"Alesia... Dunno !"
Surveys led these last years have shown that two major events of their History
were, for the French people, Waterloo and Alesia.
Two resounding defeats which importance hasn't avoid to the collective unconscious : indeed, Waterloo mark the end of an imperial dream and the beginning of a New Europe, the one of the States ; when Alesia marks the end of the traditionnal celtic society and the entry in a new civilization's form.
And as all tragedy has its victimes promoted to the martyr's rank, the defeated, Vercingetorix, has became the freedom's defender crushed by tyranny's forces.
Even if today, we don't doubt anymore about the real existence of Vercingetorix, we still don't
know who he was. He only appears during nine months in the History, in 52 before Christ. He almost disappeared as soon as he has been sent to the actuality's first ranks.
And even more, we just know him by his opponent's testimony, Jules Caesar. It's true that he knows him well before, and has even give him the title of "Caesar's friend".
Who was the Alesia's defeated, who also was the Gergovie's victor ?
How this small Avern's chief has became the rallier of all the Gallics ? What are the reasons of his successes, then of his defeat ?
This book tries to answer to all these questions, relying on the coeval latin and greek authors' testimonies, and exploring the irish
texts from the Early Middle Ages - texts which help us to understand the Gallic society from the first century before our age. Because, through Vercegintorix, it's our Gallic ancestors who appear in full light.