ALESIA, the ancient name for a hill in the department of Cote d'Or, France, now Alise-Ste-Reine. (Pop. of commune [
] 475.) The site was important in early times. Here Ver cingetorix, the Gaulish national leader, was besieged by Caesar in 52 B.c.-the former's surrender leading to the final conquest of Gaul. The native leader is commemorated by a statue on Mt. Auxois. The discovery of the remains of a town and temple in 1906-1 o shows that the site remained important through Gallo Roman times. The ground plan of a large mediaeval structure which has been revealed by excavations, suggests the continuity of interest in this hill-top site into the middle ages. Its situation on a hill top, off modern lines of communication has led to its decay. The region is visited annually by large numbers of tourists. For account of Alesia see Dechelette Manuel d'Archeologie, II. 3, PP.
ff. 1914 (bibl.) .
was the climax of the great revolt which endangered Julius Caesar's conquest of Gaul. He was temporarily back in Italy-, after his expeditions across the Rhine and the Channel, when word came of the general rising (end of 53 B.e.) of most of the Gallic tribes under Vercingetorix, a chieftain of the Arverni (modern Auvergne). Fortunately for Caesar it came be fore he was entangled in the Civil War, and by rapid counter measures, involving arduous midwinter marches, he partially re stored the situation. But guerilla warfare on a far-reaching scale undermined his efforts, he was forced to abandon his siege of Gergovia (near modern Clermont-Ferrand) Vercingetorix's own town. and through the Aedui joining in the revolt, was cut off from his base in the south. In this critical situation Caesar first moved to effect a junction with Labienus's detachment, which had with difficulty returned from an abortive attempt on Lutetia (modern Paris), and then sought a line of retreat back to his base, taking an easterly route. But Vercingetorix, emboldened by success to discard pure harassing strategy, moved to intercept him near modern Langres, and surprised him on the march. The Romans succeeded in repulsing the attack, and Vercingetorix retreated to a fortified camp at Alesia (probably Mont Auxois, near modern Dijon). Thus assured of his communications being free, Caesar decided to lay siege to Alesia, which now held the soul as well as a large part of the body of the revolt. He completely invested the position, surrounding it with lines of contravallation, ten miles in perimeter and fortified with all the science of Roman field engi neering, and outside these he built lines of circumvallation to pro tect himself from any relieving forces. These soon gathered in great force but inadequate organization, and their onsets were re pulsed until, finding that Vercingetorix's sortie was equally in effectual, they retired. The third and last attempt, made at the weakest spot—a hill which could not be included in the lines of circumvallation—was barely withstood, but with its failure Ver cingetorix was forced, from lack of supplies, to surrender. There after, although isolated outbreaks occurred, the Roman grip upon Gaul was not again seriously threatened.
