The Gauls and Vercingetorix
We’re all familiar with the Romans ceaseless battle success, but there was one population – one man in particular – who even the mighty Caesar was threatened by...
Who were the Gauls?
The Gauls were a tribe of Celts that inhabited France, Belgium, Luxemburg, Switzerland, and parts of the Netherlands and Germany – the territory known then as Gaul. Originally, all Celtic groups were known as the Celts up until the 3rd century BC, at which time a sub-group invaded Macedonia, Greece, and parts of Asia and they were first denoted individually as Galata or Galli.
There is some debate about the etymology of the name Gauls; some claim that it originated from the Greek word for milk, inspired by the skin tone of the group of Celts who invaded Greece. Although, consideration is also given to whether it might have stemmed from the French word “Gallia” the roots of which are German in origin and could be translated as “foreigner”.
You may still come across the use of Gauls or Celts interchangeably for this population, however, Gauls is thought to be a self-appointed name that differentiates this group of Celts from the Irish, the Gaels, the Britons, and the Galacian Celts. If you would like to know more about the other divisions of the Celts, then this previous article explains who they were in more detail.
The Gauls in battle
The Gauls had a fierce reputation on the battlefield, and by the 4th Century BC, Gallic warriors had settled along the Po Valley in Germany and had invaded central Italy, leading most Italians to fear the Gauls and their prowess.
However, the only population that the Italians feared more, was the Germans, and they were desperate for them not to increase in power. As they believed that the Germans were readying to make the states of Gaul theirs, the Romans knew that they had to strike. Thus, Julius Caesar enlisted forces from the Gauls and together they drove the Germans out of the area.
After the insurgence of the Germans in Gaul was brought under control, Caesar began to enforce the institution of Roman traditions, culture, and laws in the region. However, the Gauls refused to lie down and accept being a conquered nation and the Eburones tribe attempted to revolt against the Romans dominance.
Unfortunately, Caesar took no mercy, and used the Eburones to make an example of to the rest of the Gauls; he attacked them, burned their lands, and sold any survivors into slavery.
What Caesar didn’t bank on during his subjugation was Vercingetorix, the son of an aristocratic Gallic chief, and a highly regarded warrior and member of his tribe the Averni. Vercingetorix was among the Gauls that Caesar employed to push the German forces back, and as a result, he learned the skills of Roman warfare. In the aftermath of the Roman’s overtaking of Gaul, Vercingetorix wasn’t planning to forget these tactics in a hurry.
The valour of Vercingetorix
Vercingetorix wasn’t a birth name, as the Gauls believed that giving others your true name gave them power over you, but instead the title he is known by. It means “Victor of a Hundred Battles” and he is considered to be the first national hero of the area now known as France due to his unwavering defence of the land.
Even Vercingetorix’s enemies marvelled at his strength and valour, as Caesar referred to him as “a man of boundless energy, he terrorized waverers with the rigours of an iron discipline.”
After Caesar had defeated the Eburones, he returned to Italy for the summer months, allowing Vercingetorix the opportunity to rally an army against the remaining Roman troops in Gaul.
Upon news of this revolt, Caesar attempted a hasty return, but the unfamiliar weather conditions and the barricades that Vercingetorix put in place meant that Caesar wasn’t going to triumph easily.
A twenty-seven-day siege soon followed suit in the town of Avaricum. The Gauls did their best to push the Roman forces back, but their approach was relentless.
Eventually, surrounded by the Romans and their battle towers, ramps, and terrace – all of which were built in under a month – the Gauls attempted to flee. Sadly, approximately forty thousand Gauls were massacred in Avaricum - women and children included.
In time, after relentless Roman sieges on the town of Alesia (now known as Dijon), Vercingetorix ended up trapped within its walls with his men. Despite defending their land and attacking the Romans as much as possible, Vercingetorix and his army were forced to surrender to Caesar. For five years, the great warrior was confined in the Tullianum before being ceremoniously slaughtered in Caesar’s name.
Want to find out whether you’re a descendent of the fearsome Gauls? Find out today with My True Ancestry.
