Battle of Gergovia

  • The Battle of Gervovia (52 BCE) was fought between Julius Caesar and Vercingetorix during the Gallic Wars (58-51 BCE).
  • It was the only Battle that Julius Caesar lost during the Gallic Wars, and he almost lost the whole of Gaul as a result.

Date and Location

  • September 52 BCE at Gergovia (Puy-de-Dome) the Oppidum of the Arverni Tribe, near Clermont Ferrand, home of Vercingetorix.

The Reason for the Battle

  • Fourteen Gallic Tribes had united under Vercingetorix and risen in Revolt against the Roman occupation.
  • All Roman Citizens and Merchants living in the Gallic Cities were put to the sword.
  • In the of Winter 53 BCE Vercingetorix besieged Gergovia, the city of a Roman Allied Tribe, the Boii.

The Adversaries

The Winner

The Commanders

Vercingetorix’s Strategy

  • A scorched earth policy to deny the Romans Food and Supplies, all Gallic towns, villages and stores were burnt.
  • To Harass the Romans, then retire to heavily fortified positions knowing that the Romans would run out of Supplies if they besieged him, avoiding set piece battles.
  • To Delay the Roman counter offensive and tie down the Roman Legions by sending the Cadurci Tribe to invade Gallia Transalpina (later known as Gallia Narbonensis).
  • To Form Alliances and build a huge Gallic Army to once and for all push the Roman Armies out of Gaul by the Summer. In particular, to persuade the Aedui, a Roman Ally, to join his Armies.

Julius Caesar’s Strategy

  • To Campaign in Winter, despite the obvious risk of lack of Supplies.
  • To Lay siege to the Gallic cities, partly to get supplies but mainly to force Vercingetorix into an open battle and lift his siege of Gergovia.
  • To Prevent Vercingetorix building up a huge Army of Allied Gallic Tribes by the Summer, which would have threatened all the conquests of the previous six years.
  • Therefore, Caesar sent Labienus north with four Legions, to campaign against the Senones and the Parisi who had rebelled in Northern Gaul.

Caesar returns from Italy in mid winter

  • Caesar raced back from Italy, and immediately pushed the Cadurci out of Gallia Transalpina.
  • In January 52 BCE He crossed the snow covered Passes of the Cevennes in mid winter, catching the Arverni by surprise, and bypassing the Rhone valley, blocked by the Gallic Army. He then headed north.
  • Vercingetorix was besieging the Boii in Gergovia, a town given to them by the Aedui. The Boii were a Helvetic tribe from the migration of 58 BCE, whom Caesar had given permission to settle. These were Roman Allies and Caesar could not allow Gergovia to fall, as the other Gallic Allied Tribes would have deserted him, risking the complete loss of Gaul.

Caesar Besieges the Gallic Cities allied to Vercingetorix

  • Caesar forced march northwards and started besieging the Gallic cities, trying to force Vercingetorix to pursue and confront him. and relieve his own siege of Gergovia. Caesar positioned two Legions at Agedincum (Sens) to protect the Baggage Train and Supplies, and besieged three cities:
  • The Siege of Vellaunodunum
    • (2 days from Sens), a city of the Senones. It surrendered and Caesar took 600 hostages.
  • The Siege of Genabum
    • (Orleans) a city of the Carnutes. The city was burnt and its population massacred.
  • The Siege of Noviodunum Biturigum
    • (Neung-sur-Beuvron 20 miles south of Orleans) in March 52 BCE. The town surrendered and hostages were given.
  • Battle of Noviodunum
    • Vercingetorix raced to confront Julius Caesar at Noviodunum, but the town had already surrendered. However, when the citizens saw Vercingetorix‘ cavalry, they closed the Gates and imprisoned the Romans inside. Caesar then sent his German Cavalry who forced the Gallic Cavalry to return to Vercingetorix’ main Army, still some distance away. The imprisoned Romans managed to recapture the town and it was re-occupied by Caesar.
  • The Siege of Avaricum (Bourges):
    • Vercingetorix camped nearby and harassed his forces from a safe distance. After 25 days, two seige engines were built in front of the walls and a Ramp constructed. Despite many attempts by tunnelling under, and throwing pitch to set fire to them, the Engines finally reached the town walls, which then were breached. Of the entire population of 40,000 only 800 escaped alive.
  • Caesar then set out for Gergovia:
    • There followed delaying tactics by Vercingetorix, who attempted to prevent Caesar’s Legions crossing the River Elave and reaching Gergovia, by destroying all the bridges. Caesar outwitted Vercingetorix by decoying him down river with half of his army, whilst the other half at Varennes, rebuilt the bridge, and after quickly recalling the decoy Legions, the whole of Caesar’s army crossed the river and reached Gergovia after five days.

The Strength of the Forces under Julius Caesar

  • Legions: 25,000
  • Auxiliaries and Allies: 10,000 Aedui Infantry
  • Allied Cavalry: German (numbers unknown)
    • Losses: 46 Centurions, 700 Legionaries and 6,000 wounded.

The Strength of the Forces under Vercingetorix

  • Army: 30,000
  • Cavalry: (unknown)
    • Casualties and Losses: 3,000

How the Armies were Deployed at Gergovia

  • Gergovia
    • This was a plateau 1200 feet (365m) above the plain, with only one access point which was easily defended by a small force.
  • Vercingetorix
    • He reached the hill top Fortress of Gergovia first, and took a defensive position on a series of hills in front of it, to block Caesar’s approach. He held the advantage.
  • Julius Caesar
    • He then reached Gergovia and made camp opposite Vercingetorix‘ army.
    • He placed four Legions in a camp on the Plain and two Legions in a Camp on a nearby hill. The two Camps were joined together by a double trench twelve feet wide with a protective wall, enabling safe passage between the two.
    • Julius Caesar was obliged to attack Vercingetorix with his six Legions, to present a show of force, but risked running out of supplies. He was at a disadvantage.

The Aedui Tribe rebel against Caesar

  • Convictolanis
    • He was Caesar’s appointed Leader of the Aedui, who decided to join Vercingetorix after receiving petitions from him to help.
  • Litavicus
    • Although Convictolanis had agreed to send Caesar 10,000 men and Supplies, he appointed his Aide, Litavicus to command them.
    • As the Aeduan army approached Gergovia, Litavicus told the Aeduan troops that the Romans had massacred the Aeduan Envoys including a senior cavalry officer, Eporedirix.
    • The Aeduan army then massacred its Roman Envoys and prepared to join Vercingetorix’ army, as planned by Litavicus.
  • Caesar
    • Caesar was informed of the betrayal, and leaving two Legions before Gergovia, Caesar was forced to take four of his Legions and surround the Aeduian army 25 miles from Gergovia.
    • He prduced Eporedirix and convinced the Aeduan Army that they had been misinformed, and brought it back into the Roman Alliance. He promptly marched back to relieve the other two Legions, who had come under considerable pressure from Vercingetorix’ army.
  • Loss of Supplies
    • However, without Aeduan support and Supplies, Caesar now realised the Siege of Gergovia would ultimately fail, and he must move north to regroup his Legions with those of Labienus, and confront Vercingetorix with all the ten Legions.

How the Battle of Gergovia was Fought

  • Caesar’s Strategy
    • Caesar realised he had to raise his Siege of Gergovia and rejoin Labienus, but needed a face saving minor victory before pulling out. He embarked on a Plan to try and draw Vercingetorix down from the Hill.
  • Seizing an Opportunity
    • Caesar received news that one of the Gallic Hill Camps in front of the town was undermanned. The Gauls had removed men to build new defensive lines between their own Camps in order to better resist Caesar’s siege. Caesar planned to take this Hill Camp, and then retire, hoping to draw Vercingetorix down the hill.
  • Method
    • Caesar sent one Legion as a decoy away into the woods. He also sent the Aeduan Army away in a diversionary attack on the right flank. He planned to attack with a small force, then withdraw the soldiers, in an attempt to induce Vercingetorix to leave his position on the high ground, and follow him down into an open battle on the plain.
  • Initial Success
    • Caesar then gave the order to attack the Hill Camp. Initially the Romans achieved success, and the first line of walls was taken along with the Gallic Hill Camp.
    • Then, as he had hoped the Gallic Army started to move down from its commanding positions.
    • Caesar ordered the recall to be sounded, at which point things started to go very wrong.
  • Disaster strikes
    • Either because they did not hear the recall, or due to greed, as Caesar later claimed, the men did not obey. The men attempted to scramble up towards the next line of defenses, but were caught by reinforcements of the Gallic Army as it moved in.
    • To make matters worse, when the Aeduan Allies returned from their diversion, they were mistaken for yet more Gallic reinforcements, and a rout ensued.
  • The Day is Saved
    • Only the Legio X Equestris obeyed the recall order. The situation was saved by the composure of the Legio X Equestris and cohorts of the Legio XIII Gemina, who fought off the attackers, and saved what remained of the Roman Force enabling it to return to its Camp.
  • Vercingetorix Retires
    • Realising the Romans were still too powerful, Vercingetorix ordered his forces back up the Hill, avoiding the trap.
  • Julius Caesar’s only defeat in the Gallic Wars
    • However, the Romans suffered a major setback. losing 46 Centurions, 700 men dead and 6.000 casualties, which the Gauls saw as a major Roman defeat, changing the attitudes of the other Gallic Tribes.
  • Caesar Retires
    • Julius Caesar decided to lift the Siege, as Gergovia was too well defended, but needed to save face.  So the next day he aligned all six Legions in Battle formation in front of Gergovia, but Vercingetorix declined to give battle.
    • Caesar then marched his Legions up the River Allier, built a bridge and crossed it to safety.

The Outcome

  • Julius Caesar
    • Despite the setback, he planned to rejoin Labienus and his four Legions, so as to confront Vercingetorix again but this time with the full ten Legions.
    • It was the only Battle during the Gallic Wars that Julius Caesar lost.
  • The Gauls
    • After six years of war, the battle represented the first real chance of ending the Roman occupation of Gaul.
    • All the Gallic Tribes heard of this Roman defeat, and now joined an Alliance with Vercingetorix.
    • In particular the former Roman Client Tribe, the Aedui, who gave Vercingetorix 15,000 cavalry.

Sources

 

Gergovie

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