The Battle of Bibracte was fought in 58 BC during Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars. Julius Caesar decisively defeated Divico's Helvetii confederation near the friendly Gallic town of Bibracte, forcing the Helvetii to surrender and become Roman clients.
Background[]
Following the Battle of the Arar in 58 BC, Julius Caesar and his 6 Roman legions and auxiliaries (40,000 troops) tailed the Helvetii-led Celtic horde as it attempted to migrate into Gaul and escape from the pursuing Romans. Caesar's legions crossed the Rhone in just one day (compared to the Celts' 20 days), but, after 15 days, the Romans began to run into supply issues. He was forced to lead his men to the allied town of Bibracte to gather supplies, causing the Celts to pursue him and harass his rear. Caesar responded by deploying his army on a hill and preparing for battle.
Battle[]
The veteran legions were arrayed in three lines, while the fresh legions protected the Roman army's baggage atop the hill. The Celts formed their infantry into a tightly-packed shieldwall, but they were forced to drop their shields when the Roman soldiers threw javelins at them and ruined them. The Romans then charged into melee, and the disciplined and experienced Roman soldiers gained the upper hand and forced the Helvetii back to a nearby mountain. 15,000 Boii and Tulingi warriors from the Helvetic rearguard entered the battle and attacked the Roman flank, threatening to encircle them. The Helvetii began to push back with renewed vigor, but Caesar committed his veteran reserve to the battle. The Helvetii on the mountain were eventually broken and forced off the battlefield, while the Boii and Tulingi formed makeshift ramparts from their wagons and put up stiff resistance. After fighting long into the night, the Roman third line broke into the Helvetic camp, ending the battle. Of the 368,000 Celts who had begun the migration into Gaul, only 130,000 remained. Caesar was unable to immediately give chase, and he let his men recover for three days. The Helvetii, seeing the Romans chasing them once more, agreed to surrender and return to their homeland in Switzerland, becoming Roman vassals and acting as a buffer between Roman and Germanic lands.