Vercingetorix

As described in Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars, Rome had secured domination over the Celtic tribes beyond the Provincia Narbonensis (modern day Provence) through a careful divide and rule strategy. Vercingetorix ably unified the tribes, adopted the policy of retreating to natural fortifications, and undertook an early example of a scorched earth strategy by burning towns to prevent the Roman legions from living off the land.

Caesar and his chief lieutenant Labienus lost the initial minor engagements, but captured the tribal capital at Avaricum (Bourges). They then overtook and encircled Vercingetorix at the Battle of Alesia. Vercingetorix summoned his Gallic allies to attack the besieging Romans, prompting Caesar to build a legendary doughnut-shaped fortification with an inner wall to contain the Arvernian garrison, and an outer defensive perimeter to protect against the attempted relief.

Caesar decisively defeated both forces. Vercingetorix surrendered and was imprisoned in the Tullianum in Rome for five years, before being publicly displayed. He was probably strangled shortly after Caesar's triumph in 46 BC.

The French spell his name with an accent mark (Vercingétorix). There is also a popular theory that he was beheaded by the Romans, but this theory has as little support as that of strangulation.

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