Siege of Avaricum

E840261

The Siege of Avaricum was a major engagement in 52 BC during Julius Caesar’s Gallic Wars, in which Roman forces captured and destroyed the fortified Bituriges town of Avaricum despite fierce resistance.

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Label Occurrences
Siege of Avaricum canonical 1

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Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf battle
siege
alliesOfDefenders Arverni
Gallic confederation led by Vercingetorix
associatedPeople Arverni
Bituriges Cubi
associatedPerson Gaius Julius Caesar
Vercingetorix
belligerent Gallic coalition
Roman Republic
campaign Caesar’s 52 BC campaign in Gaul
combatant Arverni-led Gallic forces
Bituriges Cubi
Roman Republic
commander Julius Caesar
conflict Gallic Wars
date 52 BC
defenders Bituriges Cubi
defensiveStrategyOfGauls scorched earth policy
describedInWork Commentarii de Bello Gallico
linked to: Gallic Wars
exceptionToScorchedEarth Avaricum spared from destruction by Gauls
followedBy Battle of Gergovia
Siege of Gergovia
linked to: Battle of Gergovia
fortificationType oppidum
historicalPeriod late Roman Republic
linked to: Late Roman Republic
languageOfMainAccount Latin
locatedInPresentDay Bourges
France
location Avaricum
Bituriges territory
linked to: Bituriges Cubi

Gaul
modernCountryOfSite France
notableFor Roman capture of a strongly fortified Gallic oppidum
complete massacre of inhabitants according to Caesar
opposingCommander Vercingetorix
outcome Roman capture of Avaricum
destruction of Avaricum
partOf Gallic Wars
precededBy Roman setbacks in central Gaul
primarySourceAuthor Julius Caesar
reasonForException Avaricum considered too beautiful and strategically important
result Roman victory
significance boosted Roman morale after earlier difficulties
failed to break Vercingetorix’s overall resistance
strategicContext Vercingetorix’s uprising against Roman rule
tacticUsedByRomans assault on fortifications
siege works
theaterOfWar Central Gaul
linked to: Gallia Lugdunensis
year 52 BC

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Roman conquest of Gaul hasConflict Siege of Avaricum