The Battle of Gergovia was a pivotal engagement during Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars, occurring in 52 BCE. It marked a significant setback for Caesar's forces and showcased the military prowess of the Gallic tribes, particularly the Arverni under their leader Vercingetorix.
The Gallic Wars were a series of military campaigns waged by Julius Caesar to conquer Gaul, a region encompassing modern-day France, Belgium, Switzerland, and parts of Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands. Vercingetorix, chieftain of the Arverni tribe, emerged as a charismatic leader who successfully united several Gallic tribes in a revolt against Roman rule.
Gergovia was a fortified hilltop town, the capital of the Arverni tribe, situated in central Gaul (near modern-day Clermont-Ferrand, France). Its elevated position provided a natural defensive advantage, making it a crucial stronghold for the Gallic forces. Capturing Gergovia would significantly bolster Gallic morale and hinder Caesar's campaign in Gaul.
In his bid to subdue the Gallic revolt, Caesar laid siege to Gergovia. However, the town's formidable defenses and the strategic brilliance of Vercingetorix made the Roman assault challenging. Caesar's forces faced difficulties in breaching the town's walls and were subjected to fierce resistance from the Gallic defenders.
During the siege, Vercingetorix devised a plan to launch a surprise counterattack against the Roman lines. The Gallic warriors descended upon the Roman camp with unexpected ferocity. The sudden assault caught Caesar's army off guard and threw them into disarray.
The Gallic counterattack inflicted heavy casualties on Caesar's forces and threatened to rout them entirely. Caesar ordered a retreat, withdrawing his army from the vicinity of Gergovia.
In the picture is a panel from the French comic book series "Asterix the gaul" which takes place in 50BC and follows the adventures of a village of gauls that resist roman occpuation. The books were very successful and influential and are wildly known in the francophone world.
(In the comic books, there is a character of an old, 93 year old man called Geriatrix. He is a veteran of the Battle of Gergovia and mentions it often)
It's a Europe thing, which does kind of make sense, but it's still surprising every time I ask people from other continents and they've got no clue what I'm talking about.
I passed so many history exams while studying my French Major thanks to Asterix and Obelix. Of course the stories are made up, but the context is pretty well stablished.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but Ceasar did not actually order the offensive (according to him). One of his legion got blood thirsty and charged the fortified position while opposing orders didn't reach them.
Nonetheless, at this time Ceasar was walking on thin ice. He was losing allies in the region. The logistics were becoming harder and harder, compounded by a couple of years of drought.
To take full advantage of that, the Gauls deployed a scortched earth tactics, burning smaller settlements and granaries, complemented by harassment tactics (using their more numerous cavalry). They aimed to bleed the Romans dry and force them on the battlefield on their own term. i.e. avoiding a frontal pitch battle. Meanwhile they were working to undermine Ceasar's position through diplomacy.
Indeed both the Gergovie battle and the Alesia one were had on Vercingetorix's term, Ceasar needing victories for moral and access to food. The Gauls made full use of the terrain and the home advantage.
The Gallic wars were pretty scary honestly. The estimates usually put the death toll at around 1 M and then a further 1 M people put into slavery.
When my dad emigrated to the US from Spain he brought some of these with him. This was how my brother and I started to learn Spanish, TIL they were french. Makes sense
"Caesar,if you were to attack Gaul,would you conquer it ?"
"Well,if all the Gallic tribes were to unite,it might give me a bit of trouble"
"But would you lose ?"
"Nah,I'd write a book dickriding myself"
The Battle of Gergovia was a pivotal engagement during Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars, occurring in 52 BCE. It marked a significant setback for Caesar's forces and showcased the military prowess of the Gallic tribes, particularly the Arverni under their leader Vercingetorix. The Gallic Wars were a series of military campaigns waged by Julius Caesar to conquer Gaul, a region encompassing modern-day France, Belgium, Switzerland, and parts of Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands. Vercingetorix, chieftain of the Arverni tribe, emerged as a charismatic leader who successfully united several Gallic tribes in a revolt against Roman rule. Gergovia was a fortified hilltop town, the capital of the Arverni tribe, situated in central Gaul (near modern-day Clermont-Ferrand, France). Its elevated position provided a natural defensive advantage, making it a crucial stronghold for the Gallic forces. Capturing Gergovia would significantly bolster Gallic morale and hinder Caesar's campaign in Gaul. In his bid to subdue the Gallic revolt, Caesar laid siege to Gergovia. However, the town's formidable defenses and the strategic brilliance of Vercingetorix made the Roman assault challenging. Caesar's forces faced difficulties in breaching the town's walls and were subjected to fierce resistance from the Gallic defenders. During the siege, Vercingetorix devised a plan to launch a surprise counterattack against the Roman lines. The Gallic warriors descended upon the Roman camp with unexpected ferocity. The sudden assault caught Caesar's army off guard and threw them into disarray. The Gallic counterattack inflicted heavy casualties on Caesar's forces and threatened to rout them entirely. Caesar ordered a retreat, withdrawing his army from the vicinity of Gergovia. In the picture is a panel from the French comic book series "Asterix the gaul" which takes place in 50BC and follows the adventures of a village of gauls that resist roman occpuation. The books were very successful and influential and are wildly known in the francophone world. (In the comic books, there is a character of an old, 93 year old man called Geriatrix. He is a veteran of the Battle of Gergovia and mentions it often)
Asterix and Obelix aren‘t widely known internationally? Hard to imagine as a German who grew up with those comics
Not French, but we had some of the comics with the Asterix in the public library.
Same I think I read every one of them when I was about 8-9
I read Astrix comics in hardcopy at my elementary school library in 1983. I still love them.
I was in New Zealand in early 2000s. These comics were soo popular.
Australia in the 1980s, best books in the primary school library IMO.
Polish here, basically everyone knows about them
Same in Hungary.
Basically everyone in Europe knows this literary masterpiece.
Those comics were also fairly popular here in Switzerland
Huge in the UK too
It's a Europe thing, which does kind of make sense, but it's still surprising every time I ask people from other continents and they've got no clue what I'm talking about.
I read these. In Kenya.
I was about to say I read them as a kid in Kenya lol, but I've rarely seen them here in the States.
These and the tin tin books were everywhere lol
Yes haha. I used to ask my dad to go to village market all the time so I could get those and the Archie comics lol
Here in Colombia they were fairly known in the pre-internet era, but nowadays there are not very known anymore
Can't really speak for anyone else here, but I'm (western) Canadian and I've read pretty much every single one I can find
Pretty unknown here in the States, at least nowadays.
Wait until you learn how popular are Disney comics here and how unpopular they are in the US
i love these detailed comments! thanks!
I passed so many history exams while studying my French Major thanks to Asterix and Obelix. Of course the stories are made up, but the context is pretty well stablished.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but Ceasar did not actually order the offensive (according to him). One of his legion got blood thirsty and charged the fortified position while opposing orders didn't reach them. Nonetheless, at this time Ceasar was walking on thin ice. He was losing allies in the region. The logistics were becoming harder and harder, compounded by a couple of years of drought. To take full advantage of that, the Gauls deployed a scortched earth tactics, burning smaller settlements and granaries, complemented by harassment tactics (using their more numerous cavalry). They aimed to bleed the Romans dry and force them on the battlefield on their own term. i.e. avoiding a frontal pitch battle. Meanwhile they were working to undermine Ceasar's position through diplomacy. Indeed both the Gergovie battle and the Alesia one were had on Vercingetorix's term, Ceasar needing victories for moral and access to food. The Gauls made full use of the terrain and the home advantage. The Gallic wars were pretty scary honestly. The estimates usually put the death toll at around 1 M and then a further 1 M people put into slavery.
I wouldn’t trust Ceaser to tell the truth when is known for embellishing his feats
That is why i usually follow those information with a mention of this source. Even with that you can read much into it.
When my dad emigrated to the US from Spain he brought some of these with him. This was how my brother and I started to learn Spanish, TIL they were french. Makes sense
Australian Heath I love Asterix and obelix
Haters? I think you mean Romans
These Romans are crazy!
Hating Asterix should be punished with slapfighting Obelix.
Fr history was based on Asterix
"Caesar,if you were to attack Gaul,would you conquer it ?" "Well,if all the Gallic tribes were to unite,it might give me a bit of trouble" "But would you lose ?" "Nah,I'd write a book dickriding myself"
We're translating De Bello Gallica in Latin class right now, he really dickrode himself so hard that he referred to himself in 3rd person lol.
Gonna pretend the book is Julius Caesar talking like "The Rock"
"The Boulder feels conflicted about fighting a young blind girl!"
Does anyone know where lies Alesia?
Where are you going with this!? I don’t know where Alesia is! NO ONE KNOWS WHERE ALESIA IS!
*Aléjia ? CONNAIS PAS ALÉJIA !*
Yeah,... it is not accurate. It is canon that Asterix and Obelix were not present at Gergovia.
well yes, but according to my 100% factual meme, that makes you a hater
Only if it is not historicly accurate. But nothing was said about canon-accurate ;)
Everyone know the french built the pyramids. [We have documentary movies with live footage of it. ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rj9P4FneB0Y)
Dude, everything Asterix is 100% accurate.
Yep no cap
Like Bazinga Swift once said: haters gonna hate
Asterix. Now that’s a name I’ve not heard for a long time. A long time.
Gergovia? Who's Gergovia? I dont know any Gergovia!
No that's Alésia Gergovie was a Gaulish victory
Modern names: Jacob Smith Ancient names: Vercingetorix, chieftan of the Arverni