julius caesar quotes vanquisher vanquished

JULIUS CAESAR QUOTES VANQUISHER VANQUISHED LICENSE

The main earth and wood embankment was about 400 paces from the moat and was protected by two additional ditches, each 4.5 meters wide, with the internal one flooded with water.

The city was surrounded by a 6-meter ditch. The defensive fortifications of the Roman legions were truly stunning. He also ordered to build an outer ring to defend against an external aggressor. The Gallic cavalry, however, managed to slip out of the ring, which was a great concern for Caesar, as he could expect attacks from outside and inside at the same time.

JULIUS CAESAR QUOTES VANQUISHER VANQUISHED LICENSE

Upon learning of Vercingetorix’s plans, he immediately dispatched reinforcements to strengthen the unfinished sections that were only two meters high or less.Īuthor: Prosopee | Under a Creative Commons license Attribution - Under the same conditions 3.0. The defenders had a food supply for 30 days, which gave them a chance for a long resistance. Before the ring closed, Vercingetorix ordered some of his soldiers to return to their tribes and assemble a mighty army that could come and drive the enemy away from Alesia. The fortification line was separated by 23 forts connected by a rampart and a moat. While the workers created trenches and camps, the cavalry and support forces patrolled and guarded the worksite. The line of fortifications was 17 kilometers which was an enormous construction feat for the legionaries. – Gaius Julius Caesar, Gallic Wars, VII 69Ĭaesar began the siege by encircling the city on each side with a 4-meter-high embankment. In these piquets would be posted by day to prevent any sudden sortie by night the same stations were held by sentries and strong garrisons. Camps had been pitched at convenient spots, and three-and‑twenty forts had been constructed on the line. The perimeter of the siege-works which the Romans were beginning had a length of eleven miles. Under the wall, on the side which looked eastward, the forces of the Gauls had entirely occupied all this intervening space, and had made in front a ditch and a rough wall six feet high. Before the town a plain extended for a length of about three miles on all the other sides there were hills surrounding the town at a short distance, and equal to it in height. The bases of the hill were washed on two separate sides by rivers. The actual stronghold of Alesia was set atop of a hill, in a very lofty situation, apparently impregnable save by blockade. This was how the long blockade of Alesia was to begin.

However, he did not expect Caesar to follow the army of Gauls and surround his forces in the city. A discouraged Gallic commander retreated to Alesia(today’s Auxois hill – about 30 kilometers west of today’s Dijon) to rest there and renew the army. Caesar’s troops repelled his rival and forced him to retreat. Vercingetorix, wishing to destroy the Roman army, set a trap during the march, which, unfortunately, was not successful for him. Labienus had a reputation for being a very good commander who (later) betrayed Caesar and went over to Pompey in the Civil War.Īfter joining forces and recruiting new troops, Caesar headed east against the Sequans and the Lingons. Caesar, attacked from the rear at the same time by the Edu (who had gone over to the Gauls), had to join Titus Labienus – commander of some of his troops in the fighting in the east. The city, however, after long battles, repelled the Roman army and forced them to retreat. The Gallic chieftain, Vercingetorix, “sat on the tail” of Caesar the whole time, attacking his rearguard with his cavalry.Īfter the fall of Avaricum, Caesar directed his troops to the hill of Gergovia. After a long siege, he captured the city and plundered it completely. Caesar, discouraged, began the siege of Avaricum. After a streak of small victories, there was a shortage of grain and food. The allied tribes did not send him food, either for fear of Vercgetorix or for lack of it.Ĭaesar began his campaign by capturing small towns and seizing supplies. He was aware that this trip would be longer, so he needed more supplies as well. With a smaller but more experienced army at his disposal, he was able to react faster to any threats. Julius Caesar upon learning of the rebellion, he immediately set off to the various camps scattered throughout Gaul to assemble an army.

The young commander forced/encouraged other tribes to revolt, except the Aedui allied with Romeand other lesser tribes. For this purpose, a huge crowd of soldiers was called up, almost 200,000 warriors. The leader of the allied Gallic tribes raised the insurrection to drive the Romans out of Gaul. Rome’s contacts with Africa and Far East.

Julius caesar quotes vanquisher vanquished