Battle of Gergovia
Encyclopedia : B : BA : BAT : Battle of Gergovia
| Gallic Wars |
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| Arar - Bibracte - Vosges - Axona – Sabis – Gergovia – Alesia |
The Battle of Gergovia took place in 52 BC at Gergovia (modern Gergovie), France The battle was fought between a Roman Republic army, led by proconsul Julius Caesar, and Gallic forces led by Vercingetorix. The Gauls won the battle.
The Battle was the result of Caesar's attempt to force Vercingetorix into open warfare rather than his previous 'scorched earth' tactic. The 'scorched earth' tactic involved burning farms in the area and therefore starving Caesar's army. Gergovia was where Vercingetorix chose to stand.
Caesar faced Vercingetorix with 6 legions accompanied by Aedui auxilia and Germanic cavalry. Rather than risk a full frontal assault, Caesar relied on his superior siege tactics. This time 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.
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 but his men didnt hear this or chose to ignore it and stormed the walls of Gergovia.
Vercingetorix counter attacked from two sides causing the Romans to panic and flee having lost the battle.This was the lead up to "The battle of Alesia".
Gergovia was the chief town of the Arverni, and was situated on a hill in Auvergne, about eight miles from the Puy de Dome. Some walls and earthworks seem still to survive from this period. Later, when Gaul had been subdued, the place was dismantled and its Gaulish inhabitants resettled four miles away in the plain at the new Roman city of Augustonemetum (modern Clermont-Ferrand). An over-zealous attack on Gergovia's defenses led to the death (Missing presumed death) of 46 centurions and 700 others on the Roman side.
This map shows Caesar's campaign through Gaul - you can see the location of Gergovia and it's proximity to Alesia.
References
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