![]() Concealing troops behind his center, Caesar ordered his left flank to retreat in an orderly fashion, inviting Pompey's cavalry further toward his lines. Pompey decided to use his cavalry to break through on Caesar's right flank, though Caesar was prepared for this tactic. What was wrong with their generalissimo? Why would he not fight? The answer was all too readily at hand, bred of decades of suspicion and resentment: 'They complained that Pompey was addicted to command, and took pleasure in treating former consuls and praetors as though they were slaves.'”Īgainst his better judgment, Pompey finally accepted Caesar's offer of battle on Aug. The senators in Pompey's train, impatient for action, wanted Caesar and his army wiped out. In the book “Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic,” historian Tom Holland wrote: “But in his council of war tempers were fraying. The senators who had accompanied him, however, viewed Pompey's inaction with disdain. Caesar attempted several times to bring Pompey to battle, but the old general refused. Sooner or later, his forces would dwindle from sheer attrition and shortages. Instead, he merely had to wait Caesar out. His intention was not to battle Caesar again, if he could help it. His desire to bring about a decisive battle with Pompey on his terms only grew, though his adversary had other plans. Food and supplies were hard to come by, and he was a long way from his power base in Rome.Īfter Caesar's army was nearly wiped out by Pompey at the Battle of Dyrrachium in early July, his position became even more tenuous. Most residents of the area supported Pompey and the senators. Not only was there a numerical disparity, but logistical concerns haunted Caesar's army as well. Pompey's forces boasted perhaps 50,000 men, both Romans and Greek allies, while Caesar's stood at around 30,000. When Caesar landed his forces in Greece in the summer of 48 B.C., he found himself in the weaker position. ![]() Crushing them quickly, he soon turned about and headed for Greece. Caesar set out for Spain to take on pro-Pompey forces. In contrast to the dictator Sulla, who decades before set about mercilessly killing his political enemies by means of a proscription list, Caesar offered amnesty to those who had opposed him in exchange for their future allegiance. From there, they hoped to secure a power base, raise revenue and prepare an army to meet Caesar. Unable to raise an army in time to defend Rome, Pompey and several senators, including Cicero, Cato the Younger and Marcus Brutus, fled across the Adriatic Sea to Greece. Soon, Caesar and Pompey both called the other traitors to the republic, and Caesar crossed the Rubicon river, which served as Italy's northern border, with a legion. ![]() Pompey, too, soon grew jealous of Caesar's exploits in Gaul, and with the collusion of the Senate, ordered him back to Rome in 50 B.C. The war proved a disaster for Rome, and Crassus was killed during a parley. The next year, Crassus, jealous of Caesar and Pompey's reputation for military glory, launched an invasion of Parthia, Rome's neighbor the east. Julia died in childbirth in 54 B.C., severing the family tie between Caesar and Pompey. The political alliance soon began to break down, however. Many Romans thought this was improper and decidedly un-Roman. Typically, governorships lasted for five years, but with the help of his political allies, Caesar was able to convince those in the Senate to extend his position past its initial expiration date. To shore up the political alliance, Pompey married Caesar's daughter, Julia, though she was 30 years his junior.Īfter his consulship, Caesar took up duties as the governor of Gaul, where he won considerable wealth and military glory. Though the Roman senator and orator Cicero was invited to join this alliance, he feared it would turn Rome into a narrow oligarchy and declined. ![]() Caesar's connection to the people of Rome made him a valuable asset. Unlike Pompey and Crassus, who belonged to the optimates faction, which represented the Patricians, or nobility, and best families of Rome, Caesar belonged to the populares, the common people's faction. Pompey's reputation as a military commander and all its glory added prestige to the alliance, and Crassus' great wealth funded their program. Several years before, in 59 B.C., Caesar joined Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (Pompey the Great), and Marcus Licinius Crassus to form an informal political leadership of Rome, referred to by historians as the First Triumvirate. The battle broke the back of republican opposition to Caesar and opened the way for his dictatorship of Rome. on what historians calculate is about Aug. Julius Caesar won a major triumph over the forces of Pompey the Great at Pharsalus, in 48 B.C.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |