Index Dutch Bronze Age Index first farmers in the Netherlands Alésia, officialy called Alésia St-Reine is a quiet city on a very steep hill near Dyon, France. But over 2000 years ago, 52 B.C.E., it was the place where the Gauls, led by Vercingetorix, lost their independency to the Romans, in casu Julius Caesar. After a battle that lasted 2 months , Vercingetorix surrendered, and was brought to Rome where he was strangled 9 years later in the presence of Caesar. These sites tell the story of the Gauls in Northeastern France at the end of the French iron age and the beginning of a Gallo-Roman era. Meet Bibracte, druids, fortifications, various important and sacred Gaulish places and the culture and knowledge of the Gauls by this photo report. Alésia: general information More pictures Location of the town: It's situated on the Mont Auxois, between the rivers Oze and Ozerain, in northeast France between Dyon and Paris. It's the former capital of the Mandubiens Results of excavations: the possible map of Gallo-Roman Alésia (larger graphic) Functions of the exacavated buildings. Some look Roman, but details point at Gaulish influences, like "Ucuetis", Mater, Goddess of love. (larger graphic) Air-view on Alésia and the surrounding hills where Roman legions resided during the besiege. Center: theater. Extreme right: hilltops with Caesar's camp (on the southwestern part of Mont Flavigny, looking over Alésia). Drawing of the reconstructed theater The actual excavated site of the theater How to reach Alésia How to contact the "For Alésia" society Some say that the battle was elsewhere but I have seen the city, visited the museum and the excavations. The evidence is just too overwhelming... More info about the writer / editor