Roman History: Why Julius Caesar EXECUTED his student.

Here’s something I bet you didn’t know, Vercingetorix was with Caesar during much of the Gallic War and may have been since the very beginning. And you know him as the enemy!

By virtue of his high rank, Vercingetorix was part of Caesar’s inner circle. Consequently, he became a student of the Roman leader.

His desertion, which Caesar could not explain to the Senate, is seen as great treason. Vercingetorix, leader of the Arverni, then managed to unify the Gallic tribes against the Romans. 

When did Vercingetorix become Caesar’s enemy?

He applied Roman strategies and organized his army following the principles he was taught by Caesar. During the revolt of 52 B.C., he becomes the leader of all the Gallic tribes. 

From that moment, Caesar considers him a personal enemy and fights him unceasingly until the battle of Alesia. During the battle of Alesia, Julius Caesar executes a successful siege and Vercingetorix has to surrender to avoid a massacre.

This legendary surrender inspired a painting by French painter, Lionel Royer, in 1899. The painting was aptly titled ‘Vercingetorix throws down his arms at the feet of Julius Caesar’.

Vercingetorix was imprisoned in the Tullianum in Rome for almost six years before being publicly displayed and executed in the first of Caesar’s four “triumphs”, processions held throughout Rome to celebrate his victory, in 46 BC. 

The Untold Relationship Between Julius Caesar and Vercingetorix

Vercingetorix’s love/hate relationship with Caesar is not extensively explored in either literature works or online discourse, however,

Conquest is different.

As the graphic novel explores Julius Caesar’s Gallic wars, it does well to include the evolution of the relationship between Caesar’s.

This coupled with its immersive art makes it a no-brainer must-read for history buffs such as yourself. That being said,

Click here to grab yourself a copy of Conquest: Julius Caesar’s Gallic Wars.