Editing Gallic Wars (section)

==== Siege of Alesia, end of the revolt ====
[[File:Muséoparc d'Alésia fortifications.JPG|alt=Battlefield|thumb|Modern recreation of the Alesia fortifications, featuring rows of stakes in front of a moat, a high banked approach, and regular towers for Roman sentries]]
Vercingetorix chose to defend the [[Mandubii]] ''oppidum'' of [[Alesia (city)|Alesia]] next, in what would become the [[siege of Alesia]]. He assembled some 70,000{{endash}}100,000 warriors.{{sfn|Delbrück|1990|p=46}}<ref name="bwoJ0" /> After the poor performance at Gergovia, Caesar felt a direct assault on the Gauls was no longer a viable solution, so he opted to simply besiege the settlement and starve out the defenders. Vercingetorix was fine with this, as he intended to use Alesia as a trap to lay a [[Pincer movement|pincer attack]] on the Romans and sent a call for a relieving army at once. Vercingetorix likely did not expect the intensity of the Roman siege preparations. Although modern archeology suggests that Caesar's preparations were not as complete as he describes, it is apparent that he laid some incredible siege works. Over the span of a month, the Romans built some {{convert|25|mi}} of fortifications. These included a trench for soldiers, an anti-cavalry moat, towers at regular intervals, and booby traps in front of the trenches. The fortifications were dug in two lines, one to protect from the defenders and one to protect from the relievers. Archeological evidence suggests the lines were not continuous as Caesar claims, and made much use of the local terrain, but it is apparent that they worked. Vercingetorix's relieving army arrived quickly, yet concerted coordinated attacks by both the defenders and relievers failed to oust the Romans.{{Sfn|Gilliver|2003|pp=51–60}}[[File:SiegeAlesia.png|thumb|alt= A map of the fortifications Caesar built in Alesia |The [[fortification]]s built by Caesar in Alesia

Inset: cross shows location of Alesia in Gaul (modern France). The circle shows the weakness in the north-western section of the fortifications]]After numerous attacks, the Gauls realized they could not overcome the impressive Roman siege works. At this point, it became clear that the Romans would be able to outlast the defenders and that the revolt was doomed. The relieving army melted away. Vercingetorix surrendered and was held as a prisoner for the next six years until he was paraded through Rome and ceremonially [[garrote]]d at the [[Tullianum]] in 46&nbsp;BC.{{Sfn|Gilliver|2003|pp=51–60}}{{sfn|Fields|2014}}

Having crushed the revolt, Caesar set his legions to winter across the lands of the defeated tribes to prevent further rebellion. He sent troops to protect the Remi, who had been steadfast allies to the Romans throughout the campaign. But resistance was not entirely over: Caesar had not yet pacified southwest Gaul.{{Sfn|Gilliver|2003|pp=51–60}}