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Updated: July 23, 2025
LXXVII. But those who were blockaded at Alesia, the day being past on which they had expected auxiliaries from their countrymen, and all their corn being consumed, ignorant of what was going on among the Aedui, convened an assembly and deliberated on the exigency of their situation.
LXXIX. In the meantime, Commius and the rest of the leaders, to whom the supreme command had been intrusted, came with all their forces to Alesia, and having occupied the entire hill, encamp not more than a mile from our fortifications.
The Saone separated them from the Sequani on the south-east. The account of this campaign is unintelligible in Plutarch. Schaefer has the following note: "Aliter facturus erat Cyrneus, omnino inferior ille Romano." The Corsican is Napoleon. A stream flowed along each of two sides of the city. Alesia belonged to the Mandubii, who were dependants of the Ædui.
Vercingetorix had been prepared for a struggle under the walls, but not for being besieged in Alesia; in that point of view the accumulated stores, considerable as they were, were yet far from sufficient for his army which was said to amount to 80,000 infantry and 15,000 cavalry and for the numerous inhabitants of the town.
Ravages and lays waste his territories, ibid. 34; endeavours in vain to get him into his hands, ibid. 43 They are ordered to furnish their contingent for raising the siege of Alesia, G. vii. 75 Ambrones, an ancient people, who lived in the country which is now called the Canton of Bern, in Switzerland Its inhabitants reduced by Cassius Longinus, C. iii. 55
The danger that he underwent before Alesia, justly gained him great honor on many accounts, and gave him an opportunity of showing greater instances of his valor and conduct than any other contest had done.
Alesia lay almost on his way; the cavalry of the Celts, the only arm with which Vercingetorix chose to operate, attacked him on the route, but to the surprise of all was worsted by the new German squadrons of Caesar and the Roman infantry drawn up in support of them. Caesar in Front of Alesia Siege of Alesia
But those who held Alesia, after giving no small trouble to themselves and to Cæsar, at last surrendered; and the leader of the whole war, Vergentorix, putting on his best armour, and equipping his horse, came out through the gates, and riding round Cæsar who was seated, and then leaping down from his horse, he threw off his complete armour, and seating himself at Cæsar's feet, he remained there till he was delivered up to be kept for the triumph.
Caesar, having conveyed his baggage to the nearest hill, and having left two legions to guard it, pursued as far as the time of day would permit, and after slaying about three thousand of the rear of the enemy, encamped at Alesia on the next day.
Then there is a fling at Cæsar's assumed clemency, showing us that Cæsar had already endeavored to make capital out of that virtue which he displayed afterward so signally at Alesia and Uxellodunum. Then again he speaks of himself in words so grand that it is impossible but to sympathize with him: "Let Scipio's name be glorious he by whose wisdom and valor Hannibal was forced out of Italy.
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