The Civil War

Description

A military leader of legendary genius, Caesar was also a great writer, recording the events of his life with incomparable immediacy and power. 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. Where Caesar’s own account leaves off in 48 BC, his lieutenants take up the history, describing the vital battles of Munda, Spain and Thapsus, and the installation of Cleopatra, later Caesar’s mistress, as Queen of Egypt. Together these narratives paint a full picture of the events that brought Caesar supreme power – and paved the way for his assassination only months later.

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Historical background
Caesar – the man and his aims
The Civil War and the continuations

Bibliographical Note

Translator’s Note

Caesar: The Civil War

Part I: The Struggle Begins
1. Intransigence at Rome
2. Caesar reacts
3. The Seige of Corfinium
4. Pompey leaves Italy
5. Caesar’s Senate
6. Resistance at Massilia
7. The First Spanish campaign – Ilerda
8. A naval fight at Massilia
9. Spain – a war of attrition
10. The Pompeians capitulate

Part II: Securing the West
1. The Seige of Massilia
2. Spain – the surrender of Varro
3. Massilia capitulates
4. Africa – Curio’s campaign
5. Curio’s last stand

Part III: The Great Confrontation
1. Caesar in Italy – Pompey’s preparations
2. Negotiations in Epirus
3. Trouble in Italy
4. Antony runs the gauntlet
5. The Lieutenants in Macedon
6. Stalemate at Dyrrachium
7. Setbacks for Caesar
8. Caesar moves to Thessaly
9. Pompey follows
10. The battle of Pharsalus
11. The death of Peompey
12. Caesar at Alexandria

The Alexandrian War

I. Events in Egypt

1. Miltary preparations
2. The water supply poisoned
3. Naval engagements
4. The last stages

II. Events in Asia

III. Events in Illyricum

IV. Events in Spain

V. Caesar Chastens Pharnaces: Zela

The African War
1. Initail landings in Africa
2. Waiting at Ruspina
3. Consolidation
4. Caesar takes the offense
5. The Pompeians lose the initiative
6. Thapsus
7. The settlement of Africa

The Spanish War
1. Caesar pursues the Pompeians
2. The victory of Munda
3. ‘Mopping-up’

Notes
The Civil War
The Alexandrain
The African War
The Spanish War

Appendixes
I. The Text
II. The Ultimate Decree
III. Pharsalus
IV. Chronological Outline of the Careers of Pompey and Caesar

Glossary or Persons and Places

Index of Maps

Maps and Sketch-Plans

Gaius Julius Caesar was born in 100BC into an ancient patrician family. He was imprisoned for a time with his familly, for protesting against the then leadership of Sulla, but advanced slowly through the sixties rising to the rank of praetor and forming the ‘first triumvirate’ with Pompey and Crassus. Elected consul in 59BC, he then became Governor for Transalpine Gaul. After the death of Crassus and the defeat of Pompey in 45BC, Caesar returned to Rome as dictator. He was assassinated in March 44BC.

Jane Gardner received degrees in Classics from Glasgow and Oxford Universities and was Senior Lecturer in Classics at Reading University. She is the author of, among others, Women in Roman Law and Society and The Roman Household: A Sourcebook.GB