" at the university. Often

on dutch radio (and sometimes television).

 

The book is very informative about the Vercingetorix and his his struggle to stand up against Caesar and his allies.

 

I red it, and of course "De Bello Gallico", before and during a trip to the Mont Beuvray (Bibracte), Alise St Reine (Alesia)

and the "Plateau de Gergovie" near Clermont-Ferrand.

When we visit the latter site we were surprised by "Les Arverniales", a so called "spectacle d'histoire vivante". Very nice

happening. See: http://www.ot-gergovie.fr/divertir/arverniales/arverniales.html

 

So what do want to know in laymen's terms (jip-en-janneke-taal) that Wikipedia already doesn't?

 

http://www.emersonkent.com/wars_and_battles_in_history/battle_of_gergovia.htm

 

http://www.unrv.com/fall-republic/battle-of-gergovia.php

 

http://www.angelfire.com/me/ik/gergovia.html

 

 

Jeroen H de Lange,

Amsterdam