![]() ![]() Having been appointed governor of the Roman province of Gallia Narbonensis (modern Provence) in 58 BC, Julius Caesar proceeded to conquer the Gallic tribes beyond over the next few years, maintaining control through a careful divide and rule strategy. History Context Celtic Gallia and the Roman Republic in 58 BC Vercingetorix statue by Frédéric Bartholdi, on Place de Jaude, in Clermont-Ferrand, France According to Florus, he was "endowed with a name which seemed to be intended to inspire terror". In his Life of Caesar, Plutarch renders the name as Vergentorix (Ουεργεντοριξ). Dobbs has proposed to see an Irish cognate of the name in the form Ferchinged an rí. Celtiberian reikis, Old Irish rí, Old Welsh ri). Old Irish for, Old Welsh/ Old Breton guor, Cornish gor), attached to -cingeto- ('warrior, hero', from a PIE stem meaning 'tread, step, walk' cf. It is a compound of the prefix ver- ('over, superior' cf. The Gaulish name Vercingetorix literally means 'great/supreme king/leader of warriors/heroes'. Top: bust right (war chariot on reverse) bottom: tied near war trophy (female head on obverse). Vercingetorix on Roman coinage (dated 48 BC). To this day, he is considered a folk hero in France, and especially in Auvergne, his native region. Vercingetorix is primarily known through Caesar's Commentarii de Bello Gallico (Commentaries on the Gallic War). In 46 BC, as part of Caesar's triumph, he was paraded through the streets of Rome and then executed by garroting. At the Battle of Alesia, also in 52 BC, the Romans besieged and defeated his forces to save as many of his men as possible, he gave himself to the Romans. He won the Battle of Gergovia against Julius Caesar in which several thousand Romans and their allies were killed and the Roman legions withdrew.Ĭaesar had been able to exploit Gaulish internal divisions to easily subjugate the country, and Vercingetorix's attempt to unite the Gauls against Roman invasion came too late. He immediately established an alliance with other Gallic tribes, took command, combined all forces and led them in the Celts' most significant revolt against Roman power. Vercingetorix came to power after his formal designation as chieftain of the Arverni at the oppidum Gergovia in 52 BC. Vercingetorix was the son of Celtillus the Arvernian, leader of the Gallic tribes. After surrendering to Caesar and spending almost six years in prison, he was executed in Rome. 80 – 46 BC) was a Gallic king and chieftain of the Arverni tribe who united the Gauls in a failed revolt against Roman forces during the last phase of Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars. ![]()
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