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A year or two later, there was a wholesale tribal
revolt in Gaul, engineered by Vercingetorix, chieftain of the Averni. Notably the Eborones slaughtered nearly two legions. Commius was given a cavalry contingent to keep an eye on the Menapii, who were allies of the Eborones. Vercingetorix and 80,000 tribal warriors were surrounded in their hill fort of Alesia by the legions. A starvation siege for a year occurred, during which 250,000 other warriors tried to break Caesar's ring of 80,000 legionaries and failed. Caesar re-formed into inward and outward facing formations.
Commius had changed sides while Caesar was in
Italy, and led cavalry as part of the relief force. |
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The Hill Fort to-day (from overlapping prints)
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