Julius Caesar

The Gallic CampaignMrs Graham’s Ancient History

The Pen is Mightier than the Sword

The most prolific source of evidence is Caesar’s own “ De Bello Gallico” written as a series of field reports and sent back to Rome.

Caesar’s style of writing , describing himself in the 3RD person, fails to achieve the historical objectivity but provides a clear military narrative of events. Although biased it is an extremely useful source.

Caesar’s aim in his Commentaries was to keep fresh in the minds of Romans , his outstanding achievements, thereby overshadowing any memory of his previous illegal acts.

Other sources include Plutarch’s Life of Caesar and Suetonius’ Lives of the Caesars. Both sources are very sketchy in their cover of the Gallic Wars

Numismatical Evidence- Roman Coins minted in the 50’s BC

A History of Rome-M Cary

“ For Caesar, his term in Gaul was the turning point in his career. The war booty which he appropriated not only sufficed to pay off his enormous private debts, but enabled him to buy political services in Rome on a scale comparable to that of Crassus. He held at his beck and call an invincible army that was ready to follow him anywhere. Above all, it was as pro-consul of Gaul that he found himself and brought into full play his latent powers as a soldier and administrator. From this point Caesar’s actions betoken a leader who is serenely conscious of his superior genius and regards himself as a Man of Destiny.”

Close enough to Rome to keep an eye on political

developments and communicatewith aides

As proconsul, he could avoid prosecution for his illegal

Acts as Consul the yearbefore

Gaul was a source of recruitment for troops and

skilled craftsmenfor swords and armor

Gaul was a country richIn natural resources and wouldLink Rome with the Atlantic

The factional nature of the many tribes of Gaul made them easy

to defeat.

Why Cisalpine and Transalpine Gaul?

The Roman Legion

Roman Marches

One days march; 15-20 miles. Overrall length of column 22.5 milesAverage speed; 3 miles per hourTotal army makeup- based on a six legion army;Legionary troops;30,000Ancillary troops;3,500Gallic Cavalry Wing;4,000Roman cavalry;720Setvants;6,500Horses;4,720Total mules;10,000Legion Staff- ancillary troops,clerks,technicians,specialists,reserve tentage,cavalry equipment,field hospital,medical staff, veterinary staff, engineering stores, workshops.Caesar maintained that at any one time there were between 300-500 sickFood ; Daily requirement 3lbs per day per man. Each man carried 10 days rationArtillary included, siege engines, Ballistae, Caterpults and Onagers

Celtic Battle Tactics- Chariots and Chaos

Ability toinspire

SuccessSpeed or celeritas

PerseverancePersonal

leadership

PersonalKnowledge

Andacknowledgement

Ofbravery

GenerosityClemencia

Father figure

Caesar’sRelationship

with his army

A larger plan?

Justify your Actions.Helvetii on the march

“ Caesar in as much as he kept in remembrance that a Roman consul had been slaughtered, did not think that their request ought to be granted; nor was he of the opinion that men of hostile disposition, if an opportunity of marching through the province were given to them, would abstain from outrage and mischief”

De Bello Gallico- Book 1

Caesar against the Helvetii

Celeritas and Clemencia

“ The battle ended, that he might be able to come up with the remaining forces, he procures a bridge to be made across the Saone. The Helvetii, confused by his sudden arrival, when they had found that he had effected in one day what they themselves had difficulty in accomplishing in twenty….send ambassadors to him.”

“ He ordered the Helvetii to return to their territories from which they had come and as there was nothing at home whereby they might support their hunger, he commanded the Allobroges to let them have a plentiful supply of corn.”

Keeping a Tally

“The sum of all amounted to …368,000.When the census of those who returned home was taken, as Caesar commanded the number was found to be 110,000.” Book 1

“ On the basis of Caesar’s report, the Senate granted him a Supplicatio of fifteen days.. The Senate was paying him respect for the Conquest of the whole of Gaul. At the same time, it was indirectly confirming his command and the legitimacy of his wars. It was honouring him in such a way that the transgression of 59 were bound to pale. Its decision, thus represented a quite extraordinary success for Caesar, however little it meant in material terms”. C Meier

Date Place Enemy Result

58BC Nth Gaul Helvetii Defeated them at Bibracte and forced

Them back to their homeland

58BC Rhine River Suebi under

Ariovistus

Drove the Germans

beyond the Rhine

57BC Nth of the Seine Belgae

Nervii

The tribes

yielded to Caesar

56BC West- Quiberon Bay Venetii Under the command of Decimus Brutus, Venetii’s defeated

55BC RHINE River Germans- Usipetes, Tencteri

Annihilated the two tribes- women and children

54BC Britain Defeated King Cassivellanus

54BC Nth East Belgic tribes under Ambiorix

Gauls managed to defeat1and a half legions. Caesar finally crushes them “ root and branch”

52BC Gergovia and Alesia Averni and other tribes

Led by Vercingetorix

Starved into submission by use of siegeworks

Caesar against the Venetii

The Roman naval tactics consisted mainly in either propelling a vessel with great force against a rival and crushing the side, or in catching hold of the hostile craft with hooks, pulling alongside, springing over on it, and settling the conflict with a hand-to-hand fight. In the sea-fight with the Veneti, who had only sailing vessels, the Roman sailors crippled the enemy's ships by cutting down the sail-yards

Delegation, Innovation and Recognition

“ One thing provided by our men was of great service..sharp hooks inserted into and fastened upon poles….When the ropes were caught by them and pulled…the yards necessarily fell down, so that all hope of the Gallic vessels of the Gallic vessels depending on their sails was taken from them”

“The rest of the contest depended on courage; in which our men decidedly had the advantage; and the more so, because the whole action was carried on in the sight of Caesar and the entire army; so that no act, a little more valiant than ordinary, could pass unobserved”.

Siege Works at Bourges

Caesar against Ariovistus

Brutal and Decisive

“The Germans, when upon hearing a noise behind them, they looked and saw their families were slain…fled out of the camp…..threw themselves into the river and there perished”.

“ Caesar for those reasons, had resolved to cross the Rhine, but to cross by ships he neither deemed to be sufficiently safe, nor consisted with his own dignity or that of the Roman people. Therefore although the greatest difficulty in forming a bridge was presented to him, on account of the breadth, rapidity and depth of the river, he nevertheless considered that it ought to be attempted by him..Within ten days after the timber began to be collected, the whole work was completed.”

Caesar’s Bridge over the Rhine

Caesar invades Britain

Caesar’s Landing in Britain

Thus for Britain a new era had opened. The Roman empire now reached the Channel, and its menace or its friendship were ever-present political choices; for what had been done once could be done again” S. Frere, Brittania.

Gauls unite under Vercingetorix

The Battle at Gergovia

A Rare Defeat?

In 52 BC Gergovia was the stronghold of Vercingetorix. It is famous for being the only place where Julius Caesar was defeated in the Gaulish wars.

After conquering Avaricum, Caesar took six legions onward to Gergovia where he attempted a siege. He was outnumbered when the Aedui, formerly the Romans' allies, surprised Caesar by joining with Vercingetorix. As Caesar's army marched towards the great Arverni hillfort of Gergovie, Vercingetorix was setting out with his own army on the other side of the river Allier, breaking every bridge along the way to be sure the Romans could not cross over. Caesar, however, hid two legions in the woods. After Vercingetorix moved on, they rebuilt one of the bridges and went on to attempt the siege of Gergovia.

The assault failed. Over 700 soldiers and 40 centurions were lost in the battle before Caesar drew back.

Encouraged by this victory, the Gauls persisted in their revolt until their final defeat at Alesia.

The Battle of Alesia

Intelligence and leadership.

“ As the action was carried on in sight of all, neither a brave nor cowardly act could be concealed; both the desire of praise and the fear of ignominy, urged on each party to valor….Caesar sends at first young Brutus and afterwards Caius Fabius, his liutenant…….His arrival being known from the colour of his robe….the enemy joined battle.”

“Caesar on learning these proceedings from the deserters and captives, adopted the following system of fortification”.

Caesar’s Siege Works

Archaeological evidence at Alesia

Vercingetorix surrenders to Caesar

Caesar had extended his

Clientale- seen asProtectorOf Gaul

Large amountOf booty sent

to Rome

Caesar’s reputation

wasenhanced

Gaul hadprovided himWith massive

Wealth neededTo buy

Political support

Caesar now Had a massive

loyal, experienced army

Caesar’s military

reputation nowequalled Pompey

Inclusion ofGaul in the

Roman Empire

The Legacy ofThe Gallic Wars

Historians Views- Michael Akinde

“There can be no doubt that Caesar was an extremely competent General, probably one of the best ever. He understood strategy and tactics, and he could handle the brutish and greedy legionaries of his time. He was almost always aware of the movements of his enemies and usually secured both communications and supply lines in a masterly fashion. His natural energy was turned into the feared celeritas of Caesar, a swiftness of action that stunned his contemporaries. Almost paradoxically, he could combine this swiftness with extraordinary patience, and as a result was almost always able to choose the time and place for his battles, or regain the initiative even in the most difficult situations. His campaigns in Gaul had earned him a large and devoted army; like in 61, Rome now waited with bated breath for the return of a victorius general, Caesar.”

Historians Views-Suzanne Cross

“As the Gallic Wars had made Caesar's military prowess the stuff of household fame, so Vercingetorix and the Gallic alliance, in their first and last great attempt at confederacy, showed barbarians throughout the Roman world that, even united, Rome could not be defeated when led by generals of genius. It is impossible to imagine Caesar's future career without the political capital, wealth and fighting skills he earned while contesting with the warriors of Gaul for its future. It is impossible to imagine the future history of France, Belgium, and so many countries of Western Europe without Caesar's drive to be first in Rome”