Tragic Moments in History - The Abandoned Citizens of Alesia

Caesar and Vercingetorix faceoff at Alesia over the fate of Gaul! Follow the tragic tale of the non-combatants who found themselves abandoned by both sides in a battle of wills: (Use affiliate links for purchase to help support the channel)

Script: Oakley
Art: Oakley and T. Hopwood
Video Editing: Oakley

Music:
"Aestes", "The Mediterranean", "Hiems", "Good Harvest" - Total War: Rome II OST
"Lays of Oerde", "Warm Hearths", "The Celts" - Total War: Attila OST

Check out the rest of my channel for more Total War content including massive battles, warhammer gameplay, and historical documentaries
For documentaries on classical antiquity check out this playlist:

[InvictaHistory]

This episode focuses on a tragedy overshadowed by larger historical headlines. This is a recurring theme in history and persists today on a daily basis. Empathy is one of the first things we lose in history and it is important to remember that the events of the past were shaped by people who were every bit as real as you or I. Retelling history in color is an important goal of the Moments series and I hope that this resonates with viewers. As always, feedback is welcome

[jacquesfrancois]

It's particularly horrible to imagine that many of the Gallic warriors in Alesia likely had family among those civilians forced outside the city, imagine standing guard day after day, knowing your wife and child are out there dying of thirst and hunger, while being helpless to save them, it must have been torture.

[Synystr]

Abandoned by not only their enemy Caesar, their Lord Vercingetorix, but their plight was abandoned by future historians also. Truly, a horrible fate.

[sixtycats]

"We must not forget, so that we are not forgotten"

Chills

[TTT-qkcs]

Great job!

Really got inside my skin... we often seem to forget that all these people had lives with their own dreams, sorrows, joys, memories etc just as we do.

[SuperDogLog]

You can really tell Oakley wrote the script. He always has such a brilliant humanistic approach to history. This reminded me of his brilliant Cannae documentary with its personal touch.

[BrendonChase]

"So the Mandubian population, who had received the other Gauls into their town, were compelled to leave it with their wives and children.They came up to the Roman fortifications and with tears besought the soldiers to take them as slaves and relieve their hunger; but Caesar posted guards on the ramparts with orders to refuse them admission."

That's it. The only contemporary account (Caesar's own) of what happened.

[Cyan-hide]

A leader who abandons his people is not fit to be one, if I know that my leader may abandon me, why would I follow him

[Aristocles]

The history of the Second World War had thousands of people writing about it. Most of what we know of the Gallic Wars comes from Caesar himself and a handful of other writings, most of which depended on Caesar's works. It's not a fair comparison.

[dazhibernian]

Caesar - "We're going to build a wall, it's gonna be the best wall. And the Gaulic people of Alesia will pay for it".

[ximbabwe]

How did the Gauls manage to lose attacking from two sides with about quadruple the forces?

[davidbriggs]

I would say that Vercingetorix is more in the wrong than Caesar. By expelling the townspeople, Vercingetorix hoped to last until the relief force reached them, whereas Caesar was under no obligation to help the townspeople in any way.

[AhmetwithaT]

Vercingetorix lost the moment he refused to let his citizens in after they were turned back by Caesar. Even if he were to win the battle after that, he would have already lost the very thing he was fighting to protect.

[justinpatton]

Your last line was great " We must not forget so that we will not be forgotten"

[help]

I recall hearing that neither side had the ability to support the banished citizens of Alesea, and both leaders hoped to use their basics needs to force the other to surrender or break camp by further straining resources. Eventually however I heard it was the Gauls who caved and admitted the citizens due to growing unrest in the ranks of the soldiers within Alesea, who (some) had personal connection or shared heritage with it's citizens. Vercengetorix could not risk loosing control of his troops as it would weekend their own ability to defend against a Roman attack when news reached Caesar, however this simply created a more dire situation for the Gauls leading to more desperate actions in order to receive reinforcements, etc. (sending off Scouts/messagengers to plead, etc.)

[reubenlawrence]

brilliant and unique take on alesia. one that is too easily forgotten as the Roman period is incredibly 'romanticised', all you tend to recall is the glory and greatness, and the reality is; as above.
love it.

[culturehybrid]

"Nobody knows where Alesia is" or something along these lines is one of the recurring quotes in the great Asterix comics. Reading them as a child, I knew it was a hugely traumatic event for the Gauls. But only just now did this video explain the forgotten horror. Thank you! x

[alecdegraaf]

Another great video about the battle of Alesia was made by a channel called Historia Civilis. Check him out if you want to know more, I highly recommend him.

[lordcommandernox]

That Rome II : Total War score. Very fitting

[TheTariqibnziyad]

remember vercingetorix was a noble, they believed that the "folks" were to be sacrificed and that it was normal for them to be so, why did he surrender at the end ? did he wish to be spared ??? after all the misery ? he should at least had died in battle, but ceasar was just yet cruel.