Battle of Bibracte

Julius Caesar and Divico parley after the battle at the Saône. Historic painting of the 19th century by Karl Jauslin

Date	58 BC
Location	Saône-et-Loire, France
Result	Roman victory; Helvetii surrender

Belligerents

Roman Republic

Mainly Helvetii
Boii
Tulingi
Rauraci

Commanders and leaders

Gaius Julius Caesar

Divico

Strength

6 legions plus auxiliaries
50,000 troops

According to Caesar:
368,000:
90,000 warriors
278,000 non-combatants

Casualties and losses

Some 5,000 killed or wounded

238,000 killed or captured

The Battle of Bibracte was fought between the Helvetii and six Roman legions, under the command of Gaius Julius Caesar. It was the second major battle of the Gallic Wars.

After following the migration of the Helvetii and defeating them, Caesar, around 20 June, moved towards Bibracte (approximately 18 miles away from their camp) to obtain the supplies promised by his allies, the Aedui. Dumnorix, an Aedui chieftain opposed to the Romans, had been delaying supplies from reaching Caesar's army.

Informed by deserters of Lucius Æmilius, commander of the cavalry, the Helvetii took this occasion to turn and harass Caesar's rear guard. When Caesar observed this, he sent his cavalry to delay the attack. He placed the Seventh (Legio VII Claudia), Eighth (Legio VIII Augusta), Ninth (Legio IX Hispana), and Tenth legions (Legio X Equestris), organized in Roman fashion (triplex acies, or "triple battle order"), at the foot of a nearby hill, the top of which he occupied himself, along with the Eleventh (Legio XI Claudia) and Twelfth (Legio XII Fulminata) Legions and all his auxiliaries. The baggage train was also assembled near the summit, where it could be guarded by the forces present there.

After having driven off Caesar's cavalry and with their own baggage train secured, the Helvetii engaged "In the seventh hour", approximately noon or one o'clock. According to Caesar, his hill-top battle line easily threw back the Helvetii onslaught by using pila (javelins). The legions then counterattacked, driving the Helvetii back towards the hill where their baggage train sat.

While the legions pursued the Helvetii across the plain in between the hills, the Boii and Tulingi arrived with fifteen thousand men to assist the Helvetii, flanking the Romans on one side. At that point the Helvetii returned to the battle in earnest. When the Tulingi and the Boii started circumventing the Romans, Caesar regrouped his third line to resist the assault of the Boii and Tuligni, keeping his primary and secondary committed to chasing the Helvetii.

...
Wikipedia