Atlas of Battles

siege, landmark, ancient

Battle of Alesia

Battle of Alesia was a siege conducted in July 52 BC at Alesia, in what is now France. It was part of the Gallic War, which ran from 58 BC to 51 BC. The recorded result: Roman victory.

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Sketch of the Battle of Alesia, drawn by Muriel Gottrop in December 2004. Inbox: cross shows location of Alesia in Gaul (modern France). The open circle shows the weakness in the contravallation line
Sketch of the Battle of Alesia, drawn by Muriel Gottrop in December 2004. Inbox: cross shows location of Alesia in Gaul (modern France). The open circle shows the weakness in the contravallation line. Muriel Gottrop at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 1.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
FoughtJuly 52 BC
WhereAlesia, France47.537N, 4.500E
OutcomeRoman victory
BelligerentsRoman RepublicagainstGallic confederation
Casualties and losses12,800 killed and woundedand290,000 (Caesar, exaggerated)250,000 killed
Part ofGallic War58 BC to 51 BC

Where it sits in the Gallic War

Battle of Magetobria, 63 BCBattle of Bibracte, 58 BCBattle of the Arar, 58 BCBattle of Vosges, 58 BCBattle of Cavillonum, 58 BCBattle of Vesontio, 58 BCBattle of the Sabis, 57 BCBattle of the Axona, 57 BCBattle of Octodurus, 57 BCSiege of Bibrax, 57 BCSiege of the Atuatuci, 57 BCBattle of Morbihan, 56 BCBattle of Vernix, 56 BCBattle against the Aquitanians, 56 BCSiege of Namur, 54 BCBattle of the Sambre, 54 BCAmbiorix's Revolt, 54 BCBattle of the Semois River, 53 BCBattle of Gergovia, 52 BCBattle of Lutetia, 52 BCBattle of Noviodunum, 52 BCBattle of the Saône, 52 BCSiege of Avaricum, 52 BCBattle of Alesia, 52 BCBattle of Vingeanne, 52 BCSiege of Uxellodunum, 51 BC63 BC51 BCBattle of Alesia, 52 BC
26 placed engagements of the Gallic War in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

DateJuly 52 BC (month precision)
to September 52 BC
PlaceAlesia, France
47.537N, 4.500E
KindSiege, ancient
Territorial changeRemaining part of Gaul becomes a part of the Roman Republic
Strength10–11 legions (30–50,000 legionaries); 10,000 auxiliaries; ----60,000–75,000 approx. total Romans and allies328,000–470,000 total (ancient sources)80,000–170,000 besieged; <70,000–180,000 total (modern est.)20,000–80,000 besieged
Casualties and losses12,800 killed and wounded290,000 (Caesar, exaggerated)250,000 killed
Commanders
  • Vercingetorix
  • Vercassivellaunos
  • Sedullos
  • Commius
  • Mediomatrici
Battle of AlesiaBattle of AlesiaBattle of ChateauneufSiege of DijonBattle of DijonBattle of DijonBattle of NuitsBattle of ChateauneufBattle of DijonBattle of NuitsNancyLausanneBourgesTroyesNeversAuxerreMelun100 km47.537N, 4.500E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

The ground today

Relief of the ground around the site of Battle of Alesia
Relief within about 10.0 km of the site, contours every 25 m. Copernicus DEM GLO-30, ESA.
Satellite view of the site of Battle of Alesia today
The same ground from Sentinel-2 on 2025-09-18. Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2025.

The recorded site stands at about 402 m; within 10.0 km the ground runs from 225 to 467 m, 242 m of relief, hilly country and today it is 44% grassland, 29% tree cover, 23% cropland.

grassland: 44%tree cover: 29%cropland: 23%built-up: 4%grassland 44%tree cover 29%cropland 23%built-up 4%
west to east, 10.0 km234 to 407 mnorth to south, 10.0 km248 to 428 m
Elevation from the Copernicus DEM GLO-30 (ESA, Airbus); land cover from ESA WorldCover 2021 (CC BY 4.0), within about 5 km of the recorded site. Computed, not recorded.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in 52 BC

Battle of Alesia is one of 159 engagements of the 1st century BC in the atlas and one of 1,383 in present-day France.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q131386, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Alesia, revision 1385619804, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.