Avaricum Avaricum was an " oppidum " in ancient Gaul , near what is now the city of Bourges . Avaricum , situated in the lands of the Bituriges , was the largest and best - fortified town within their territory , situated on very fertile lands . The terrain favored the " oppidum " , as it was flanked by a river and marshland , with only a single narrow entrance . Siege of Avaricum . Julius Caesar , after a series of victories at Vellaunodunum , Genabum , and Noviodunum Biturigum , had arrived at Avaricum in the winter of 52 BC , intent on denying its grain and steel to the rebellious Gauls . Vercingetorix , aware that he had already been bested three times , decided to change tactics . Calling together a council of the tribes in rebellion against Rome , he convinced them to adopt Fabian strategy , never offering combat with Caesar ' s forces , and denying them supplies . All the towns within range of Caesar ' s foraging parties were destroyed , the land stripped bare , and all grain removed or burned , in a scorched earth tactic . However , Avaricum was spared this fate since the Bituriges argued the town was impossible to take , and Vercingetorix agreed to make the town an exception . However , upon Caesar ' s appearance at the gates of Avaricum , Vercingetorix moved his army to a distance fifteen miles outside town , perfectly situated so Caesar could not leave without a battle , nor could he forage at will . To add to his woes , Caesar ' s allies , the Aedui and the Boii , were unable to supply him , the former because they had quietly joined Vercingetorix in his rebellion , the latter because they simply did not have any food to spare . The shortage of grain was so acute that the men ate meat , despite the fact that they did not really enjoy it . Caesar personally made the rounds amongst his men , telling them that if the scarcity of food was too much , he would lift the siege and withdraw . His soldiers protested , refusing to end a siege in disgrace when they still had to avenge the innocent Romans murdered by the Gauls . Contented by this , Caesar designed and began engineering an impressive siege apparatus . Starting from high ground , he built a siege terrace of sorts . Two flanking walls were made , along with two towers to be advanced fully made . Another wall was built between the flanking walls to connect them and open the front for the battle . As construction on Caesar ' s siege terrace continued , Vercingetorix moved his cavalry into a camp closer to Caesar ' s , intent on ambushing Caesar ' s foraging troops . Having discovered this , Caesar countered , marching in the dead of night and threatening Vercingetorix ' s main camp . This drew Vercingetorix back to his main camp , rushing to its aid . His aim accomplished , Caesar withdrew . After twenty - five grueling days of construction , and contending with Gallic raids and attempts to set the whole siege terrace on fire , Caesar ' s apparatus was completed . Caesar ordered the towers advanced , and much to his good fortune , a fierce storm struck , driving the Gallic sentries to seek cover rather than stand watch . Taking advantage of this lack of discipline , Caesar stealthily moved his soldiers into the towers and the wall , and launched a brutal strike . The walls fell quickly , and the surviving Gauls retreated to the center of town , forming a wedge formation , determined to fight to the end . However , no Roman legionary descended from the walls , simply stood at their ease , watching the Gauls . Panic struck the Gallic defenders , and they all fled for wherever they thought there was an avenue of escape . However , Caesar ' s legions were in no mood to spare any of the forty thousand Gauls within Avaricum , especially after twenty five days of short rations and great frustration . Only eight hundred managed to escape the massacre that followed . After feeding and resting his men at Avaricum until the beginning of June , Caesar moved on Gergovia , determined to draw Vercingetorix into battle in a campaign that would eventually culminate in the Battle of Alesia .