Editing Gallic Wars (section)

{{Short description|58–50 BC conflict between Rome and Gallic tribes}}
{{About|Caesar's military campaigns of 58 to 50 BC|Julius Caesar's writings|Commentarii de Bello Gallico|the earlier Romano-Gallic conflicts|Roman–Gallic wars}}
{{good article}}
{{use dmy dates|date=January 2021}}{{EngvarB|date = March 2022}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict          = Gallic Wars
| width             = 
| partof            = 
| image             = Siege-alesia-vercingetorix-jules-cesar.jpg
| image_size        = 305
| alt               = Vercingetorix, on horseback, surrenders his sword to the seated Caesar, who is surrounded by his retinue
| caption           = ''Vercingetorix Throws Down His Arms at the Feet of Julius Caesar'', 1899, by [[Lionel Royer]]
| date              = 58–50 BC
| place             = [[Gaul]] (present-day [[France]], [[Luxembourg]], [[Belgium]], [[Switzerland]], [[Germany]]), [[Great Britain|Britain]] ([[Julius Caesar's invasions of Britain|55–54 BC]])
| territory         = *Gaul annexed by Roman Republic
*Local client kings and tributaries set up in Britain
| result            = Roman victory
| combatant1        = [[Roman Republic]]
| combatant2        = {{Unbulleted list|[[Gauls]]|[[Germanic peoples|Germani]]|[[Celtic Britons|Britons]]|[[Aquitani]]|''and others...''}}
| commander1        = {{Unbulleted list|'''[[Julius Caesar]]'''|[[Titus Labienus]]|[[Mark Antony]]|[[Quintus Tullius Cicero]]|[[Publius Licinius Crassus (son of triumvir)|Publius Licinius Crassus]]|[[Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus|Decimus Brutus Albinus]]|[[Gaius Trebonius]]|[[Servius Sulpicius Galba (praetor 54 BC)|Servius Sulpicius Galba]]|[[Gaius Caninius Rebilus]]|[[Lucius Munatius Plancus]]|[[Lucius Roscius Fabatus]]|[[Quintus Titurius Sabinus]]{{KIA}}|[[Lucius Aurunculeius Cotta]]{{KIA}}}}
| commander2        = {{Unbulleted list|'''[[Vercingetorix]]'''{{Surrender}}|[[Ambiorix]]|[[Indutiomarus]]{{KIA}}|[[Commius]]|[[Ariovistus]]|[[Cassivellaunus]]}}
| strength1         = '''Modern estimates:'''
* '''58 BC:''' 6 legions (understrength, 24–30,000 troops, including cavalry auxiliaries){{sfn|Delbrück|1990|p=46}}
* '''57 BC:''' 8 legions (32–40,000 troops)
* '''55 BC:''' 2 legions (~10,000 troops) in Britain, the rest left on the continent
* '''54 BC:''' 5 legions (~25,000 troops) & 2,000 auxiliaries in Britain
* '''53 BC:''' 10 legions (40–50,000 troops)
* '''52 BC:''' 11 legions & 10,000+ auxiliaries,{{sfn|Dodge|1997|pp=276–295}}{{sfn|Keppie|1998|p=97}} 60–75,000 troops total by the siege of Alesia
| strength2         = '''Modern estimates:''' 
* '''58 BC:''' 20,000–50,000, of which 8,000 or more were civilians
* '''52 BC:''' 180,000 Gallic combatants at Alesia
| casualties1       = 40,000+ (credible estimate){{Bulletedlist|30,000+ killed|10,000+ wounded}}
| casualties2       = {{Unbulleted list|'''Plutarch and Appian:'''|1,000,000 [[Celts]] killed in battle{{sfn|Appian|2016}}{{sfn|Fields|2010}}|1,000,000+ Celts captured or [[Slavery in ancient Rome|enslaved]]{{sfn|Fields|2010}}|800 villages destroyed{{sfn|McCarty|2008}}|'''Julius Caesar:'''|430,000 [[Germanic peoples|Germani]] killed{{sfn|Caesar|1982|p=15}}}}<hr>All contemporary numbers are considered not credible by [[David Henige|Henige]]{{sfn|Henige|1998}}
| notes             = 
}}
{{Campaignbox Gallic Wars}}

The '''Gallic Wars'''{{efn|The 58–50 BCE conflict is also named the "Second Transalpine War" to distinguish it from the [[First Transalpine War]] (125–121 BCE).<ref>{{Cite book |editor-last=Cooper |editor-first=Nick |last1=Webster |first1=Jane |date=1996 |title=Roman Imperialism: Post-Colonial Perspectives |chapter=Ethnographic barbarity: colonial discourse and ‘Celtic warrior societies’. |url=https://eprints.ncl.ac.uk/file_store/production/3726/B9A9B5F3-E4C0-4CB5-93E8-8EE443D06EED.pdf |publisher=School of Archaeological Studies, University of Leicester |pages=117–118 |access-date=5 April 2023}}</ref>}} were waged between 58 and 50&nbsp;BC by the Roman general [[Julius Caesar]] against the peoples of [[Gaul]] (present-day [[France]], [[Belgium]], and [[Switzerland]]). [[Gauls|Gallic]], [[Germanic peoples|Germanic]], and [[Celtic Britons|Brittonic]] tribes fought to defend their homelands against an aggressive Roman [[Military campaign|campaign]]. The Wars culminated in the decisive [[Battle of Alesia]] in 52&nbsp;BC, in which a complete Roman victory resulted in the expansion of the [[Roman Republic]] over the whole of Gaul. Though the collective Gallic armies were as strong as the Roman forces, the Gallic tribes' internal divisions eased victory for Caesar. Gallic chieftain [[Vercingetorix]]'s attempt to unite the Gauls under a single banner came too late. Caesar portrayed the invasion as being a preemptive and defensive action, but historians agree that he fought the wars primarily to boost his political career and to pay off his debts. Still, Gaul was of significant military importance to the Romans. Native tribes in the region, both Gallic and [[Germanic peoples|Germanic]], had attacked Rome several times. Conquering Gaul allowed Rome to secure the [[Natural borders of France|natural border]] of the river [[Rhine]].

The wars began with conflict over the migration of the [[Helvetii]] in 58&nbsp;BC, which drew in neighboring tribes and the Germanic [[Suebi]]. By 57&nbsp;BC, Caesar had resolved to conquer all of Gaul. He led campaigns in the east, where the [[Nervii]] almost defeated him. In 56&nbsp;BC, Caesar defeated the [[Veneti (Gaul)|Veneti]] in a naval battle and took most of northwest Gaul. In 55&nbsp;BC, Caesar sought to boost his public image. He undertook first-of-their-kind expeditions across the Rhine and the [[English Channel]]. Rome hailed Caesar as a hero upon his return from Britain, though he had achieved little beyond landing because his army had been too small. The next year, he returned with a larger army and reached much further inland; he extracted tribute from the locals and returned to Gaul. Tribes rose up on the continent, and the Romans suffered a humiliating defeat. 53&nbsp;BC saw a brutal pacification campaign. This failed, and Vercingetorix led a revolt in 52&nbsp;BC. Gallic forces won a notable victory at the [[Battle of Gergovia]], but the Romans' indomitable siege works at the Battle of Alesia crushed the Gallic coalition.

In 51 and 50&nbsp;BC, there was limited resistance, and Caesar's troops mainly engaged in mop-up operations. Gaul was conquered, although it would not become a Roman province until 27&nbsp;BC, and resistance would continue until as late as 70&nbsp;AD. There is no precise end date to the war, but the [[Caesar's Civil War|imminent Roman Civil War]] led to the withdrawal of Caesar's troops in 50&nbsp;BC. Caesar's wild successes in the war had made him wealthy and provided a legendary reputation. The Gallic Wars were a key factor in Caesar's ability to win the Civil War and make himself [[Dictator perpetuo|dictator]], which culminated in the end of the Roman Republic and the establishment of the [[Roman Empire]].

Julius Caesar described the Gallic Wars in his book ''[[Commentarii de Bello Gallico]].'' It is the primary source for the conflict, but modern historians consider it propaganda and prone to exaggeration. Caesar makes impossible claims about the number of Gauls killed (over a million), while claiming almost zero Roman casualties. Modern historians believe that Gallic forces were far smaller than the Romans claimed, and that the Romans suffered significant casualties. Regardless of the accuracy of the ''Commentarii'', the campaign was still exceptionally brutal. Untold numbers of Gauls were killed, enslaved, or mutilated, including large numbers of civilians.