Fight against the Helvetii 58 BCE

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 In March 58 BCE Caesar received reports of the Helvetti, a Gallic tribe, who had begun to migrate across Gaul. The figures reported were 368,000 tribesmen, with a 1/4 of them being of fighting age. Caesar chose to intervene and illegally raised new legions, with the majority being recruited from Cisalpine Gaul. He accumulated a force of 6 legions, with each legion holding 25,000-30,000 soldiers alongside a 4,000 strong cavalry. Another tribe called the Tigurini were travelling alongside the Helvetii and during the long process of crossing it’s people over a wide, deep river, Caesar and his army arrived just in time and butchered them. The ruthless general tried to justify his actions within his War Commentaries, where he reminds the Roman people the Tigurini were responsible for killing his grandfather in law Calpurnius Piso. When Caesar felt the time was right to attack the Helvetii, he sent his senior legate Labienus to take two legions and take a hill close to the Helvettian camp. The plan was for Labienus to remain unseen until Caesar arrived with the rest of his army, however, a veteran officer named Publius Considius reported back to Caesar from a patrol that Labienus hadn't taken the hill and his whereabouts were unknown. This was a vital mistake and misjudgement as Labienus had taken the hill. Caesar withdrew and was soon attacked by the Gauls when they heard of this retreat. Before the attack, Caesar alongside his senior officers climbed off their horses and motivated each legionnaire by fighting beside them. Whilst the enemy charged, the legionnaires remained silent, patiently waiting for the enemy to get close. As the Gauls were at throwing length, the Romans released their javelins and charged with loud cheers. Amidst the battle, the Helvetti managed to retreat to high ground just before their allies Boii and Tulingi arrived with 15,000 fresh fighters. Caesars army eventually defeated all three tribes resulting in tens of thousands of them being killed or sold into slavery.

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Fight against Ariovistus 58 BCE

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Previously, Gallic chieftains from the Sequani tribe had asked the Germanic King Ariovistus for aid against their neighbouring tribe, the Aedui. Ariovistus accepted their plea but as well as aiding them he settled 120,000 of his people in their lands. With pleas from the Gauls as well as Caesar himself not wanting more Germanic tribesmen migrating to Gaul, he sent envoys to Ariovistus ordering him to move his people back across the Rhine and return hostages taken from Gallic tribes. Full of confidence from numerous victories against Gauls, Ariovistus fancied his odds against the Romans and refused to follow Caesars demands. The Sequani's tribal town Vesontio had good sizeable food stores and a strong natural position, in which both Caesar and Ariovistus found themselves in a race to take the town first. The legionnaires only had short breaks to rest and recover as they marched both day and night to Vesontio. Fortunately for the Romans their efforts were rewarded as they made it to the town before the Germanic tribesman, however on arrival paranoia soon spread amongst the Roman soldiers. Rumours were muttered throughout Vesontio from the Gallic inhabitants, who spoke of the large war mad Germanic warriors. Caesar found himself in a risky position of possible derserters, so to calm down his legionnaires he gave a persuasive speech that worked. After failing numerous times to tempt Ariovistus into battle, Caesar received important news from prisoners he had captured that the Germans superstitiously were waiting to fight them when it was a full moon. Caesar used this against them and soon attacked unexpectedly. His legates were spread out and assigned to a legion to ensure every soldier had the opportunity for his bravery to be seen. Once the battle got underway the Roman left flank was gradually being pushed back by the Germanic tribesmen and it was Publius Crassus who saved the day by taking it into his own initiative to act. Publius ordered cohorts from the third line of the acer triplex formation and moved them to the first line that was struggling against the Germanic tribesman. Eventually the Germanic right flank fell, which resulted in the rest of Ariovistus' army fleeing the battle. Ariovistus did manage to escape but he is never heard from again.

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Belgae uprising 57 BCE

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During the winter, Caesar managed to add another two legions to his army- the 13th and 14th. During this time the Belgae tribes joined together under the King of the Suessiones named Galba. Once word reached Caesar of this conspiracy, he hastened back from Cisalpine Gaul where he usually wintered throughout the Gallic war. Once reunited, he marched his legions to the Remi tribe who swore of no involvement in the conspiracy. They reported the figures of the tribes who had joined the rebellion:

 

• Atrebates- 15,000 fighters

• Atuatuci- 19,000 fighters

• Bellovaci- 60,000 fighters

• Suessiones & Nervii- 50,000 fighters

• Morini- 25,000 fighters

• 6 more smaller tribes- 50,000 fighters

 

The Aedui had been loyal to Caesar so far, so Caesar sent their leader Diviciacus along with their fighters to the Bellovaci to distract them. In the meantime, Bibrax, one of the Remis towns, had been attacked by the Belgae and it was close to falling. At night Caesars Balaeric, Cretan and Numidian light troops snuck into the town. After some time the Belgae gave up on their siege and left. Caesar then moved his army close to the Belgians new position. Due to the unfavourable terrain, the Belgae would not make the first move and with provisions running low they slowly broke off returning to their homelands. 3 legions under Titus Sabinus were sent out after them, along with a cavalry under Lucius Cotta and Quintus Pedius. They killed a vast number of them and soon after the Bellovaci and Suessiones surrendered.

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Galba’s fight in the Alps 57 BCE

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Caesar sent one of his legates named Servius Galba along with the 12th legion to secure the trade routes through the Alps. After taking numerous enemy forts, Galba settled for winter in a village named Octodurus which belonged to the Veragi tribe. The Gauls surrounded Octodurus and attacked the Romans at night. They started off by throwing javelins and stones as well as firing arrows. After some time remaining behind the towns walls, Galba decided to fight his way out off the village and in doing so, the Gauls fled. This could have ended badly for the Romans, however with their discipline and good leadership from Galba, they made it out unscathed.

 

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Fight against the Atlantic tribes 56 BCE

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A rebellion on the Atlantic coast erupted in 56 BCE, within the area where Publius Crassus was wintering with the 7th legion. The Veneti were by far the strongest tribe and they had their own fleet too. After receiving word from Publius, Caesar ordered him to move to the River Loire and build warships ready for the campaigning season. During this time the Ambiliati, Diablintes, Lexovii, Menapii, Morini, Namnetes and Osismi aligned themselves with the Veneti. With the risk of the Atlantic coast rebellion spiralling out of control throughout the whole of Gaul, Caesar came up with a plan to spread out his legates and here is where they were sent:

 

• Titus Labienus- to make contact with the Remi

• Publius Crassus- to fight the tribes of Aquitania

• Titurius Sabinus- to fight the Coriosolites, Lexovii and Veneli

• Decimus Brutus- to fight the Venetian fleet

 

Sabinus, Publius and Decimus were all victorious in their tasks, especially Decimus who won the naval battle against the Veneti. Their councillors were executed and the rest of the Venetian people were sold into slavery. During these events, Caesar set out for the Morini and Menapii tribes. He spent some time harassing the two tribes that hid themselves deep within forest and marshes, but with campaigning season coming to an end, he sent his army into winter courters until the next campaigning season.

 

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Usipetes & Tencteri slaughter 55 BCE

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  The next problem Caesar had to overcome was the Germanic tribes Usipetes and Tencteri who had crossed 430,000 of their people into Gaul, with roughly 100,000 of them being of fighting age. The migration happened because the Suebi, their neighbouring tribe, had been attacking them relentlessly. Caesar told the two tribes that he would settle them alongside another Germanic tribe called the Ubii, however during the negotiating process the Germanic cavalry clashed with Caesars. The Germans had 800 horseman compared to Caesars 5,000. The next day Caesar attacked the two tribes with full force and the Germanic people were slaughtered. Those that had survived the attack were sold off into slavery and those who had managed to escape the battle drowned in the Rhine. News of this slaughter did not reach Rome for some time but when it did it was not well received.

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Crossing the Rhine 55 BCE

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After the massacre of the Usipetes and Tencteri, Caesar set out to deter future threats from the other side of the Rhine. The Romans spent 10 days building a bridge with forts either side of it and once completed they crossed over. Caesar and his army spent eighteen days in the hostile lands where they burned down many farms and villages, devastating the lands crops. Once Caesar was satisfied with his show of force he marched his army back into Gaul, dismantling the bridge behind them.

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Crossing the British channel 55 BCE

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The Romans built 98 transport ships for the expedition to Britain. 80 were used to ferry across 2 legions and the remaining 18 were used for the cavalry, meanwhile the rest of the army remained in Gaul with orders to fight the Menapii and Morini who were yet to surrender. Caesar sent ahead Commius, the King of the Atrebates, as an envoy to the Britons as he and his expedition force battled their way through the rough english channel. Unfortunately for him, his cavalry was forced to turn back to Gaul after a storm hit them hard. Although it had weakened his army, Caesar chose to carry on with his mission and on arrival his force fought off the Britons who had been stalking them from the shoreline. A legionnaire had earned himself some fame during this battle when Caesar reported his actions in the war commentaries. He wrote “the eagle bearer of the Tenth offered up a quick payer and then yelled out, Jump down, soldiers unless you want to give up your eagle to the enemy; everyone will know that I at least did my duty to the Republic and my commander”. In the end the Romans won the battle and their enemy retreated further inland. Caesar was successful in igniting fear on the local tribes who one by one surrendered to the invaders, releasing Commius back to them as well. But just as Caesar expected the peace was short term and a second battle soon commenced. The Britons targeted a vulnerable group of legionnaires who were out foraging, but fortunately for them, the soldiers back in camp spotted the attack in the distance and immediately despatched a force to give aid to the forages. Caesar recalls in the commentaries that the Britons would rush in on chariots throwing javelins at his men before jumping off to fight on foot. This fighting style was new to the Romans, but they dealt with it well and after further skirmishes the Britons sued for peace once again. Caesar returned back to Gaul and for the second time during the Gallic war he was granted a public thanksgiving back home in the eternal city.

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2nd crossing of the British channel 54 BCE

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Over winter the Romans built 600 new transport ships as well as a further 28 war galleys for the 2nd crossing. Caesar took 5 legions with him to Briton, leaving 3 legions and 2,000 cavalrymen under Titus Labienus in Gaul. This time round Caesar was not met with an immediate battle, but once he crept further inland his force stumbled upon a high walled fort that possessed a garrison of native warriors inside; these men were then slaughtered. Meanwhile, a storm had destroyed many of Caesars ships which then took the Romans 10 days to rebuild. Within this time the Britons had elected a new leader called Cassivellaunus and it wasn't long before Cassivellaunus attacked the Romans in full force. Caesars army was able to drive back the Britons and eventually Cassivellaunus sued for peace. Caesar accepted their surrender. By this time it was near the end of the campaigning season and Caesar needed to get back to Gaul. Due to the amount of soldiers, hostages and slaves, the Romans crossed the British Chanel in two trips.

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Romans suffer heavy loss 54 BCE:

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Due to a bad harvest that year, Caesar had no choice but to spread his 8 legions throughout Gaul. Below is a list of the legates and where they were sent:

 

• Sabinus & Cotta to the Eburones

• Labienus to the Remi

• Gaius Fabius to the Morini

• Quintus Cicero to the Nervii

• Lucius Roscius to the Essuvii

• Questor Marcus Crassus & Gaius Trebonius to the Belgae

 

At the time Caesar knew of the unrest amongst the Gallic tribes and it was only a matter of time before they acted. Ambiorix, a Chieftain of the Eburones, launched an attack on Sabinus and Cotta’s camp which was mostly made up of the 14th legion. The Gauls struggled to breakthrough the Romans defence and eventually Ambiorix halted the attack. He came up with a lie that tricked the Romans. He told them he had been forced into attacking them, but he would allow them to move safely out of Eburone territory to unite with another Roman camp. For some time Cotta tried to convince Sabinus to not listen to Ambiorix, but in the end he gave up and Sabinus got his way in trusting the Gallic chieftain. Once they left their camp the Gauls encircled and slaughtered them. Some legionnaires managed to flee the attack, however Sabinus and Cotta were killed.

 

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2nd crossing of the Rhine 53 BCE:

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Another one of Caesars generals Quintus Cicero, brother of the famous orator Marcus Cicero, had his camp heavily attacked during the winter as well as Sabinus and Cotta. Unlike the latter, Cicero chose to remain in his camp until help arrived and managed to survive the attack. Word of both attacks had spread throughout Gaul fast and this encouraged other tribes to take up arms, which then influenced Caesar in recruiting more soldiers and increasing his army to 10 legions. He then went on to attack the Carnutes, Menapii, Nervii, Senones and Treveri in which all 5 tribes surrendered. In the course of these successful assaults, Caesars senior legate Labienus had been attacked by a Gallic chieftain named Indutiomarus. Both Indutiomarus and Ambiorix had received a small amount of warriors from Germanic tribes in aid of their attacks. This meant that Caesars  next move was to cross the Rhine for a second time to prevent further aid coming over, as well as deterring Ambiorix from finding refuge within Germania. Once the Romans had crossed the Rhine a Germanic tribe called the Ubii pleaded their innocence and informed Caesar that it was the Suebi who had given aid to the rebellious Gallic chieftains. Unfortunately for Caesar the Suebi had retreated into a forest, deep within Germanic lands before he could get to them. Despite this he was content enough with his show of force that had sent the tribesmen fleeing in desperation, so he crossed his army back into Gaul to hunt down Ambiorix. The search was unsuccessful and Ambiorix managed to disappear from history, but Caesar did satisfy himself in annihilating the Eburone tribe.

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Rise & fall of Vercingetorix 52 BCE:

 

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Siege of Avaricum

During the year of 52 BCE mostly all of the Gallic tribes turned against Caesar. Many chieftains met to take oaths to unite against the Romans and the Carnutes were the first to make a move when they launched an attack on a town called Cenabum. There were some Roman soldiers within the town at the time that were killed and when news of this swept Gaul, a young aristocrat named Vercingetorix of the Arveni tribe, raised an army to join the rebellion. Caesar was still in Cisalpine Gaul during this outbreak and his legates were slow to react. Caesar soon crossed the Alps to return to his army, in which he successfully defeated a small rebellion in Transalpine Gaul on his way. He then sacked a town called Vellaunodunum which belonged to the Senones, before taking back Cenabum. Caesars attention then turned towards a well fortified town called Avaricum, mainly due to it being one of few places left unharmed from Vercingetorix’s policy of burning all towns and farms to prevent the Romans possessing food and possessions to maintain their campaign in Gaul. The siege of Avaricum did not go smoothly and it took the frustrated Romans 25 days to complete the construction of siege towers needed to infiltrate the towns defence, but once the legionnaires got inside, not a single person was spared. An estimated number of 40,000 men, women, children and elders of Avaricum were all killed.

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Setback at Gergovia

With the Romans well rested, supplies replenished and a rebellion still to defeat, Caesar took 6 of his 10 legions to attack Vercingetorix’s tribe, the Arverni. On their arrival Caesar received news that Convictolitavis, the Vergobret of the loyal tribe Aedui, had received bribery gifts from representatives of the Arverni. Convictolitavis placed a man called Litaviccus as commander of the Aedui force and the newly appointed commander tried to turn his men against the Romans by telling them lies. Caesar acted quickly and exposed the lies winning back the Aeduian warriors to fight under him once again. Litaviccus fled to join Vercingetorix in the Arvernian town called Gergovia, where the Romans arrived shortly after him, however with supplies running low Caesar decided to withdraw from the siege of Gergovia. Before leaving he ordered his men to attack a nearby hill Vercingetorix held which ended almost in disaster. The legionnaires either did not hear the horn that instructed them to retreat or they chose to ignore it, either way a total of 700 were killed. Once word of this defeat spread throughout Gaul, leaders of the Aeduian force who were serving under Caesar left to join the rebellion.

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Siege of Alesia

Labienus who was with the other 4 legions, had made their way to Caesar with fresh victories against the Parisii tribe. The two Roman forces were reunited and now ready to fight Vercingetorix army. When the two armies met face to face in battle the Romans came out victorious and Vercingetroix’s force retreated to a town in the Mandubii territory called Alesia. Caesar ordered the construction of two high walls, one to encircle Alesia to prevent any Gauls escaping and a second one behind them to defend a possible outside attack. The legionnaires also dug multiple ditches alongside other traps within their enclosure to slow down the enemy further if the outer wall was breached. Fortunately for Vercingetorix and his men, Caesars defence mechanisms would be put to use. A cavalry detachment had successfully made it out of the town before Caesars inner wall was completed and a relief force led by Commius, the Atrebate king, was on its way. Although Commius’ force was supposedly vast in number, they were unable to breakthrough the Romans defences twice and on a third attempt, which involved an attempt on taking a hilltop camp, the relief army failed again. The Next day Vercingetorix rode out of Alesia and handed himself to the Romans. He was eventually strangled to death years later once Caesar celebrated his triumph in 46 BCE.​​

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Defeating the Bituriges, Carnutes and Bellovaci 52-51 BCE

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After the defeat Vercingetorix mostly all of the Gallic tribes had accepted their fate under Roman dominion except from the Bituriges, Carnutes and the Bellovaci. The 11th and 13th legion were taken out of their winter quarters by Caesar who then crept up on the weak Bituriges, who soon surrendered after putting up minimal resistance. Caesar then turned his attention towards the Carnutes, but for this attack he chose to take the 6th and 14th legion. The Carnutes also had very little fight left in them, so they fled their homelands suffering the harsh winter conditions in which they eventually took refuge within other tribes. Caesar then called out more legions from their winter quarters to attack the Bellovaci, these were the 7th, 8th, 9th and 11th legions. Caesar did later call up the 6th and 14th legions again as well as adding the 13th legion to the mix. The Bellovaci had mobilised a large army since the defeat of Vercingetorix, led by a man named Correus who had Commius as his second in command. Both armies came face to face across a valley and due to both sides being camped uphill, neither side wanted to commit to an attack first. In the end the Bellovaci withdrew back to their homelands, but Correus remained with 6,000 infantry and 1,000 cavalry to surprise attack one of Caesars foraging parties. Luckily for Caesar he learned of this beforehand from captured enemy scouts and the enemy force was butchered with Correus being one of those killed amongst the action. The Bellovaci soon sent peace envoys to Caesar which was accepted. Once again Commius escaped but this time to Britain where he established a dynasty within a tribe on the south coast. Caesar paid each legionnaire 200 sestertii and the centurions 2,000 sestertii for campaigning during the winter.

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The siege of Uxellodunum 51 BCE

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Uxellodunum was a hilltop town towards the south west of Gaul. Tribesmen of this region were the last ones to stand against the Romans and they remained hidden behind the defences of this town. They were lead by a man named Lucterius, who had previously led raids on areas in Transalpine Gaul in 52 BCE. Once Caesars forces arrived at Uxellodunum, they cut off the Gauls supply of water, which was the main reason the tribesman surrendered. Caesar had each of the warriors hands cut off as a final warning to those thinking of rebelling.

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Gaul is conquered 50 BCE:

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Latin soon became popular within the main towns of Gaul, Roman luxuries such as bath houses with running water and central heating were experienced by the wealthier classes. The Druidic priesthood was eventually stopped, alongside the practice of human sacrifice. It’s said that a million tribesman died during their fight against Caesar, with a further million captured and sold into slavery. Caesar now had a vast experienced army that was motivated in fighting for their general rather than the republic.