Northern BurgundySiege of Alesia

During the months of August and September of the year 52 BC a siege took place at Alise-Sainte-Reine, located 32 miles northwest of Dijon, then know as Alesia. The results of this siege would prove to be a decisive moment in the history of what would become France. This was a battle between an army of the Gaul's led by Vercingetorix and the Roman Army led by Julius Caesar. The Gaul's outnumbered the Romans by 6 to 1 yet they lost the battle of Alesia.

The siege was the result of Vercingetorix trying to take refuge after losing a battle against the Romans. Vercingetorix, thinking that he could withstand the Roman onslaught, that would surely come retreated to the Gaulish town of Alesia. Caesar seizing the day immediately had his men start building fortifications around the town. This proved decisive, as the fortifications built would never be broken through, either by the army of Vercingetorix being sieged or the rescue army trying to break through from the outside. Caesar had the fortifications built so as to both keep Vercingetorix in and the rescue army out and his army safe in between.

The fortifications proved unbreakable and after two months Vercingetorix was forced to surrender and to save his army he gave himself to Caesar. He was sent to Rome to be paraded and was killed after six years of imprisonment.

The modern day site of the siege of Alesia is a nice attraction. There is a small museum in the village of Alise-Sainte-Reine and an archeological site that lets you walk through the ruins of a Gallo-Roman town. Plus there is a reconstructed Roman amphitheater and a large statue of Vercingetorix. Lots of documentation is available in English. The cost to see the museum and archeological site is five euros, dual ticket.

The archeodrome de bourgogne has a reconstruction of the fortifications used in the siege of Alesia.

Related links:
Alesia
Alésia - the battle against the Romans
The Siege of Alesia