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All of this was not inherently bad, however, as unlike the Romans, the Gauls were a warrior culture. He raised additional forces from Provence and marched south to what is now the border of modern Spain and France. [19] When the governor of Transalpine Gaul, Metellus Celer, died unexpectedly, the province was also awarded to Caesar at the suggestion of Pompey and Caesar's father-in-law, Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus. Several rebellions happened subsequently, and Roman troops were kept stationed throughout Gaul. However, Crassus' cavalry pursued them. That the Gallic coalition did not fall apart after this defeat is a testament to the leadership of Vercingetorix. But Henige points out that such a census would have been difficult to achieve by the Gauls, that it would make no sense to be written in Greek by non-Greek tribes, and that carrying such a large quantity of stone or wood tablets on their migration would have been a monumental feat. In 121 BC, Rome conquered a group of southern Gauls, and established the province of Transalpine Gaul in the conquered lands. cisalpine gaul genocide. The Romans detected the Nervii, and the battle began with the Romans sending a light cavalry and infantry force across the river to keep the Nervii at bay while the main force fortified its camp. This failed, and the Gauls staged a mass revolt under the leadership of Vercingetorix in 52 BC. [70], Originally, Vercingetorix had been opposed to defending Avaricum, but the Bituriges Cubi had persuaded him otherwise. [81] The historical novel Caesar, by Colleen McCullough, gives a thorough popular account of the Gallic Wars. [75] Gilliver thinks there were no more than 50,000 Helvetii and allies. The Gauls frequently used guerilla tactics against them. He was recalled by Rome a couple of times and refused to heed their reguest. The consuls of 60 and 59 BC both wanted to lead a campaign against the Gauls, though neither did. [24], During the campaign against the Usipetes and the Tenceri, Caesar makes the incredible claim that the Romans faced a host of 430,000, their victory was total, they lost not a single soldier, and that upon losing the tribes committed mass suicide. [80], The TV series Rome begins during the conquest of Gaul, and protagonists Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo, are based on two historical centurions who fought during the Gallic Wars in Caesar's Legio XI Claudia and are mentioned in Commentarii de Bello Gallico. [65], Caesar landed without resistance and immediately went to find the British army. Caesar set out on a campaign to subjugate the Gauls completely and forestall future resistance. By 57 BC, Caesar had resolved to conquer all of Gaul, and led campaigns in the east, where the Nervii nearly defeated him. Interesting on Caesar. They now fought on two fronts instead of just being attacked in the rear, which Gilliver describes as a brilliant tactical decision. As the Germans began to drive back the Roman left flank, Crassus led his cavalry in a charge to restore balance and ordered up the cohorts of the third line. Caesar withdrew from his siege, and Vercingetorix's victory attracted many new Gallic tribes to his cause. Previously, they had not been united, which had made them easy to conquer. They culminated in the decisive Battle of Alesia in 52 BC, in which a complete Roman victory resulted in the expansion of the Roman Republic over the whole of Gaul (mainly present-day France and Belgium). A plot by an aristocrat, Orgetorix, to seize power among the tribes during the migration was discovered, and he committed suicide; this did not delay the migration. The Gauls had not been entirely subjugated and were not yet a formal part of the empire. However, Britain was not particularly rich at the time; Marcus Cicero summed up Roman sentiment by saying, "Its also been established that there isn't a scrap of silver in the island and no hope of booty except for slaves – and I don't suppose you're expecting them to know much about literature or music!" His mere presence greatly increased morale, and he ordered his men to form a defensive square to open the ranks and protect them from all sides. In what Gilliver describes as an incredibly foolish move, Sabinus believed Ambiorix. [42][43], Ariovistus sent emissaries to Caesar requesting a meeting. [41], Learning that Ariovistus intended to seize Vesontio, the largest Sequani town, Caesar began marching his troops toward it. Gilliver regards this as evidence that Caesar's claims the prior year that Gaul was at peace were untrue, as the legions were apparently being dispatched to prevent or deal with rebellion. [82] The concept album Helvetios, by Swiss folk metal band Eluveitie, tells the story of the Gallic Wars through the eyes of the Helvetii. However, the Romans realized the Gauls were a powerful fighting force, and considered some of the most "barbaric" tribes to be the fiercest warriors, as they were uncorrupted by Roman luxuries. [44] Two days later, Ariovistus requested another meeting. [23], Caesar's consideration of the Gallic request to enter Rome was not indecision, but a play for time. Cette offensive est depuis longtemps appréhendée comme un crime de guerre. D’ailleurs, ce génocide est reconnu dans la législation de nombreux pays. The Roman siege preparations proved to be the decisive factor: grand Roman-style siege warfare was unknown to the Gauls, and the might of the Roman's preparations drove the Gauls to surrender promptly. Caesar responded by attacking the Celtic camp, and slaughtering the men, women, and children. He sent troops to protect the Remi, who had been steadfast allies to the Romans throughout the campaign. As usual, Caesar promptly set about building a fortification for the Romans. The Gauls did not record the history of their peoples in a written form, and thus any Gallic perspective has been lost to time. Raaflaub notes that Caesar's subjugation of the Gauls would have been received favorably at home, and have been considered a just peace. These included a trench for soldiers, an anti-cavalry moat, towers at regular intervals, and booby traps in front of the trenches. Realizing he would not meet the Gauls in battle, he withdrew for the winter. [66], The total defeat of Sabinus spread revolutionary fervor, and the Atuatuci, Nervii, and their allies also rebelled. In the rest of Belgium, three legions raided the remaining tribes and forced widespread surrender, including the Eburones under Ambiorix. But that task was not Caesar's, and he left that to his successors. Lot was one of the first modern authors who directly questioned the validity of these numbers, finding a fighting force of 430,000 to have been unbelievable for the time. Consequently, they suffered from poor morale, which threatened Caesar's campaign. Above all, he argues that it shows how Caesar envisioned himself, and how he thought a leader ought rule. He rushed north in an attempt to prevent the revolt from spreading, heading first to Provence to see to its defense, and then to Agedincum to counter the Gallic forces. He wasn't interested in killing Gauls specifically, if the Illyrians had presented an opportunity (his other province) he would have campaigned there (and we would have the Illyrian Wars instead). The Helvetii started the battle with a probable feint, which the Romans easily repulsed. He avoided attacking them outright and raided foraging parties and supply trains instead. This was his punishment to the tribes for having fought against the Romans. Each side tried to avoid battle, as both were short on supplies (a continuing theme for Caesar, who was often faster than his own baggage train). Defeating the Vocates and Tarusates proved a tougher task. He moved up the coast and landed—modern archeological finds suggest at Pegwell Bay[64]— but the British had kept pace and fielded an impressive force, including cavalry and chariots. The assignment of the provinces that comprise what is now Northern Italy was helpful to his ambitions: the Po Valley and the adjoining regions had large numbers of Roman citizens, who could be enticed to sign up for legionary service. The British army had superior mobility due to its cavalry and chariots, which easily allowed them to evade and harass the Romans. Harvests had failed in Gaul that year, but Caesar still wintered his legions there, and expected the Gauls to feed his troops. Caesar now had between 24,000 and 30,000 legionary troops, and some quantity of auxiliaries, many of whom were themselves Gauls. [21], Caesar had four veteran legions under his direct command initially: Legio VII, Legio VIII, Legio IX Hispana, and Legio X. Raaflaub contends that Caesar's work is certainly full of propaganda, but that it has more truth to it than most authors believe. What is known indicates that battle strategy varied between tribes, although engaging in pitched battle was frequent to prove bravery. Regardless of the accuracy of the Commentarii, the campaign was still exceptionally brutal. [54], Caesar's cockiness had nearly ended in defeat, but the legions' experience combined with his personal role in combat turned a disaster into an incredible victory. The Sequani and the Arverni sought Ariovistus's aid and defeated the Aedui in 63 BC at the Battle of Magetobriga. Henry is a soldier but he seems to be scared of war at times. Taking an understrength army with few provisions to a far-off land was a poor tactical decision, which easily could have led to Caesar's defeat – yet he survived. Modern historians dispute this number (see historiography below), but it is apparent that Caesar killed a great many Celts. To enhance the study of Ancient, Medieval, and Early modern warfare At this point, the Romans were surrounded. What happened in the ensuing Battle of Gergovia remains somewhat unclear. Topic is Gallic Wars and whether or not the Romans committed a genocide against the Gauls or if the massive loss of life was simply a casualty of war. Not all the tribes were so cowed, however. Any human society or civilization that comes into existence as a result of military victory takes part in exercises and acts that when assessed and looked into by the ethicists of modern times, might be considered genocide in modern definition. A heated battle ensued. They had recently attacked a tribe allied with Rome and before marching with his army to meet them, Caesar ordered the Remi and other neighboring Gauls to investigate the Belgae's actions. Each year the druids met there to mediate between the tribes on the lands considered the center of Gaul. Each of Caesar's five legates and his quaestor were given command of a legion. [40] With the attack of the Harudes on the Aedui and the report that a hundred clans of Suebi were trying to cross the Rhine into Gaul, Caesar had the justification he needed to wage war against Ariovistus in 58 BC. The next year, he went back with a proper army and conquered much of Britain. But two players in southwest Gaul, Drappes and Lucterius, remained openly hostile to the Romans and had fortified the formidable Cadurci oppidum of Uxellodunum. Not realizing the Roman action, the Gauls believed the spring going dry was a sign from the Gods and surrendered. Once the weather warmed, Caesar pulled a surprise attack on the Senones. The Gallic Wars were a key factor in Caesar's ability to win the Civil War and declare himself dictator, in what would eventually lead to the end of the Roman Republic and the establishment of the Roman Empire. Eventually, the Helvetii were routed and fled. While his army had easily crossed the Saône, his supply train had not. The truce was violated when Caesar learned German horsemen were edging towards the knoll and throwing stones at his mounted escort. In exchange, the Gauls accumulated much wealth and developed a taste for Roman wine. Did Financial Exigency Drive the Roman Empire to Embrace Christianity? Siege towers were used to assault the fort, and artillery battered the walls. He was able to amass a great fortune because he spent five years running around in Gaul attacking tribe after tribe after tribe. The Gauls were generally taller than the Romans (a fact that seems to have embarrassed the Romans) and combined with their longer swords gave them a reach advantage in combat. During the Second Samnite War (326-304 BCE), the Romans massacred four towns and killed all of … For Julius Caesar's writings, see, This article is about the war of 58 to 50 BC. But resistance was not entirely over: Caesar had not yet pacified southwest Gaul. The revolts had shown the Romans were not truly in command of Gaul. The British attacked a foraging party, hoping to pick off the isolated group. Sophie Hulot, Aix-Marseille Université, ALLSH, Histoire Department, Post-Doc. The Belgic army nullified Caesar's advantage by sneaking back into the city under cover of darkness. They prized acts of bravery and individual courage, and frequent raiding of neighboring tribes kept their fighting skills sharp. However, they were Roman allies, so Caesar needed a convincing casus belli to betray them. While he had achieved no significant gains in Britain, he had accomplished a monumental feat simply by landing there. [70], Vercingetorix chose to defend the Mandubii oppidum of Alesia next, in what would become the siege of Alesia. Crassus realized he would have to force battle and located the Gallic encampment of some 50,000. But this changed in 53 BC, when Caesar had effectively declared Gaul a Roman province. [66], The Eburones, under the competent Ambiorix, had been forced to winter a legion and five cohorts under Quintus Titurius Sabinus and Lucius Aurunculeius Cotta. Instead of using boats or pontoons as he had in earlier campaigns, he built a timber bridge in a mere ten days. [10] Hans Delbrück estimates that there were at most 20,000 migrating Helvetii, of whom 12,000 were warriors. The Gallic Wars Pt 1 ... "The Helvetii, a confederation of about five related Gallic tribes that lived on the Swiss plateau, begin to come under increased pressure from German tribes to the north and east." His solution was to cross two water bodies no Roman army had attempted before: the Rhine and the English Channel. [68], Caesar now sought to punish the Germans for daring to help the Gauls. However, they had only fortified the front of the camp, and Crassus simply circled it and attacked the rear. Ceasar may have been critized for his rule at times but many can agree he was excellent in warfare. The Suebi had recently forced the Celtic Usipetes and Tencteri from their lands and had crossed the Rhine in search of a new home. Two (2) counts of Genocide : Article 6(a) - Killing members of the group; Article 6(c) - Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part. He and what remained of his troops escaped and crossed the Rhine, never to engage Rome in battle again. They engaged in a battle that lasted from late in the morning until sundown. cisalpine gaul genocide The Gallic Wars by Julius Caesar, part of the Internet Classics Archive. Caesar claimed that the name of the Eburones was wiped out after their failed revolt against his forces during the Gallic Wars, and that the tribe was largely exterminated. [16][17][18], As a result of the financial burdens of his consulship in 59 BC, Julius Caesar incurred significant debts. Similarly, Norman Spinrad's The Druid King follows the campaigns from Vercingetorix's perspective. The Gauls began a fierce siege. Exploring historical research with modern translation tools, Drug Use Among Ancient Civilizations: Everybody musta got stoned, Roman Slavery and the Rate of Manumission. [57][59][60], The Veneti, now without a navy, had been bested. All draft. Caesar defeated the 60,000 strong Gallic army and finally rescued Cicero's legion. But this isolated his legions, making them easier to attack. Caesar's goal of prestige and publicity succeeded enormously: upon his return to Rome, he was hailed as a hero and given an unprecedented 20-day thanksgiving. The Celtic genocide occurred from 58 to 51 BC during Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars, during which two-thirds of Gaul's population was killed or enslaved by the invading Romans, and Gaul's Celtic culture was mortally wounded. [54], The Gauls were embittered at being forced to feed the Roman troops over the winter. Even contemporary authors estimated the population of the Helvetii and their allies was lower; Livy surmised that there were 157,000 overall (though Henige still believes this number is inaccurate). In 56 BC, Caesar defeated the Veneti in a naval battle and took most of northwest Gaul. Since the consuls could easily sway and buy public opinion, Caesar needed to stay in the public eye. Upon his return from Britain, Caesar was hailed as a hero, though he had achieved little beyond landing because his army had been too small. What turned the tide of battle was Caesar's reinforcements, the X legion which returned from chasing the Atrebates, and the two straggler legions that finally arrived. Vercingetorix surrendered and was held as a prisoner for the next six years until he was paraded through Rome and ceremonially garroted at the Tullianum in 46 BC. genocide. Upon his return, the senate granted him a 15-day thanksgiving (supplicatio), longer than any before. But overall, Caesar had seen monumental success in 57 BC. By feinting a withdrawal, and retreated waiting for ideal conditions auxiliaries, many of 12,000! In great haste, leaving well after midnight on 23 August his punishment to the north and the troops. 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