![]() It prompts many more tribes to come out in support of the rebels. This is Caesar's first defeat in all his years in Gaul. But the great general's arrival does not make quite the difference to which he has become accustomed.Ĭaesar is besieging the town of Gergovia when Vercingetorix attacks and routs the Roman forces, killing 700. His early successes against Roman contingents are in the absence of Caesar, who has been wintering south of the Alps. The Celts find an inspiring leader in Vercingetorix, a young chieftain of the Averni. According to Plutarch, writing 150 years later, this expedition is the first to prove to certain sceptical scholars in Rome that Britain really exists.Ĭaesar's campaigns into Germany and Britain suggest that he considers Gaul itself secure. Twice in the same period he crosses the Channel to test the mettle of the Celts in Britain (see Caesar in Britain). In 55 and again in 53 he bridges the Rhine for brief campaigns into Germany. ![]() He even adventures beyond the natural boundaries of Gaul - the region framed by the Alps, the Rhine, the Atlantic and the Pyrenees. During this time he systematically subdues the Celtic tribes in Gaul, making separate alliances with their many independent chieftains. The underlying question is how long it will be before they emerge, in truer colours, as rivals.Ĭaesar is away from Rome for eight years. These two are now the most powerful men in the republic. Meanwhile Pompey stays in Rome, hoping to further his own interests by political means. And instead of forests and cattle trails, Caesar finds himself in charge of Rome's two northern provinces - Cisalpine and Transalpine Gaul.Ĭaesar's new provinces provide him with rich opportunities: to recruit soldiers far away from Rome who will be loyal to him alone to achieve new conquests which will impress the public at home and to amass large personal funds by looting conquered territories. The business problems of Crassus are resolved. With equal cynicism, selective rioting by Pompey's veterans is used to persuade the senators to change their minds. To cement the link, Pompey marries in 59 Caesar's only child, Julia (though he is older than her father). The three men form, in 60 BC, what is now known as the first triumvirate. Crassus has been frustrated in a profitable tax-collecting venture in Asia. Pompey has not been allowed the land which he needs for the disbanded veterans of his army. Caesar, elected consul for the coming year, 59 BC, could normally expect a provincial governorship instead he has been given the supervision of Italy's forests and cattle trails. Pompey, Crassus and Caesar all have grievances against the senate. Caesar, on good terms with both men, sees advantage in an alliance. In the intervening years, with his military successes in the east, Pompey has won much greater public esteem than Crassus. Crassus has made his first fortune through the 'proscriptions' of Sulla, of whom he was a close supporter.Ĭrassus is a jealous enemy of Pompey, another close lieutenant of Sulla. At the same time he cultivates the friendship of Crassus, one of the richest men in Rome. An old anecdote adds that, when still their captive, he has joked that this is what he will do.įrom around 65 BC Caesar gets heavily into debt in pursuit of political offices which depend on the popular vote (he particularly pleases the Romans with some unusually lavish gladiatorial shows). He tracks them down and has them crucified. He raises the ransom to secure his freedom, but then also raises a private force to pursue the pirates. ![]() In 75 BC he is captured by pirates, when sailing to Rhodes to study in a famous school of oratory (an essential skill for Roman politicians). Yet such is the case with Julius Caesar, the origin of Germany's Kaiser and Russia's Tsar.Įarly in his life Caesar (c.100 BC - 44 BC) shows ruthless determination. Not many private citizens build a career so effectively that their name means 'emperor', 2000 years later, in other people's languages.
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