Vercingetorix

Vercingetorix (died 46 bce) was a chieftain of the Gallic tribe of the Arverni whose formidable rebellion against Roman rule was crushed by Julius Caesar.

Caesar had almost completed the subjugation of Gaul when Vercingetorix led a general uprising of the Gauls against him in 52 bce. Vercingetorix was named the king of the Arverni and general of the confederates. After an initial defeat at Noviodunum Biturigum, Vercingetorix used guerrilla warfare to harass Caesar’s supply lines and cleverly offered to engage Caesar’s forces on terrain unfavourable to the Romans. He successfully held the Arvernian hill-fort of Gergovia against an assault by Caesar. Vercingetorix followed up this victory by an attack on the Roman army, the failure of which compelled him to retreat with 80,000 troops to the prepared fortress of Alesia (in east-central France). Caesar, with a force of 60,000 men, laid siege to the fortress and was able to force its surrender after he had defeated the Gauls’ reserve army in the field. Vercingetorix was taken to Rome in chains, exhibited in Caesar’s triumph (52), and executed six years later.