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Two walls, no problems (lemmy.world)

submitted 4 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 50 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Explanation: During the Siege of Alesia, Julius Caesar encircled the Gallic king Vercingetorix, and built a wall around the town of Alesia to hem him in and prevent him from escaping. However, Caesar was made aware of a massive Gallic army coming to break the siege. Rather than lifting the siege, Caesar opted to build ANOTHER wall - this one to protect his troops from the Gallic army in the countryside. This left the Romans nestled in a little strip between the two forces, relying on their supplies to wait out both the forces in Alesia, and the massive army outside that couldn't sustain itself on the countryside

[–] [email protected] 33 points 4 months ago (1 children)

This is one of my all-time favorite anecdotes on how the scariest thing an army can be is well-provisioned.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 4 months ago

Tactics wins battles. Logistics wins wars.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (3 children)

Main thing to remember with this story is that its Ceaser's own account of what happened, written specifically to mythologize himself. It's guaranteed that he's lying, it's guerenteed that it didnt happen like this. The only real question is whether he's lying because it was a much harder fight and he wants to seem stronger, or whether it was a much easier fight and he wants his opponent to seem stronger.

Edit: apologies for the hasty, under-researched comment. I went into a momentary anti-roman fugue state.

[–] [email protected] 25 points 4 months ago

Historians do doubt the numbers Caesar claimed (he likely inflated the Gallic numbers), and archaeology suggests his fortifications may not be as perfect as his account describes. But the presence of the double walls themselves is not, to my knowledge, in doubt.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 4 months ago (2 children)

... that's not how you critically examine a primary source.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Ya fair enough. I get defensive of Vercingetorix because so many people meme him into a punching bag.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Vercingetorix was dealt a bad hand and did the best anyone could've done in his place. Sometimes the fault isn't in ourselves, but in our stars. Circumstances can screw you hard - like Caesar having a six year head start on subduing Gaul before your countrymen finally agree to come together.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago (1 children)

You strike me as a wise individual, PugJesus

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

Heh, I don't know about wise, but a love of history changes one's perspective. Going down through the ages, there are so many figures who are brilliant or virtuous who get absolutely screwed, and then mediocre twits who coast through with an endless streak of good luck.

Sometimes it really is just a roll of the dice.

At least Vercingetorix got some nice statues out of it in the 19th century,

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago

Sure, there are definitely more than just two ways caesar that could be lying.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago

We do not talk about Alesia.