Julius Caesar was a general, a statesman, and a dictator who founded the Roman imperial system. Caesar had a successful military career because he was a brilliant strategist, a clever tactician, and an inspirational battlefield commander. His primary campaigns were the Third Mithridate War from 75 to 65 BC, the Gallic War from 59 to 51 BC, and the Roman Civil War against Pompey the Great from 49 to 45 BC. His principle battlefield engagements were the battle of Bibracte in 58 BC, the battle of the Rhine in 55 BC, the battle of Alesia in 52 BC, the of Ilerda in 49 BC, the battle of Pharsalus in 48 BC, the battle of Zela in 47 BC, the battle of Thapsus in 46 BC, and the battle of Munda in 45 BC.

CAESAR’S EARLY LIFE

Caesar was born into a patrician family in July 100 BC. He developed into an impressive looking young man who stood 5 feet 9 inches (177 centimeters) tall, which was about 5 inches taller than most Roman men. Caesar claimed that he descended from the gods; he was elected to the college of priests in 79 BC. He served in Asia in 81 BC; he was exiled briefly by Sulla, but he returned and unsuccessfully prosecuted his family enemies in 77BC; he served against pirates from 75 to 74 BC and later under Lucullus Mithradates of Pontus from 74 to 73 BC.

Caesar was elected tribune on his return to Rome; he supported Pompey in 71 BC and he was elected quaestor (an elected public official) in 70 BC. Since he was generally active in politics, he was eventually elected to aedile (a Roman office) in 65 BC and pontifex maximus (a high priest of ancient Rome) in 63 BC. He was elected praetor in 62 BC and governor of Further Spain in 61 BC.

CAESAR’S CAMPAIGNS

Caesar formed the first triumvirate with Crassus, his former mentor, and Pompey in 59 BC. He became the proconsul in Gaul and he accomplished popular reforms before he took up his military post. He defeated and killed 30,000 Helvetian warriors at the battle of Arar in June 58 BC and at the battle of Bibracte in July 58 BC, where he halted their migration. He defeated the German invasion of central Gaul under Ariovistus in September 58 BC.

Caesar campaigned against the powerful Belgae warriors in northern Gaul; he crushed their main confederate army with superior Roman tactics and discipline at the battle of Axona in May 57 BC. Later, he barely defeated the aggressive Nervii warriors at the battle of Neuf-Mesnil with critical support from Titus Labienus in July 57. He campaigned in western Gaul 56 BC, where he defeated the Venetian Navy during a difficult naval and amphibious campaign with the support from warships built by Decimus Brutus in June 56 BC.

Caesar defeated an incursion by the Germanic Usipetes and Tenetri at the Rhine in May 55 BC. He then crossed the Rhine to ravage the lands of their allies in June. He launched an invasion into Britain with two legions (10,000 men) in late August 55 BC, but his efforts were frustrated by unfriendly weather conditions, but he returned to Britain with five legions (25,000 men) and 2,000 cavalry in early July 54 BC and he persuaded Cassivelaunus to surrender following a short campaign.

Caesar returned to Gaul to deal with the widespread unrest there; he campaigned against the revolution of Eburones under Ambriorix, who massacred a Roman legion at Aduatuca in December 54 BC. He defeated the Euburones in January 53 BC, and he prevented a revolution by the Nervii tribes when he devastated their lands during a bitter winter campaign in 53 BC. With similar tactics, he forced the Senones and Carnute in central Gaul to submit; he returned north to ravage the fertile lands of the Treveri and Menapi, and he later crossed the Rhine again to devastate the lands of their German allies during the autumn of 53 BC.

CAESAR DEFEATS VERCINGETORIX

During the advent of Vercingetorix’s revolt in 52 BC, Caesar with a few troops maneuvered Lucterius’ Gallic Army out of Narbo before undertaking a difficult winter campaign to reach and assemble his legions in the north; he put down unrest among the Aedui during the siege of Gergovia in May; he pursued the Gauls vigorously following a minor cavalry battle and surround Vercingetorix at Alesia; he built two rows of entrenchment fortifications and contravallations surrounding the hill region of Alesia, which frustrated Vercingetorix’s relief attempts by his allies. This tactic force Vercingetorix to surrender in October 52 BC and finally bringing to an end the Gallic revolt against Roman domination. Caesar continued his campaigns against the remaining Gallic warriors and captured Uxellodunum in July 52 BC.

CAESAR DEFEATS POMPEY THE GREAT

In 50 BC, after his conquest of Gaul, Caesar prepared for war with his rival Pompey the Great; he led his battle harden army across the Rubicon into Italy, which was an illegal declaration of war against the Roman Republic. This deed was accompanied by his celebrated words “the die is cast.” When the Roman civil war occurred, he successfully defeated Pompey’s Army and other opposing forces after several decisive campaigns, where he employed superior battlefield tactics against the enemy.

In 47 BC, the Senate proclaimed Caesar “dictator.” Two years later the Senate named him Consul for life. Under Caesar the Roman Senate had less power. He reformed the Roman tax code and created the Julian Calendar. These actions caused Brutus and Cassius to organize a conspiracy. Since the conspirators believed that Caesar had destroyed the Republic, they assassinated Caesar in Rome on 15 March 44 BC.

CAESAR’S LEGACY

Julius Caesar was the greatest military commander of Roman history because of his genius in strategy, tactics, and combat operations. Caesar was a charismatic and unr

elenting personality. He was a skilled politician, administrator, writer, and military commander. He demonstrated great precaution during military campaigns to avoid surprise while his forces were on the march; he was the greatest military commander of Roman history because he was endowed with a strategic, operational, and tactical mind, enhanced by his inspirational orations before any major campaign. The name Caesar has echoed down through history from the days of the early Roman Emperors to the era of Russian Czars and German Kaisars. Today the European world is seeking a new Caesar to lead the European Union.

RELATED SOURCES: Grant, R.G. and others; Battle; DK Publications, 2005. Grant, R.G. and others; Warrior; DK Publications, 2007. Grant, R.G. and others; Weapon; DK Publications, 2010. Nelson, Eric, Ph.D.; The Roman Empire; Alpha Books, 2002. Roberts, Andrew and others; The Art of War; Quercus Publications, 2009. Zimmerman, Dwight, D.; The Book of Weapons; Tess Press Publications, 2009. Zimmerman, Dwight, D.; The Book Of War; Tess Press Publications, 2008. Battlefield; Richard Holmes; 2006.