Probable dating, working from ancient texts...
According to Emile Albouy, the chronological data (46) of Camille Jullian concerning the siege of Uxellodunum, are limited to two dates, that of the Drappès defeat and that of the surrender of the place, which the historian respectively suggested to be "in July" and "in August". We should translate this to: "around mid-July" and "around mid-August" as a starting point.
The dates indicated by Champollion Figeac (47), are "mid-September" and "mid-October".
Between the two chronologies, the difference is two months, but the duration of the event in both cases is the same: about a month.
According to Camille Jullian (48), Drappès was defeated "at harvest time": after which the historian locates the event in July. But, it is necessary to take into account that the Gauls had refueled with grain and not with ears. Moreover, harvesting before mid-July is an exceptional occurrence in Quercy. Therefore, the date of the event "in mid-August" must be moved to a later date.
As for the date of the surrender of Uxellodunum, Camille Jullian places it (page 563-3) in August since, in chapter (BG: VIII, 46), it is said that after the surrender of the place, Caesar goes to Aquitaine with two legions to spend the last days of the summer campaign there. It is a fact that summer ends not in August, nor in October, but in September, and that a "summer campaign" would end practically at the end of September. The departure of Caesar as a consequence of the surrender of Uxellodunum, must have taken place in mid-September or late September.
We thus arrive at the dates of the corrected chronology: hence this conclusion that the dates indicated by Camille Jullian must need to be delayed by one month or, which amounts to the same thing, that the corresponding dates of the chronology Champollion- Figeac must be advanced accordingly. It is also easy to see that the elapsed time between the two benchmark events (one month) cannot be increased or decreased by more than ten days without one or other of the conditions of the problem being invalidated. That is to say that unless there is unexpected interpretation of the words "summer campaign" of the chapter (B.G.: VIII, 46) or there was an exceptional precocity of the wheat harvest in the year 51 BC, the timing is accurate to ten days or so.
With regard to the timing of the events that occurred during that year, as well as the position, in time, of the few other facts prior to the defeat of Drappes that Champollion-Figeac identified in his chronology, this revised chronology could only be inaccurate by a few days at most.
The corrected chronology could be as follows:
- Drappes and Lucterios surged into Uxellodunum towards the end of July 51 BC;
- Caninius arrives at the place during the first days of August;
- Caninius defeats Drappes about eight days after leaving Uxellodunum, around mid-August;
- Caesar learns of the success at Chartres shortly after mid-August;
- Caesar arrives at Uxellodunum towards the end of August;
- Uxellodunum capitulates towards the end of September or at the latest at the beginning of October.
Eloi Itard and André Noché (49) arrive at the same conclusion by putting forward the facts: 49 to 76 days: from the end of July or beginning of August to the end of September 51 BC.
The duration of the battle can be detailed as follows:
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Number of days
1 3 to 4 1 6 to 8 1 to 2 2 to 3 2 to 3 1 to 2 3 to 4 20 to 30 3 to 10 1 3 to 5 1 1 TOTAL Vertical Divider
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Events described by Hirtius in book 8 of the Gallic Wars
The arrival of Lucterios and Drappes at Puy d'Issolud. The arrival of Caninius, the installation of three camps and the start of defensive construction works. Decision of Lucterios and Drappes. Their departure by night. Requisition of grain. Repeated nocturnal attacks on the Romans' defensive structures so that convoys of supplies could be taken up to the oppidum. During the last convoy, Lucerios fled. The camp of the supply convoys was destroyed and Drappes takeb prisoner. Courriers sent to Caesar who was with the Carnutes (Chartres region). Work on the defences is restarted. Arrival of Fabius. The works are completed. The courriers having been received at Chartres, Caesar leaves for Uxellodunum with his cavalry and arrives with the two legions of Calenius. Caesar weighs up the situation and decides on a siege, cutting off the Gauls' water supply. Constructions are put in place to prevent the Gauls' access to water from the river. That leaves them no choice but to to get water from the Loulié spring. Construction of the platform (agger) 17m high and a tower 27 m high. At the same time, digging of the tunnels. Firing from the top of the tower is partly successful. Animals and men suffer and perish, but the Gauls continue to resist. Operation 'barrels'. Setting fire to the platform and tower. Followed by a simulated attack by the Romans. The besieged Gauls are tenacious despite their thirst. Decisive success of the tunneling. The water source dries up. The Gauls capitulate. 49 to 76 days |
