Vercingetorix has marked the imagination of the French. A look back at this historical figure on September 27, the supposed date of Vercingetorix's surrender in Alésia in 52 BC.
The new Asterix album will be released on October 24, 2019.
The adventures of Asterix the Gaul, whose new adventures will be released in album on October 24, 2019, take place in the year -50 BC when “all Gaul is occupied...all? “Yes, because two years before, during the Battle of Alesia, Caesar's legionnaires defeated the Gallic armies led by Vercingetorix. The Gallic chef is also honored in the latest album produced by Jean-Yves Ferri and Didier Conrad which is entitled “La fille de Vercingétorix ”.
Did she really exist? Impossible to affirm it:of Vercingétorix, we do not actually know much. So much so that for several centuries, historians even doubted its existence. Vercingetorix, this surname means “Chief or supreme King of warriors”. Was it an honorary title worn by different characters? Or the name of one and only person? It was not until the 19th century and the discovery of coins minted with the effigy of Vercingetorix to be certain of the existence of this historical figure.
Gallic gold stater (Arvernes) with the effigy of Vercingetorix (72-46 BC) issued in 52 BC. Paris, B.N. Credit:Josse / Leemage / AFP.
And to know him, you have to refer to his worst enemy:Julius Caesar, and read his Comments on the Gallic Wars , a collection of seven books that recount the victorious campaigns against the Gauls that took place from 58 to 52 BC. Caesar is the only contemporary source that mentions Vercingetorix. After him, but sometimes several centuries later, some other Roman historians will also tell of his battles. This was the case of Plutarch and Dion Cassius whose writings complete the portrait sketched by Caesar. “By reading Dion Cassius we learn that Caesar and Vercingetorix had been friends before going to war ” explains Laurent Olivier, archaeologist and historian, Chief Heritage Curator and author of the book César contre Vercingétorix published by Belin on October 3, 2019
The adventures of Asterix the Gaul, whose new adventures will be released in album on October 24, 2019, take place in the year -50 BC when “all Gaul is occupied...all? “Yes, because two years before, during the Battle of Alesia, Caesar's legionnaires defeated the Gallic armies led by Vercingetorix. The Gallic chef is also honored in the latest album produced by Jean-Yves Ferri and Didier Conrad which is entitled “La fille de Vercingétorix ”.
Did she really exist? Impossible to affirm it:of Vercingétorix, we do not actually know much. So much so that for several centuries, historians even doubted its existence. Vercingetorix, this surname means “Chief or supreme King of warriors”. Was it an honorary title worn by different characters? Or the name of one and only person? It was not until the 19th century and the discovery of coins minted with the effigy of Vercingetorix to be certain of the existence of this historical figure.
Gallic gold stater (Arvernes) with the effigy of Vercingetorix (72-46 BC) issued in 52 BC. Paris, B.N. Credit:Josse / Leemage / AFP.
And to know him, you have to refer to his worst enemy:Julius Caesar, and read his Comments on the Gallic Wars , a collection of seven books that recount the victorious campaigns against the Gauls that took place from 58 to 52 BC. Caesar is the only contemporary source that mentions Vercingetorix. After him, but sometimes several centuries later, some other Roman historians will also tell of his battles. This was the case of Plutarch and Dion Cassius whose writings complete the portrait sketched by Caesar. “By reading Dion Cassius we learn that Caesar and Vercingetorix had been friends before going to war ” explains Laurent Olivier, archaeologist and historian, Chief Heritage Curator and author of the book César contre Vercingétorix published by Belin on October 3, 2019.
An ally of Caesar
Vercingétorix was born around -80 in Gergovie, in the heart of the territory of Arvernes which roughly corresponds to the current Auvergne. This people signed a treaty of neutrality with the Romans who have occupied Provence since 121 BC. J.-C. And Vercingétorix is a man from the nobility whose father, Celtillos, governed the Arvernes before being executed for wanting to restore royalty. Vercingetorix probably rubbed shoulders with Julius Caesar during his youth, commissioned by the Arverni with the Romans as part of exchanges to ensure the sustainability of the treaty signed in -120. “By spawning with the Romans, Vercingetorix was able to decipher their battle tactics and discover their weaknesses, which explains his successes in the battles of the year 52 ”says Laurent Olivier.
In 58 BC, at the beginning of the Gallic Wars, Vercingetorix was still the ally of the Romans but he took up arms against them at the beginning of the year -52. “In -53 and -52, there was a great drought in Gaul and particularly in the center. It is likely that the wheat tribute demanded by the Romans, who had more than 40,000 men-at-arms to feed, became unbearable for the Gauls. This was followed by a revolt led by Vercingetorix ”
The campaigns of Vercingetorix
How did Vercingetorix, son of a fallen chief, find himself at the head of the Gauls? “He must have been someone of great eloquence with exceptional leadership skills ” emphasizes Laurent Olivier. Once in charge of the insurrection, Vercingetorix quickly succeeded in unifying the tribes of central Gaul as well as many other peoples under his banner and went on a series of battles against Caesar.
The Gaul had on his side the number and the spirit of resistance of the Gauls. The Roman General had the best equipped army of the ancient world and benefited from the support of the German cavalry. Vercingetorix used guerrilla techniques to harass the enemy and lure them into traps. “He had several victories but the battle that marked his short career was that of Gergovie in June of the year 52 BC ” explains the specialist. South of Clermont-Ferrand, more than 100,000 Gauls fought there against 20,000 legionnaires in a bloody confrontation that left the Romans decimated.
"Vercingetorix surrenders to Caesar":Painting by Lionel Noel Royer (1852-1926) Le Puy en Velay, Crozatier museum. © Josse/Leemage/AFP
Defeated at Gergovie, Caesar then retreated, pursued by Vercingetorix and his armies as far as Alésia (today Alise-Sainte-Reine) where a line of siege almost 30 kilometers long was established. “Here too the Romans were fighting one against six. It was a battle the Gauls should have won but fate decided otherwise. No doubt the Gallic armies were poorly coordinated, unaccustomed to fighting together. It is also possible that the German cavalry played a preponderant role there in favor of Caesar ” explains Laurent Olivier.
Executed by order of Caesar
Finally, Alesia was a bitter defeat which opened to Caesar the doors of all Gaul which was occupied for almost five centuries by the Romans, until Clovis and the battle of Soissons. Vercingetorix laid down his arms and acknowledged Caesar's victory. The conditions of his surrender are still unclear, it is likely that they were negotiated beforehand between the Romans and the Gallic leaders. “After this victory, Caesar returned to Rome and Vercingetorix was probably imprisoned or placed under house arrest in not too difficult conditions ” says Laurent Olivier. Caesar had to preserve his enemy until his "Triumph". A majestic parade organized by Rome to celebrate the victorious generals.
War of the Gauls:"The Gallic warrior Vercingetorix prisoner of the Roman armies of Julius Caesar in the jails of Tullianum, in 46 BC.". Illustration by Georges Conrad (1874-1936) from "Nos-Gloires-Nationales" 1920 Private collection. © Isadora/Leemage/AFP
That of Caesar took place in -46:the members of the Senate walked in front of the winner who held Vercingetorix chained behind his chariot followed by the cohorts of legionnaires. The people of Rome, in jubilation, honored Caesar who finally met the destiny he had always been careful to build for himself. After the triumph, Vercingetorix was executed, probably strangled on the latter's order. “It was not the custom to execute enemy leaders who surrendered on their own. No doubt Caesar considered that Vercingetorix had betrayed him, which supports the hypothesis that they were in a relationship before ” explains Laurent Olivier. Thus perished the one who nearly arrested Caesar. But even his death remains somewhat mysterious, as does most of his life. Only the nine months that correspond to the period of the fighting are really well documented. They were enough to bring Vercingetorix into the French imagination.
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