The myth of Vercingétorix, leader of a Gallic civilization who fought against the Roman armies who came to oppress a people has lived. We know that the two men knew each other before the Gallic War.
The relationship between Vercingetorix, the Gallic leader who led the rebellion against the Roman conquest, and Julius Caesar, the illustrious Roman general, has long been perceived and taught in schools as a mythical clash between two heroic figures of Antiquity . To serve the “national romance”, this opposition was imagined in the form of a war of liberation led by a young charismatic Gallic leader, uniting the tribes against the Roman oppressor.
Recent research carried out by historians and archaeologists brings important nuances to this simplified vision. These works highlight a complex dynamic of rivalry, mutual respect and converging political interests, beyond the Manichaean opposition often depicted.
The relations between Vercingétorix and Caesar must first be understood in light of the political and military strategies of the time. Julius Caesar had undertaken the conquest of Gaul mainly to establish his political prestige in Rome, then in the midst of a Republic. Military victories in this region gave him considerable fame, essential to consolidate his power against his political adversaries. The conquest of the Gauls was therefore not only an imperialist enterprise, but also a strategic calculation with a view to dominating the Roman political scene.
For his part, Vercingetorix was not simply a tribal leader leading a desperate revolt. Recent research has shown that he belonged to a large and influential aristocratic family of the Arverni, and that he had probably been in contact with the Roman world long before entering into rebellion.
Some historians even suggest that Vercingetorix was raised in an aristocracy with very strong cultural ties to Roman civilization, and that he probably initially entered into an alliance with Caesar. His father, Celtillos, had been a very important leader of the Arverni and it is likely that the family had a role in prominent diplomatic relations with Rome.
Some historians suggest that Vercingetorix had a detailed knowledge of Roman customs. It was not uncommon for Gallic elites to send their children to Rome or to prestigious Roman camps to learn culture and military strategies.
Vercingetorix in the service of Julius Caesar
While there is no historical evidence to confirm that Vercingetorix himself was trained in the Roman army, recent works consider the hypothesis that he served under the orders of Julius Caesar to be very serious. A Roman author, Dio Cassius, asserted in almost contemporary writings that on the occasion of his surrender, Vercingetorix hoped for clemency from Caesar “because he had been on friendly terms with him. Instead of forgiveness, it was the rancor that would have pushed the Roman general to put him to death, precisely, for having “transformed their former friendship into hostility”.
This theory is not crazy. The specialist Yann Le Bohec, professor of Roman history at the University of Lyon-III, also puts forward the possibility of service in the army before a betrayal in his writings: “While the Gallic aristocrats enemies of Rome found themselves forced to deliver hostages to him, many of his friends sent their children to learn from the Romans. Vercingétorix’s relations could have been very good with the Roman Republic, on the contrary, we know that the Gallic leader was at odds with the aristocracy of his people, since the assassination of his father, “Nothing prevents us from thinking that the young man raised a private contingent to put it in the service of Caesar”, says Yann Le Bohec.
Thus, Vercingétorix could have seen himself not only as a warlord, but also as a skilled political actor, capable of manipulating local tensions for his own benefit.
A rebellion in the form of treason?
Caesar himself, in his “Comments on the Gallic War”, shows a certain admiration for the military talent of Vercingetorix. Although his writings are above all works of propaganda, aimed at justifying his actions before the Roman Senate, they suggest a recognition of the strategic skills of his adversary.
Vercingetorix’s military campaign against Caesar was not a wild, disorganized rebellion, but a set of sophisticated tactics. One of the most famous is the scorched earth policy, whereby Vercingetorix ordered the destruction of land and supplies to starve Roman troops. This strategy shows that he had in mind the need for a war of attrition against an army as well equipped as Caesar’s. Despite his efforts, Vercingetorix ended up capitulating at Alésia in 52 BC, a battle which remains one of the most emblematic episodes of this confrontation.
The analysis of Roman sources, mainly those written by Caesar himself, also shows to what extent the relationship between the two men was shaped by propaganda. Caesar had to portray Vercingetorix as a powerful enemy, in order to make his victories even more impressive. Roman propaganda often exaggerated the threat Vercingetorix posed, but at the same time it helped to make him a figure of respect. Consequently, the image of Vercingetorix that history has retained is in part that of a noble and worthy adversary, a construction necessary to further glorify the figure of Caesar.
Specialists of the period also argue that Vercingétorix, by submitting to Caesar during the surrender of Alésia, accepted a certain form of political destiny. Rather than sacrifice himself in a final act of resistance, he chose to surrender and was taken to Rome. A gesture could be interpreted as a pledge intended to preserve, in one way or another, his heritage and that of his people.
The death of Vercingétorix, a cruel and symbolic act
Vercingetorix, after his defeat during the famous battle of Alesia in 52 BC, was not immediately executed by Julius Caesar. After his surrender, he was captured and taken to Rome as a prisoner. Caesar intended to use it as a living trophy, in order to demonstrate his resounding victory over the Gauls and to gain political prestige in Rome.
Vercingetorix remained imprisoned for approximately six years, during which he was probably held in difficult conditions. Finally, in 46 BC, after the end of the Roman civil wars, Caesar organized a great triumph in Rome, a sumptuous ceremony where he celebrated his military victories, notably that against the Gauls. Vercingetorix was exhibited during this triumph, presented in chains as a symbol of Gallic defeat.
After this public humiliation, he was taken to a dungeon and executed, presumably by strangulation, a common method for important enemies at the time. Some historians believe that he may have been executed according to the Roman ritual of “supplicium”, a killing that symbolized the complete submission of the enemy.