58 BC
58 BC – 50 BC
The Gallic Wars were waged between 58 and 50 BC by the Roman general Gaius Julius Caesar against the peoples of Gaul, Britain and Germania. Gallic, Germanic, and Brittonic tribes fought to defend their homelands against an aggressive Roman campaign. The wars culminated in the decisive Battle of Alesia in 52 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, internal divisions among the Gallic tribes 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, had repeatedly attacked Roman territory. Conquering Gaul allowed Rome to secure the natural border of the Rhine river.
58 BC
57 BC
The Battle of the Sabis also known as the Battle of the Sambre or the Battle against the Nervians was fought in 57 BC near modern Saulzoir in Northern France. At the River Sabis a Roman army under the command of Gaius Julius Caesar fought an association of Belgae tribes, principally the Nervii. Caesar was surprised and nearly defeated by a Belgae surprise attack. According to Caesar's commentaries, a combination of determined defence, skilled generalship, and the timely arrival of reinforcements allowed the Romans to turn the Belgae ambush into a Roman victory. Few primary sources describe the battle in detail, with most information coming from Caesar's own report on the battle from his book, Commentarii de Bello Gallico. Little is therefore known about the Nervii perspective on the battle.
58 BC
57 BC
The Battle of the Axona was fought in 57 BC, between the Roman army of Gaius Julius Caesar and the Belgae. The Belgae, led by King Galba of the Suessiones, attacked, only to be repelled by Caesar. Fearing an ambush, the Romans delayed their pursuit. Caesar's Commentarii de Bello Gallico describes this battle at 2.7 - 2.11.
58 BC
The Battle of Vosges, also referred to as the Battle of Vesontio, was fought on September 14, 58 BC between a coalition of Germanic tribes, under the leadership of Ariovistus, and a Roman army supported by Gallic allies under the overall command of Gaius Julius Caesar. This encounter is the second major battle of the Gallic Wars.
57 BC
The battle of Octodurus took place in the winter of 57–56 BC in the Gallic town of Octodurus in what is now Martigny, Valais, Switzerland. The battle resulted from a Roman attempt to open the Great St. Bernard Pass over the Alps. It was a Roman victory, but the ferocity of the fighting ended with the Roman legion moving back out of the Alps.
57 BC
The siege of the Atuatuci in September 57 BC was the final battle in the second year of Julius Caesar's campaign that ultimately resulted in the conquest of Gaul. In this siege, Julius Caesar circumvallated the main fortress of the Belgic tribe of the Atuatuci, causing the tribe to surrender their weapons. The night after the surrender, the Atuatuci attempted to break through the Roman lines but failed, resulting in the slaughter of many Celts. The next day the gates were let open and the Roman army sacked the town.