Shifting his forces, he ruthlessly hunted down the Helvetii, defeated them and forced the survivors to return to their original territory. Those Gauls complained of depredations, and Caesar as the proconsul of Rome felt it his duty to intervene and defend the republic’s friends. When Caesar repulsed them, the migrants took another route, crossing the territory of peoples allied to Rome, including the Aedui. In 58 BC, however, the Helvetii, a tribe from what is now Switzerland, tried to migrate across part of Transalpine Gaul. It seems probable that his original plan was for a Balkan campaign, striking against the strong and wealthy Dacian King Burebista. Massively in debt after spending lavishly to climb the political ladder, Caesar arrived in his province in need of a successful and profitable war. He raised new legions on his own initiative, doubling and later trebling the forces at his disposal, and only subsequently did he secure senatorial approval and funding for them. The scale of this appointment reflected the strength of his political alliances, which also ensured that he had even greater freedom of action than was normal. He also enjoyed the security of an unusually long term in the post-initially five years, later extended to ten. A governor might have to answer for his actions after his post expired, but during his term of office he controlled military and civilian decision-making within his province.Ĭaesar was granted an especially large command when the three normally separate provinces of Illyria, Cisalpine Gaul, and Transalpine Gaul were combined. Some received specific instructions before they set out from Rome, and there were some legal restrictions on behavior, but there was no one to enforce those rules. They also had virtually complete freedom of action, since the slow pace of communications ensured that the Senate could not hope to control events from Rome. Roman governors had supreme civil and military power within their provinces. The intimate connection between war and politics at Rome had another very important consequence. Success in war gave a man glory and wealth, which allowed him to rise farther up the political ladder and, in turn, provided the chance for more senior army commands.Ĭaesar was no different in his basic ambitions from his contemporaries, save that he had both the talent and the determination to rise to the very top. In Rome political success brought opportunities for military command. The Romans would not have understood the distinction, for the same men led the republic in peace and in war. Sometimes the comment seems almost dismissive, as if his military skill deserves less recognition because his ultimate ambitions lay elsewhere. It is often said that Caesar was as much-or even more-a politician as he was a general. The result was a savage war on a massive scale, war that would test the limits both of the Roman general and his army. It was a serious political failure that resulted in the greatest military problem Caesar had ever faced. Yet during the winter of 52, almost all of those leaders and tribes joined to expel the Romans from their lands. Many fiercely independent and mutually hostile tribes inhabited it, often riddled with bitter and sometimes violent rivalries between individual noblemen. Leading the revolt were chieftains he had promoted and rewarded, showing them both favor and friendship. Now all but a handful turned against him. When Caesar had first intervened in Gaul in 58 BC, many of the tribes had welcomed him as a friend and liberator. His army was dispersed and vulnerable, and he himself was far away-south of the Alps-keeping an eye on the disturbed politics of Rome. Even though it was his seventh year in the region, he had completely misread the situation. His only wish during this Holy Grail War was to see Cleopatra once more and his son.Roman leader Caesar overcame his failure in Gaul through his own talent as a commander, the skill of his army, and a good deal of luck.Īt the start of 52 BC, a rebellion that spread rapidly throughout much of Gaul surprised and wrong-footed Gaius Julius Caesar. However, this part of his life never happened as he was murdered by Brutus during the Ides of March. Gaius also fell in love with two rulers: Nero Claudius and Cleopatra. He won his wars via trickery which allowed him to even eclipse his former ally, Pompey.Īfter marching in Rome, he soon amassed political power. But his military achievements overshadowed his cunning mind. He was also the first to cross the Rhine after building a bridge. Working alongside Crassus and Pompey, he began his conquering of Rome. He worked alongside Pompey for awhile before establishing the Triumvirate. Despite his failed political career, Gaius Julius Caesar is a talented military commanded.
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