Caesar was still unwilling to let any large body of Germans settle on the west bank of the Rhine, so he would inevitably have led his armies against them. 35; iv. The border between the Province and the rest of Gaul began at Geneva, then followed the Rhöne valley for some way before turning west to reach the Pyrenees. Caesar then moved so quickly that he reached his next target before their own soldiers had arrived home. It is clear that Caesar’s motives and intentions in Gaul were subliminal and more personal. 1st Edition. Commentaries on the Gallic Wars which told of his military victims. 4.8 out of 5 stars 193. This combined force then crossed the Alps and joined up with the legion already in Gaul. The coastal tribes of the north-west were also involved, but neither the Belgae nor the Aquitania played any real part in the revolt. As with the rest of Gaul the Belgae were split into a number of tribes, with the Bellovaci, the Suessiones and the Nervii amongst the most important. Dumnorix of the Aedui had command of the Allied cavalry with the Roman army, and he was making sure that no supplies reached the army. The biggest weakness of the Belgic army was its supply system. He gathered a fleet on the north coast of Gaul, and led two legions on the first Roman expedition to Britain. His military victory was followed by a generous peace settlement. Since the Roman government disapproved of Caesar's undertakings, his literary aim in the Gallic War is to merely justify his actions of his annexation of Gaul (modern France) to Rome. He then raised a force of Gallic cavalry and led his army towards the Germans. Caesar did not really portray Vercingetorix in a way other than just stating what his part was in the battle. Vercingetorix began the sequence with an attack on the Boii town of Gorgobina. Eventually a relief army estimated by Caesar as 250,000 strong arrived outside the Roman defences, but the Gauls failed to take advantage of their numbers. They had been on their way to join the Nervii, but after the battle of the Sambre retreated back to one of their towns and prepared for a siege. Written during the last days of the Roman Republic, a young Julius Caesar makes his impact on the German and Gallic tribes. - Contact Us - Search - Recent - About Us -  Subscribe in a reader - Join our Google Group 6. The Carnutes submitted and Caesar went into new winter quarters at Cenabum. His eight legions gave him 40,000 men, although 10,000 of them were new recruits. This was a massive figure, and would have given the Belgae three times as many fighting men as the Helvetii. In around 61 B.C. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Caesar’s books were intended as an aid for future historians – that’s why they are officially called Commentaries, and not History of the Gallic War – but the author often leaves out information that historians would have found interesting. In it Caesar describes the battles and intrigues that took place in the nine years he spent fighting the Celtic and Germanic peoples in Gaul that opposed Roman conquest. Vercingetorix wanted to adopt a scorched-earth policy and attempt to starve the Romans out of Gaul, but the Bituriges persuaded him to try and defend Avaricum. Most obviously it made navigating the unfamiliar shallow coastal waters around Brittany very dangerous. Caesar wrote about the Gallic Wars himself. Hence, it is evident that Caesar’s invasion of Gaul meant more than simply invading them because he also had his own personal interests to shine as a great ruler once again, and to become wealthy in Rome. They had dispersed after the battle of Vesontio, but could just as easily return, especially if the Romans withdrew back to the south of France. Julius Caesar, one of the Consuls for 59 B.C., who had already secured Cisalpine Gaul as his province for the following five years, was also given Transalpine Gaul. After apparently achieving that objective Galba went into winter quarters at Octodurus, but he was then attacked and nearly overwhelmed by a much larger Gallic force. As Rankin has observed, “Caesar was not a historian: he was a political war-lord in need of good public relations material to confuse both friends and enemies in Rome about the true nature of his activities in Gaul.” The following is an adaptation of Caesar’s Gallic War, trans. The Bituriges called on the Aedui for assistance, but the response was half-hearted at best. The Gallic Wars were triggered by the Helvetii, a Gallic tribe that lived in modern Switzerland. While Caesar was dealing with the Atuatuci one legion under P. Crassus made something of a flying visit to the Atlantic coast, at least officially bringing the Veneti, Unelli, Osismii, Curiosolitae, Sesuvii, Aulerci and Rhedones under Roman control. This gave Caesar ten full legions, a force of 40-50,000 men, plus his Celtic auxiliaries. Gergovia was a very strong defensive position, but would probably have fallen in time, but soon after Caesar began his siege it became clear that the Aedui were about to join the revolt. N.p., n.d. Caesar then drew his army up in three lines, with the cavalry at the rear, advanced the remaining eight miles between the two camps and launched a surprise attack on the Germans. It also played a major part in the defence of the Veneti towns, most of which were built on isolated islands that were only connected to the mainland at low tide. They attempted to retreat into the swamps, a tactic that had worked in previous years, but the Romans built three causeways across the swamps and forced the Menapi to submit. Orgetorix didn't survive long enough to take part in the migration. In Syris in 53 B.C. Vercingetorix was forced to move south to protect his homeland. Eventually Cicero managed to get a message to Caesar who scrapped together a relief force of two legions, won a victory over the besieging army, and raised the siege. The Aedui were friends and allies of the Roman people, and their tribal lands were situated west of the Saone and north of the Province. Caesar filled the rest of the year with two spectacular but slightly pointless expeditions outside Gaul. Eighteen days later he received a call for help from the Bituriges, who were now being attacked by the Carnutes. In the west an army was campaigning south of the Loire. This time the revolt involved the tribes of central Gaul, amongst them the Carnutes and the Arverni. Although the isolated legion eventually repulsed the attack Galba was forced to retreat out of the Alps and back into the Roman Province. After an unsuccessful attempt to save face by capturing Vercingetorix's camp, Caesar escaped to the north, crossing the Loire across a barely passable ford. There was paper in the ancient world. Write. He decided not to accept any more ambassadors and to attack the Germans without any more delay. In the spring of 56 B.C. What did Julius Caesar write the told of his military victories? Hirtius wrote a Bellum Alexandrinum about the events in … Eventually seven legions were involved in the campaign, but the Gauls continued to elude the Romans until eventually Correus was killed while attempting to ambush a Roman foraging party. This series of annual war commentaries is referred to by various names but is commonly called De bello Gallico in Latin, or The Gallic Wars in English. The Gauls had indeed sent embassies to the Germans, hoping to draw them further into Gaul to fight the Romans. When Dumnacus discovered that a second Roman army was on its way he abandoned the siege and attempted to flee to the north, but he was caught by Fabius somewhere close to the Loire and his army was destroyed. 2013. Nonetheless, in the Battle of Alesia, the Romans defeated Vercingetorix which ended the Celtic civilization, mainly because the Romans considered the Celts as barbarians and uncivilized people, which are also known as ‘druids’ today. His motives for this decision are unclear – none are given in his commentary. Caesar was never entirely free from the increasingly dangerous politics of Rome. There was still a threat from across the Rhine. (In the text as in the notes of this article, unless otherwise specified, references are to books and chapters of the Gallic War.) A conflict that began with an attempt to preserve stability on the borders of the Roman province of Transalpine Gaul soon turned into a war of conquest. Where and when was Crassus killed? Evidently, Caesar’s only desire is to encourage the people in the Roman government to approve of his actions. Although this is the case, we cannot help but ask ourselves, why did Julius Caesar write this? Hirtius wrote a Bellum Alexandrinum about … Julius Caesar needs little introduction. In 59 B.C. In 52 BC, the Gallic leaders met at Bibracte and declared that Vercingetorix would lead the united Gallic army. Q. Cicero, the commander of the baggage camp, was lucky to avoid the same fate. In the next book, which deals with the year 57, we visit the Belgians, who live… Caesar’s, The Gallic Wars, is highly significant as literature, history, ethnography, and politics. The three most vulnerable camps were those commanded by Quintus Cicero, Labienus and Sabinus. Caesar rushed back to Gaul, where he discovered that his fears were justified. the governor of the Province died unexpectedly. HWH Rome Unit 65 Terms. Mobilizing his army, Caesar moved across the snow-covered Alps to strike at the … Cicero, who had just returned from a period of exile, proposed that fifteen days of thanksgiving be set aside to commemorate Caesar's triumphs, far more than was normal and five days more than Pompey had been awarded for defeating Mithridates. Caught entirely by surprise the Germans were unable to mount any real resistance. What followed can only be described as a massacre. When they reached the confluence of the Rhine and the Moselle the survivors of the men defending the camp threw themselves into the river and drowned. B. Greenough, Benjamin L. D'Ooge, M. Grant Daniell, Commentary on Caesar's Gallic War, AG BG 3.23; Cross-references to this page (11): Allen and Greenough's New Latin Grammar for Schools and Colleges, SYNTAX OF THE VERB; Allen and Greenough's New Latin Grammar for Schools and Colleges, CONSTRUCTION OF CASES Even if the migrating Helvetii didn’t try to cross the Roman Province, their route would inevitably take them the lands of Rome's allies, the Aedui. His most exciting chapter regarding the Battle of Alesia (52 B.C), and the war against Vercingetorix will lead us to believe that the piece itself is simply another splendid propaganda. The cavalry and light troops were sent across the river to guard against any attack, but no infantry screen was posted. Fundamentally, Caesar uses the third-person narrative in order to make his commentaries on the Gallic Wars more objective and unprejudiced. Eventually Caesar returned to his camp. Caesar began by sending two embassies to Ariovistus, each of which was rebuffed. Vercingetorix took shelter in the strongly fortified town, where he was soon besieged by the Romans. "The Six Major Battles of the Gallic Wars." the Allobroges had risen in revolt, and the Romans were unable to intervene. They agreed to delay Consular elections in Rome for long enough to allow Caesar's soldiers to return to the city and vote Pompey and Crassus in as the Consuls of 55 B.C. The three books on the civil war are comparable; they describe the events of the years 49 and 48 but are unfinished. 22. Caesar's Gallic Wars chronicle the history of his military engagements during the years 58-51 B.C. They were able to call on some of the extensive contacts that Orgetorix had established before his fall. Therefore, while Caesar's "Gallic Wars" are basically factual, you still have to take some of what he writes with a grain of salt. After capturing a number of Gauls the Sigambri realised that they had a chance to capture the Roman's baggage, which had been left at Atuatuci, the site of the disaster that had started the revolt. His text actually suggests that it was the fighting men of the two tribes that were driven into the Rhine. Caesar took the fourteenth and sixth legions on a raid into Carnutes territory and once again caught them out by arriving before they were prepared. The Romans suffered very few casualties. One of the most significant differences between the Mediterranean and the North Atlantic are the tides. Vercingetorix sent his cavalry to attack the Romans on their march, but Caesar had recruited a force of German cavalry. Indutiomarus didn't survive the winter. Commentaries on the Gallic Wars. Caesar responded to this threat by moving east towards the lands of the Sequani through the territory of the Lingones. Usually a soldier does as he is told. The Roman advance guard was ordered not to provoke any actions, but only to defend itself if attacked. He then advanced rapidly into Sequani territory and captured their capital of Vesontio (modern Besançon). Caesar's work was aimed at his contemporaries, and so would have to have been convincing to them. For the moment the Aedui stayed loyal, although the Bituriges joined the revolt. Despite a number of close calls Ambiorix managed to avoid capture, but his co-king Cativolcus committed suicide. The first clash between the two armies came on the Aisne. Created by. Over the winter of 58-57 B.C. The fact that Caesar mentions no other letters does not mean that he did not communicate more frequently. In 61 B.C. That morning a delegation of German leaders came to the Roman camp, apparently to apologise for the clash of the previous day. was won by the Romans under Julius Caesar and lost by the Helvetii under Orgetorix. This forced Caesar to leave his winter quarters and attempt to lift the siege. An Aeduan army advanced as far as the Loire and then returned home. Caesar's next move was to lead seven legions into the Rhine delta, to attack the Menapian tribe. The greatest asset of Caesar's army is its tight discipline. They provided Caesar with valuable intelligence on his new opponents, including a list of the tribes involved and the number of men they had promised to bring. A regular siege followed, at which the Gauls showed that they had learnt from the Romans, building their own siege tower and contravallations around the Roman camp. In it Caesar describes the battles and intrigues that took … Articles on Ancient History. Caesar believed that this was just another attempt to deceive him, and arrested the delegation, which he didn't believe to have the status of ambassadors. After a night march the Roman's caught up with and defeated the isolated Helvetii (battle of the Arar). This was a disastorous decision. Instead he suggested that they re-cross the Rhine to support the Ubii in their war with the Suevi. The north-east of the country, above the Marne and the Seine was populated by the Belgae, the centre of the country was inhabited by people who called themselves Celts, but were called Gauls by the Romans and the area beyond the Garonne River was populated by the Aquitani. Caesar describes the Veneti ships in some detail, and in a way that makes it clear that the Romans had suffered some setbacks at sea before the final battle. Their new province was officially called Transalpine Gaul, to distinguish it from Cisalpine Gaul in northern Italy, but was often simply called 'The Province'. what places did J. Caesar gain. While Caesar had been facing the Veneti, two of his lieutenants were campaigning elsewhere in Gaul. Ariovistus and the survivors of his army fled across the Rhine, and for the moment at least the German threat was removed. 2 Answers. A conflict that began with an attempt to preserve stability on the borders of the Roman province of Transalpine Gaul soon turned into a war of conquest. Vercingetorix hadn't entered the town, and his army was able to slip away intact. Caesar declined this offer on the grounds that there were no waste lands in Gaul that he could offer them without doing wrong to their existing inhabitants. This is also taken as a sign that he had aggressive plans for the following year. Caesar's Books, the Gallic Wars Julius Caesar wrote commentaries on the wars he fought in Gaul between 58 and 52 B. This was very worrying for the Romans – if the Aedui joined the revolt then Caesar's ten legions would be dangerously isolated in their winter quarters. It is a marvel that this text has made it through the centuries. The Romans had been present in the south of France since 121 B.C. [1] “Caesar’s Literary Aims in the Gallic War.” Livius. The only remaining centre of resistance was in the north, where the Nervii, Atrebates, Viromandui and Atuatuci tribes were determined to fight on. Caesar had four legions in his massive province, three posted at Aquileia in the north-east of Italy, where there was a threat from the Dacians, and only one was in Transalpine Gaul while Roman politics kept Caesar as close to Rome as he could legitimately reach until mid-March. There is also an 8th book, written by Aulus Hirtius. Instead of executing them or selling them into slavery he had their hands cut off and then they were set free, in the hope that this example would discourage further revolts. 19 Mar. There are other equally valid reasons why Caesar may have made this decision. In Julius Caesar’s ancient literature called the “Gallic Wars”, he demonstrates his conquest in his invasion of Gaul as being a defensive pre-emptive action. This would become the site of the decisive battle of the revolt. Instead of attacking this single legion the Treveri decided to wait for their German allies to cross the Rhine. Other ancient authors believed that the Veneti had discovered that Caesar was planning to visit Britain, and were worried that he might steal their trade. When they discovered that Caninius was following them south they decided to attempt to defend Uxellodunum, in what became the final siege of the Gallic War. Web. Julius Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic War describes the campaigns of Caesar in Gaul, and the different tribes of people he encountered there.There were seven books in all, describing six campaigns (the sixth book describing the Gauls and the Germans), and each was probably forwarded to Rome the winter following the campaign to keep Caesar's name in the minds of the Roman people and … 21. Just as Caesar expected the Aedui openly joined the revolt, eventually accepting Vercingetorix's authority. The greatest asset of Caesar's army is its tight discipline. Therefore, while Caesar's "Gallic Wars" are basically factual, you still have to take some of what he writes with a grain of salt. He agreed to pardon them, and this encouraged the Carnutes to seek peace, using the Remi as their intermediaries. Many later generals would have understood the logic of over-wintering in the territory of recently defeated enemies, thus reducing the burden of maintaining a large army. Whatever their true motive, the Veneti revolt began when they seized Q. Velanius and T. Silius, the two representatives sent to request grain. 22. Caesar was able to fight off three attacks, and after the failure of the third attack the relief army dispersed. This would lead to one of the most controversial incidents of the entire war - the complete destruction of both tribes. "The Six Major Battles of the Gallic Wars." Caesar is generally accused of having slaughtered all 430,000 Germans (often just after he has been accused of exaggerating the number of Germans). In the years before the Gallic War the most important of the Celtic tribes were the Aedui. 58 - 51 BC. The major battles were fought between the members of the Roman Army, and multiple Gallic, Germanic, and Celtic Tribes, all across western Europe. Caesar occupied a position that straddled the river, with his main camp on the north bank connected to a smaller camp on the south bank by a bridge. Julius Caesar provided the best period description of the continental enemies of Rome in his Gallic Wars—the first line familiar to all novice Latin scholars: “Omnia Gallia in tres partes divisa est …". 2 Caesar mentions his letters to the Senate, ii. The start of the revolt was signalled by the Carnutes, who massacred all of the Romans at Cenabum (Orleans). Life. The Senones were forced to seek peace, getting the Aedui to argue their case with Caesar. $7.69. Caesar was already worried about the loyalty of the Aedui, and so he dashed north through their territory into the lands of the Lingones, where two of his legions were in their winter quarters. Julius Caesar needs little introduction. A military leader of legendary genius, Caesar was also a great writer, recording the events of his life with incomparable immediacy and power. This was partly because Caesar acted too quickly for the rebels. He was plotting to seize power over the Helvetii, but his plot was discovered and he committed suicide rather than face his trial. The Romans followed the retreating Belgae, inflicting heavy casualties on them. The largest contingent, 60,000 strong, came from the Bellovaci. W. A. McDevitte and W. S. Bohn. in Gaul, Germany, and Britain; The armies were battling over territory,trade routes, in the forms of rivers ,past conflicts and glory. France, Belgium & declared Britain part of Rome. Since the Roman government disapproved of Caesar’s undertakings, his literary aim in the Gallic War is to merely justify his actions of his annexation of Gaul (modern France) to Rome. Ariovistus defeated the Aedui at Admagetobriga. a Helvetii nobleman, Orgetorix, convinced his people to prepare to migrate across Gaul to the west coast where they would establish a new kingdom. Caesar said that 130,000 Helvetii people and allies had escaped the battle … The surviving tribal leaders were won over with valuable gifts and the tribute to be paid by Gaul was set at a lower level than might have been expected. During his reign, Julius Ceasar did everything possible to systematically expand the empire's territory. Each time a town was about to fall the Veneti simply assembled their fleet and emptied the place. Caesar's next target was the Bituriges capital of Avaricum. ( Log Out /  Caesar took advantage of the Gaul's exhaustion after the failure of the great revolt to win over their leaders. Updated August 03, 2018 Julius Caesar wrote commentaries on the wars he fought in Gaul between 58 and 52 B.C., in seven books one for each year. The rebels sent a rather optimistic common embassy to Crassus, offering to swap hostages. Favorite Answer. By common consent, he occupies a high seat in the pantheon of Western historical figures. 20 Feb. 2014. Relevance. This tribe was under the protection of the Aedui, Rome's firmest allies in Gaul. For the first time he spent the winter in Gaul himself, staying with three legions posted near Samarobriva. The two armies then manoeuvred around each other for a few days before Caesar discovered that Ariovistus was waiting for the new moon to satisfy an augury that said he would lose if he fought any earlier. For instance, Caesar made up false facts concerning the characteristics of the Gallic people; apparently, Gallic people were violent and uncivilized, therefore he believed that the only way to domesticate these people is to invade and stabilize their whole region. Initially unaware of the violence, Caesar learned of it while in winter quarters in Cisalpine Gaul. 51 B.C. Caesar's Gallic Wars chronicle the history of his military engagements during the years 58-51 B.C. Each of these areas was inhabited by a large number of separate tribes, which were often at war with each other, and had developed a complex series of relationships. To do that, he published his famous "correspondence" - what we know today as his Gallic Wars, works which were stunning successes at the time. These meetings restored the increasingly fragile unity of the Triumvirate. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. ANY ideas would be helpful. 35; iv. Caesar was indeed, a very clever man for the reason that he was able to maintain himself as a balanced and just leader in the eyes of the Roman public. Leaving his baggage at Sens (Agendincum) Caesar marched south, capturing Vellaunodunum, Cenabum (Orleans) and Noviodunum on his way. Discuss how breaches of discipline cause near-disasters for Caesar's troops and discuss how the lack of discipline among the enemy permits Caesar's smaller units to win important battles. Prezi.com.Prezi Inc, 15 Jan. 2013. $21.49. 1st Edition. Over the next two weeks the Romans destroyed the bridge over the Rhone at Geneva and built nineteen miles of fortifications on their side of the border. They were coming under increasing pressure from the Germans in the north and east, and felt trapped with their backs to the Alps. After a campaign that lasted for forty days the Bituriges sued for peace and Caesar was able to return to his winter quarters. Caesar was now becoming rather overconfident. At the very least Caesar was now ready to expand the Roman protectorate to include all of Gaul. pontifex maximus. In the north Labienus reached as far at Lutetia (modern Paris) before he discovered that the Bellovaci tribe had joined the revolt. His conservative opponents in Rome were probably glad to see him removed from the city for such a long time, and had no reason to suspect that Caesar was about to reveal himself as one of the greatest military commanders in Roman history. He was forced to abandon his attack on the Parisii, fight his way back across the Seine, and make his way south to join up with Caesar. Caesar's original plan was to wait for the Helvetii to reach the end of their migration before intervening, but by the time he returned to Gaul the Helvetii were about to cross the Saone and enter the lands of the Aedui, who asked Caesar for help. Chapter 1 Caesar, expecting for many reasons a greater commotion in Gaul, resolves to hold a levy by the means of M. Silanus C. Antistius Reginus, and T. Sextius, his lieutenants: at the same time he requested Cn. Pompey, the proconsul, that since he was remaining near the city invested with military command for the interests of the commonwealth, he would command those men whom when consul … Commentāriī dē Bellō Gallicō (English: Commentaries on the Gallic War), also Bellum Gallicum (English: Gallic War), is Julius Caesar's firsthand account of the Gallic Wars, written as a third-person narrative. pompey returned from ___ to ____ spain to rome. Only after putting down three major Gallic revolts, the last and most famous being led by Vercingetorix, could Caesar claim to have pacified Gaul. Lv 7. Perhaps the most unusual feature of the Gallic War is that in Caesar's commentaries on the war we have a first hand account of all but the last year of the war, written at the time by the most important figure in that war. The Aedui's bitterest enemies before the Gallic War were their eastern neighbours, the Sequani, who occupied the eastern bank of the Saone. Prezi.com.Prezi Inc, 15 Jan. 2013. Now, as supplies ran short, he also demanded supplies. and they would be read out to the populace. Over the next few weeks the Suessiones, Bellovaci and Ambiani each surrendered in turn, normally at the first sight of Roman siege engines. Ancient manuscripts are usually from the middle ages, for instance the 10th or the 12th century AD. The difficult tides also made it very difficult for the Romans to use their new fleet to land troops on these islands. This convinced Ariovistus that it was worth meeting with Caesar, but once again the peace conference ended without any positive results. Events in Rome also encouraged them – in the aftermath of the death of the unstable radical politician Clodis the city was in chaos, and the Gauls hoped that this would prevent Caesar from leaving Italy. He turned south, sending several forces to attack the Roman Province in southern Gaul. Acco's death did indeed play a part in their discussions – a fear of sharing the same fate actually encouraged the rebels. This was the second major battle known in the Gallic Wars. Download: A text-only version is available for download. An attempt to attack Labienus backfired badly when the Gauls were surprised by a strong force of Roman cavalry. the Romans clearly no longer believed that the Helvetii migration would happen. Indutiomarus intended to lead the Treviri against Labienus, but the first blow fell on Sabinus's camp at Atuatuci, somewhere in the lands of the Eburones. The second expedition was delayed by the need to restore Roman authority over the Treveri, and by poor weather, and the fleet finally crossed the channel in July. The second Gallic Revolt broke out in the north-east of the country. Reading Caesar's Gallic war memoirs a second time after the passage of nearly 50 years was a great reading experience for me. The army was also supported by a large but unknown number of auxiliary troops – Gallic cavalry, Numidian and Cretan archers and Balearic slingers amongst them. A poor harvest meant that Caesar's winter quarters were spread out over a larger area than normal, making them vulnerable to surprise attacks. Change ), Tensions between North Korea and the United States, Yellow Journalism and the Spanish-American War, http://www.livius.org/caa-can/caesar/caesar_gallic_war00.html>. The Bellovaci, led by Correus of the Bellovaci and Comius the Atrebatian, gathered a strong army, abandoned their lands and pulled back into a strong position surrounded by swamps. Caesar begins Book I by discussing the origins of his labors in Gaul, namely the migration of the Helvetii, a confederation of Gallic tribes that lived on the Swiss plateau. Caesar's next target was Ariovistus and his 120,000 Germans, who had established themselves on the west bank of the Rhine. who did Pompey align himself with. Discuss how breaches of discipline cause near-disasters for Caesar's troops and discuss how the lack of discipline among the enemy permits Caesar's smaller units to win important battles. The inspiration for the revolt seems to have come from Indutiomarus, a member of the same Treviri tribe that had delayed Caesar's passage to Britain earlier in the year, but it was the Eburones tribe, led by their kings Ambiorix and Cativoleus, who actually began the fighting. The Romans did suffer one setback that winter. what did J. Caesar write. One part was sent south, into the lands of the Ruteni, where they posed a threat to the Roman Province, while Vercingetorix moved north to attack the Bituriges. Caesar ended the year by holding an investigation into the revolt of the Senones and Carnutes. After that battle, Caesar warred in Egypt, consorted with Cleopatra, and finally returned to Rome as dictator. Vercingetorix, who is the father of the Celtic civilization, also known as a warlord and the King of Gregovia, did not receive as much credit as he should have in history books. ... Unit 6 Julius Caesar and Gallic Wars 90 Terms. The Aedui and Arverni submitted soon after the end of the siege in return for the liberation of 20,000 prisoners taken at Alesia. Once again he caught them unprepared, with their towns undefended. Caesar's Gallic War consists of seven parts ("books"), each devoted to one year of campaigning. Caesar managed to restore some order, before the tenth legion and the two new legions arrived to save the day. During an attempt to gather extra supplies Lucterius was forced to flee and Drapes was captured, but despite this the defenders of Uxellodunum continued to resist. Relevance. As Rankin has observed, “Caesar was not a historian: he was a political war-lord in need of good public relations material to confuse both friends and enemies in Rome about the true nature of his activities in Gaul.” The following is an adaptation of Caesar’s Gallic War, trans. I will spend more time laying out the events of Book I to reveal the complex nature of Caesar’s writing and his thoughts in politics. With their fighting men scattered across the countryside the Nervii were unable to resist, and were forced to surrender. There was also the problem of who would fill the gap left behind by the migration – the Romans certainly didn't want a Germanic tribe to move into the newly empty space - there would have been nothing to stop Ariovistus expanding his kingdom south into Switzerland. … Caesar begins Book I by discussing the origins of his labors in Gaul, namely the migration of the Helvetii, a confederation of Gallic tribes that lived on the Swiss plateau. He led his army towards the Nervii, with his six veteran legions at the head of the army and the two new legions at the rear. Why did Caesar write the Gallic Wars (de bello gallico)? W. A. McDevitte and W. S. Bohn. The Usipi and Tencteri had been forced out of their previous homes by the Suebi. Julius Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic War describes the campaigns of Caesar in Gaul, and the different tribes of people he encountered there.There were seven books in all, describing six campaigns (the sixth book describing the Gauls and the Germans), and each was probably forwarded to Rome the winter following the campaign to keep Caesar's name in the minds of the Roman people … If Caesar had hoped that the fate of Acco would intimidate the Gauls, then he was to be disappointed. The Gauls were defeated, possibly on the Vingeanne River, and were forced to retreat west towards Alesia. This was Caesar's last great stand. Paperback. Once Caesar was sure that Vercingetorix was on his way he moved east to Vienna (modern Vienne), on the Rhone, where he picked up more troops. victories. Answer Save. in Gaul, Germany, and Britain; The armies were battling over territory,trade routes, in the forms of rivers ,past conflicts and glory. was the conflict in which Julius Caesar first emerged as a great military leader, after an earlier career as an impoverished populist politician. The members of the senate were all executed and the rest of the tribe was sold into slavery. 38; vii. In the resulting battle the Treveri were defeated and Indutiomarus's supporters fled into exile in Germany. This encouraged at least one German tribe, the Sigambri, to cross the Rhine to take part. His intervention came at the perfect moment. Although individual Roman politicians might hope for unrest and a chance to win military glory, as a whole the Republic much preferred to have stable friendly neighbours. His childhood saw the great civil war between Marius and Sulla, and the Social War of the Italians against Rome. Test. The ambassadors decided to return to their people to discuss this offer, and asked Caesar not to move his camp any nearer to them for three days while they considered it. Home:. Commentaries on the Gallic Wars which told of his military victims. This time Caesar was in a vengeful mood, apparently angered by the Veneti's failure to respect the rights of ambassadors. 38; vii. He ordered tunnels to be dug to divert a natural spring that was the defenders last source of fresh water, and when the spring suddenly dried up the defenders promptly surrendered. The Germans were told to return in the next summer, the legions were set to winter in the lands of the Carnutes, Adnes and Turones tribes, close to the Belgic lands, and Caesar departed back to Italy and the other part of his province in Illyricum. Four legions under Labienus were sent north into the lands of the Parisii and Senones, while Caesar led six legions to attack Gergovia. After a number of Veneti ships had their rigging cut the rest of the fleet attempted to escape, only to be trapped when the wind fell away. redunicorn. Either way - Caesar needed to achieve victories, not only in Gaul, but over the Roman populace. It is concise, economical and direct. Before this happened Labienus was given two more legions. On the day before the calends of January Caesar moved against the Bituriges, catching them by surprise. The fact that Caesar mentions no other letters does not mean that he did not communicate more frequently. The situation in Gaul was complicated by the presence of Ariovistus, a German king who had crossed the Rhine at the invitation of the Sequani, to help them in their wars against the Aedui. The Civil War is a tense and gripping depiction of his struggle with Pompey over the leadership of Republican Rome - a conflict that spanned the entire Roman world, from Gaul and Spain to Asia and Africa. Q. Titurius Sabinus won an easy victory over the tribes of Normandy, who were tricked into attacking his camp, while P. Crassus defeated the tribes of Aquitaine in a campaign that ended when he attacked their camp. Further east Labienus guarded the Rhine, where an expected German invasion failed to materialise. Caesar sent Galba and the twelfth legion to open the Great St. Bernard Pass. Caesar gained two weeks by telling the Helvetii that he would consider their request and present his answer on 12 April. In these books, Caesar is his own herald: in a simple and compressed style, he shows himself involuntarily fighting necessary wars. A must for all to understand the beginnings of the Roman Empire. Even though the summer was close to its end Caesar's next move was even more dramatic. Analysis Of Julius Caesar 's ' The Gallic War ' 1070 Words 5 Pages Critique Essay In this critique of Julius Caesar’s book, The Gallic War, I will be discussing the purpose and accuracy (or in this case, inaccuracy) over his adventures and military campaign against the Gallic tribes. Eventually Caesar arrived to take command of the siege. This series of annual war commentaries is referred to by various names but is commonly called De bello Gallico in Latin, or The Gallic Wars in English. Events soon proved Vercingetorix to have been right. The Belgae attempted to cross the Aisne using a ford, but Caesar was able to use his bridge to send his light troops to reinforce the small garrison on the south bank, and this attack was repulsed (battle of the Aisne). The leader judged to be responsible for the revolt, Acco, was executed using a method described by Caesar as 'the custom of our ancestors' – he was probably flogged to death. This attack confirmed Caesar's belief that the Germans were only waiting for the right moment to attack. The Helvetii missed their chance to slip away from the Romans and instead turned back to follow them. The most common modern assumption is that this is an indication that Caesar had already decided to conquer all of Gaul. Lv 5. The Romans planned to attack on the next day. The defeat of the Bellovaci effectively ended the war in the north-east. Both of these expeditions ended in failure. There were two possible routes that the migrating Helvetii could take to cross Gaul. Two miles from the camp the Romans were ambushed and the entire column was destroyed. His original desire was likely to pursue glory against the further reaches of Illyricum and Dacia, but events in his new provinces soon changed the plan. During the Gallic Wars of 58-50 BC, Julius Caesar wrote the Bellum Gallicum in his free time, whenever he was not actively directing his military.... See full answer below. The final recorded action of the war came in the east of Gaul, where Commius of the Atrebates was waging a guerrilla war with his last supporters. The Structure of the Gallic War. While the men attempted to mount a rearguard action in their camp the women and children scattered into the surrounding countryside, with the Roman cavalry in pursuit. Kearney, Courtney. The Senones, Carnutes and Treviri delegates failed to appear, effectively confirming that they were involved in the revolt. I will spend more time laying out the events of Book I to reveal the complex nature of Caesar’s writing and his thoughts in politics. As the Romans advanced towards the coast the Menapii and the Morini withdrew into their swamps, and the Romans were unable to catch them. This piece of literature was written as a third-person narrative so that the narrator’s voice becomes the voice of the story. was the conflict in which Julius Caesar first emerged as a great military leader, after an earlier career as an impoverished populist politician. The rest of the revolt was dominated by a series of sieges. On the following day the Romans formed up in order of battle, but instead of waiting to see if the Germans would do the same they advanced towards Ariovistus's camp, eventually forcing the Germans to come out and fight. Drapes and Lucterius were only involved in the early states of the siege. A conflict that began with an attempt to preserve stability on the borders of the Roman province of Transalpine Gaul soon turned into a war … The one area in which Caesar does appear to have exaggerated was the size of the various armies that he opposed, but even then the exaggeration is limited compared to other ancient sources. After two campaigning seasons Caesar could claim to have subdued all of Gaul. Although Caesar rather rushes over the details of this campaign, it clearly lasted for some time, for the Roman fleets were kept in port by storms for 'a great part of the summer'. The Aedui requested help from their Roman allies, but in 62 B.C. Fundamentally, Caesar uses the third-person narrative in order to make his commentaries on the Gallic Wars more objective and unprejudiced. Albeit the fact that Julius Caesar destroyed and recreated Gaul, we cannot deny the fact that the Romans did give birth to a new and successful European culture. The Veneti decided to concentrate their own fleet to face the Romans. Caesar led four legions against them, but was unable to force them into a battle. Caesar believed that this was simply a ploy to give the German cavalry time to return from a raid into the territory of the Ambivariti, and refused to agree not to move his camp. The Gallic Wars By Julius Caesar. It is also worth remembering that Caesar's officers, and many of his men, were literate. Vercingetorix abandoned the siege of Gorgobina, and attempted to prevent the fall of Noviodunum, but despite an inconclusive cavalry engagement the town still fell. It was probably always going to be only a matter of time before Ariovistus clashed with the Romans, who had a perfectly reasonable dread of Germanic hordes crossing the Rhine, having suffered a series of heavy defeats at the hands of the Cimbri and the Teutones in 113-101 B.C. The next threat was the most serious. Confident that he would not be attacked Caesar ordered all six of his veteran legions to begin building that night's camp. 2 Caesar mentions his letters to the Senate, ii. He also claimed to have captured a great number of Veneti towns, a time consuming processes that apparently required the construction of massive earthwork ramps to allow the Roman army to approach the town walls. an increasing number of Gallic leaders began to meet in private to discuss a new rebellion. ( Log Out /  was the conflict in which Julius Caesar first emerged as a great military leader, after an earlier career as an impoverished populist politician. While this was going on Caesar could only watch from the Italian part of his province, but his command had been secured by the time a threat from across the Rhine forced him to return back to Gaul earlier than normal. On his return to Gaul Caesar held a meeting of the Gallic chiefs where he pretended to be unaware that they had attempted to negotiate with the Germans. Gallic leader of a revolt against Rome; defeated by Julius Caesar in the Gallic Wars, he was put to death in 46 bc. Taking two and a half of them he advanced towards the Treveri and tricked them into attacking him. The Nervii took advantage of this, and launched a surprise attack on the Roman legions. There are two types of paper in the ancient world: # 1. Believed to have occurred around Mont Auxois, near Alise-Sainte-Reine, France, the battle saw Julius Caesar besiege the … Once again he was unable to force the Germans to fight, and had to return across the Rhine without achieving anything of substance. On the grounds that his Gallic enemies had had German auxiliaries, Caesar built the first of his famous bridges over the Rhine, and for eighteen days became the first Roman general to lead an army across that river. Help - F.A.Q. Having gained this day as a truce, the German ambassadors then left the Roman camp. In an attempt to counter this Caesar sent Divitiacus and the Aedui on a diversionary raid into Bellovaci territory, which at a key moment after the fighting on the Aisne did indeed help break up the Belgic army. Just before Caesar had defeated Ariovistus a large contingent of Germans had been about to cross the river. The major battles were fought between the members of the Roman Army, and multiple Gallic, Germanic, and Celtic Tribes, all across western Europe. Eventually the weather improved enough for the entire Roman and Allied fleet, under the command of Decimus Brutus, to leave the Loire and sail up the coast to join the main Roman army. The Twelve Caesars Suetonius. Answer Save. His partners in the First Triumvirate, Crassus and Pompey, both had distinguished backgrounds – Crassus had defeated Spartacus and was fabulously wealthy, while Pompey had ended the Third Mithridatic War and conquered much of modern Turkey. The Gallic War (58-51 B.C.) What he would do is he would send them back in "episode" form (think like a miniseries!) This request was harder to arrange, but eventually the Triumvirs were able to win Cicero over to their cause, and he was able to arrange for the extra funding. when they had defeated the Allobroges tribe. Ultimately, Caesar’s ancient literature can be considered as an instrument to manipulate the readers’ minds and influence public opinion in Rome. This area was dominated by the Veneti tribe, which controlled the trade with Britain. In the previous summer he had led a legion through the area, taking hostages and the submission of the local tribes. In Julius Caesar’s ancient literature called the “Gallic Wars”, he demonstrates his conquest in his invasion of Gaul as being a defensive pre-emptive action. when and where was Crassus killed. According to this list Caesar faced a vast Belgic army. Gallic Wars, (58–50 bce ), campaigns in which the Roman proconsul Julius Caesar conquered Gaul. Caesar claimed that between them the two tribes contained 430,000 men, women and children, a figure that is generally considered to be unrealistically high. ( Log Out /  As soon as the weather was suitable he left the Italian part of his province, and rushed to join the army. The Germans had responded by advancing into the territories of the Eburones and Condrusi tribes, areas that were at least theoretically under Roman protection. A student of the Gallic Wars should watch for this quality throughout the books. Two week legions, under Caius Caninius Rebilus, moved towards the town but Caninius realised that he wasn't strong enough to attack the much larger Gallic army. This time the rebels appointed a supreme commander – Vercingetorix, probably the most famous of the Gauls. In the west the Helvii were forced back into their strongholds, but the Allobroges held their ground, supported by twenty-two cohorts that Caesar had put in place at the start of the year. A new Helvetian empire on the west coast of Gaul, created by conquest, would not be a stable neighbour. [1] In his book, Caesar describes how conquering Gaul allowed the Romans to be able to secure the national border of the River Rhine. Caesar was a middle-aged politician with no military reputation. In these books, Caesar is his own herald: in a simple and compressed style, he shows himself involuntarily fighting necessary wars. This a parallel presentation of the works of Julius Caesar in Latin and English translation. The nearby Esubii and Curiosolitae followed suit and the rebels soon controlled most of the sea coast. If Caesar's figures are correct then there must have been at least 200,000 women and children in the camps. Caesar was aware that he would soon be involved in a struggle with his political opponents in Rome, and the last thing he wanted was another Gallic revolt in his rear. For the next two weeks the Romans followed close behind the Helvetii, but eventually they began to run short of supplies. Clad in the bloodred cloak he usually wore “as his distinguishing mark of battle,” Caesar led his troops to victories throughout the province, his major triumph being the defeat of the Gallic army led by the chieftain Vercingetorix, in 52 bce. Caesar's final campaign of the year was less successful. Orgetorix's daughter was married to Dumnorix, a leader of the anti-Roman faction in the Aedui. The Velocasses and the Veromandui promised as many, meaning either 10,000 between them or 10,000 each. By this time Caesar was already on his way back to Gaul, where the tribes of the north-western coast, led by the Veneti, had risen in revolt.