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Gadgetman_1 t1_j7d3w1y wrote

A siege, where the Roman army is on the outside is always a bad situation.

Romans KNEW how to besiege a walled city or fortress. They would very quickly put up their own walls locking the defenders inside, and giving themselves unhindered access to all the resources outside.

And they never stop at just putting up pallisades. There's towers, strong gates, ditches and spikes. Layer upon layer of defenses and obstacles that will slow and funnel any breakout.

Vercingetorix lost the moment the first pallisades were put up.

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toddklindt t1_j7e6dx0 wrote

Dan Carlin did a podcast on this battle. He mentioned (I'm paraphrasing) that Roman soldiers were 50% soldier and 50% construction worker. Like you said, they KNEW how to besiege. Once the legion showed up they got to building.

Edit: Dan's podcast, The Celtic Holocaust

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Gadgetman_1 t1_j7esq8e wrote

Consider them the first professional Combat Engineers.

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ThoDanII t1_j7fuf62 wrote

Oh I think the Sumerians, Babylonian and Persian as well as Alexander would say they had been first

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454C495445 t1_j80dyoa wrote

"You cannot besiege Tyre! We are fortified on an island!"

Alexander: "WE WILL BUILD A BRIDGE TO YOUR ISLAND"

O.O

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warhead71 t1_j7fjp0i wrote

Construction, battle in orderly manners and military infrastructure (supply and retreat) is what Roman’s at this point did best. They were usual not good when things became chaotic - but legions were at this point given a lot of autonomy - and Caesar’s troop had a lot of experience. Caesar wanted a lot of slaves/gold - I would think he best chance to win would be to slaughter as many as his south-Gaelic Allie’s and plunder the Roman’s supplies - while some troop keep Caesar occupied

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Jo_LaRoint t1_j7f0yby wrote

I don't know if I agree with the idea that he lost the moment the first palisades were put up. Accounts I've seen tend to make the battle seem like a close run thing at a few different points.

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Tuga_Lissabon t1_j7fezi7 wrote

Let's say before he still had some good chances, particularly if he could avoid them until the huge relief army appeared, but once he was caged in the odds shifted brutally.

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