The Defeat of Ptolemy XIII to the Defeat of Pompey's Sons

My small forces in Alexandria would not withstand the forces of Ptolemy XIII. I had to send for reinforcements. Reinforcements from Pergamum came, and with the reinforcements, I could claim the victory over Ptolemy. I forced Ptolemy XIII and Arsinoe IV, the older and younger sister of Cleopatra to flee the city. I heard news after Ptolemy fled that he drowned when he attemped to swim across the Nile. After the victory, I placed Cleopatra on the throne of Egypt, and though I was intimate with Cleopatra, I made her marry her younger brother, Ptolemy XIV, to be co-ruler of Egypt. Though I enjoyed a triumph on the Nile and was introduced to the lifestyle of an Egyptian pharaoh, my destiny was with my beloved Republic. I did not marry Cleopatra in fear of what the political implications would be. The Roman people would think of me as "Un-Roman." I did not cut ties with Cleopatra, and she was with child, my child. She had a son who she named Caesarion, or "Little Caesar." Cleopatra visited Rome more than once, and when she would come to Rome, she would stay at my villa across the Tiber.
When I returned to Rome, I was appointed dictator for another year. I then went to lands in the East and defeated the king of Pontus. The victory was very quickly won. I was so pleased because the victory eclipsed and even mocked Pompey's victories in the East many years ago. Within the years of being  a dictator, I tried to be friends with several senators, who may have opposed me in the past, such as Cicero. I visited his house, and I stayed a few days. I brought a legion with me, but Cicero did not find it to interrupt our time. I could tell Cicero enjoyed entertaining people at his house. He had his servants entertain my men while Cicero and I enjoyed many conversations. I much enjoyed our visit.
Another person I saw as a great man, Brutus, I had to visit next. I saw Brutus as a son because of the close relationship I have with Servilia, his mother. I wanted to be closer to him, but yet, his family name gives him a lot of influence. Because of my new title, his family background is troubling for my political future and for the future of Rome. I met up with Brutus over a dinner, and I offered him a position of governor in one of Rome's prominent territories. In the end, he refused. Then, Brutus divorced his wife, Claudia, to marry his Uncle Cato's daughter, Porcia. His mother hated the idea and the affection the boy had for Porcia, who is his cousin. Moreover, this caused a problem between us when I went after Cato after defeating the king of Pontus. Cato committed suicide when I defeated his forces. It was after Cato's death and defeat that I was appointed dictator of Rome for ten years. I knew that Pompey's sons would try to take their revenge, and therefore, I decided to hunt them down. I defeated all the remaining foes from the war between Pompey and me in the Battle of Munda.

Sources Used:

Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars, Penguin Classics Revised Edition, December 18, 2007. Print

Caesar, Julius, Aulus Hirtius, and Jane F. Gardner. "Introduction by Jane F. Gardner." The Civil War of Caesar. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1976. N. pag. Print.

The Civil War in Egypt & the Siege of Alexandria

After the death of Pompey, I found myself caught in Egypt. It seemed Civil War was brewing between the decedents of Ptolemy XII Auletes in Alexandria. It seemed that oldest son of Ptolemy conspired to rid his sister, Cleopatra, from the throne. Cleopatra had to leave Egypt, and she fled to Syria. Ptolemy XIII's reasons behind conspiring against his sister, and co-ruler, is her rising popularity among the Egyptian people. In Syria, Cleopatra was able to raise an army to fight this civil war with her brother and his conspirator, Pothinus. Another spawn of the house of Ptolemy, Arsinoe IV, also claimed the throne amongst the battle between Ptolemy XIII, Ptolemy XIV, and Cleopatra. This Egyptian civil war became chaos quickly.
I visited Ptolemy XIII and Pothinus to get to the bottom of the murder of Pompey Magnus. Apparently, they first accepted Pompey's request for refuge in Alexandria, but in order to gain favor of me, they had Pompey killed in order to present Pompey when I arrived. I was not pleased with Ptolemy XIII. I ordered for Pompey's body to be found, and I, and my legion with me in Egypt, held a Roman funeral for my former brother. From the murder of Pompey, I had no satisfaction with having Ptolemy XIII on the throne in Egypt. Egypt is very important to the Republic because it is a glorious ally, and they have large exports to Rome of wheat and other goods. The civil war could interfere with Roman goods and trade that is essential to the Roman people. It is in Rome's best interest to put this civil war to rest before it directly affects Rome.
With the death of Pompey on Ptolemy XIII's hands, I chose to side with Cleopatra. She is much more favorable by the Egyptian people and to me. There is something about Cleopatra, and it is not just her good looks. She has wits about her that I have never seen. I feel if I were a lesser man, she would be able to control me under her thumbs. By siding with Cleopatra, Ptolemy's forces attacked me in Alexandria. Achillas joined Pothinus, and their forces combined to 20,000 soldiers and an estimated 2,000 cavalry. I sent an ambassador to negotiate with Achillas, but he had my ambassador killed. The youngest daughter of Ptolemy XII, Arsinoe, left me to join Achillas. Soon after Arsinoe joined Achillas, she had him killed and placed another man in his place to command their army. They came to a truce to exchange Arsinoe for Ptolemy XIII, but the truce was not a truce at all. The civil war continued right after the exchange.

Sources Used:

Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars, Penguin Classics Revised Edition, December 18, 2007. Print

The Defeat and Assassination of Pompey Magnus

I was completely outnumbered by Pompey's legions, and it seemed to be my darkest hour. When at times I saw Pompey's legions breaking through areas of my formations, I thought the worst. Regardless, my men fought even harder. My legions have been to the farthest corners of the Republic, they have fought the most barbaric people that exist in the known world, and nothing defeated them before. This situation was no different. From nearly catastrophic to an incredible victory, my army defeated Pompey Magnus at Pharsalus. After the defeat, Pompey retreated to Egypt he believed to have influence in the house of Ptolemy with the Pharaoh Ptolemy XII Auletes. The Pharaoh approached Pompey, Crassus, and I years ago to obtain a loan from the Republic. Pompey must have thought that he could retreat to Alexandria to collect on the debt that Egypt owes the Republic to refinance another attempt to raise an army to defeat me.
After the victory at Pharsalus, Rome appointed me dictator. To me, it seemed like a harsh title. It made me sound like my intentions were to completely eradicate the Republic and create a thrown for myself. My intentions have always been clear, and my intentions have never been to be a tyrant or king. Those who gossip that I will make myself king were not with me during the early days of my political career when the Senators from the beginning tried to force me out of politics. I am well versed in the history of the Senate, and it has not always been so glorious. The Senate have always had deep pockets. I challenge any Roman who regards me as a tyrant to look at where I came from. Many years ago, I was born into the house of the Julii. I became a priest, but after Sulla defeated my uncle Marius, Sulla took away all of my estate. I have built myself up from nothing. My pockets were as empty as every Roman citizen, and I believe each of them knew that. Of course, I still came from Patrician roots, but because of Sulla, I was able to relate to the common Roman people. It helped the Romans favor me more. The Roman people supported me all through my political career, and in favor of them and all Roman citizens in the providences, I defeated a backstabber and Senators who would have me shunned at the expense of the Roman people.
I learned of Pompey's death as I was pursuing him to Egypt. It saddened me as I began to think of him as a brother. I was also outraged that he was assassinated. I wanted to capture Pompey so he could stand before me to see the person he betrayed. The young pharaoh of Egypt had one of Pompey's ex-legionnaires assassinate Pompey as he was landing in Alexandria. I arrived in Alexandria right after the murder of Pompey. The Egyptians, at my arrival, presented me the head of Pompey Magnus and seal-ring. At the sight of an old brother, tears and rage came upon me. I yelled out to my highest ranking officer, and I ordered him to kill the assassin of Pompey Magnus.

Sources Used:
Caesar, Julius, Aulus Hirtius, and Jane F. Gardner. The Civil War of Caesar. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1976. Print.

Alea iacta esto

As I was crossing the Rubicon, word came to me by my scouts that Pompey Magnus and most of the Senate had fled south of Rome. This speaks volume about their confidence in Pompey to hold the city. When my legion and I approached the city after passing the Rubicon, I held the belief that Rome would be the hardest to take back from the Senate and Pompey, and that there would be a confrontation on the field of Mars. I could have not rolled a better hand than this. Rome's gates were open for my legion and I to simply return home. Of course, I had to wear my armor because at no point in time would I take off my armor as long as I felt there was a threat of assassins who favored Pompey and the Senate's agenda. Apparently, Pompey's legions had been dormant too long, and my veteran force seemed too experienced. Pompey's army has not seen action in many years. My legions are behind me all the way. I have stressed to my legion(s) what is at stake, and they share my ideology. Too long has the Senate and Roman politicians made me out to be the bad guy. Too long has the Senate benefited on the Roman people's misfortunes. There has to be something done, and I, Gaius Julius Caesar, am in perfect position to finally fulfill my destiny, to bring the Republic back to its former glory.
After spending a few days in Rome, I pursued Pompey. I knew that Pompey would not fight, but I had my reasons to pursue Pompey. The Senate and Pompey's agenda would hurt the public more than anything, and they must be stopped. Secondly, Pompey betrayed me. Once a brother and husband to my late daughter, Julia, Pompey sided with the Senate who has always had their eyes on me from the time I set foot in Roman politics. Pompey knew this, he exploited his way of gaining the Senate's approval, and he saw this as an opportunity to rise as pro-consul and favored by the Senate. However, he will never be the favorite of the people. I entered Rome as a conquering hero after the Senate and Pompey left. They seemed more like cowards to the people. I gave the people gifts of bread from the finest bakeries of Italia and gold from Gaul. The Roman people have never been so happy as to when they see me in the streets of Rome.
I went after Pompey with my 13th legion, though I was greatly outnumbered against Pompey's forces, and I wanted to capture Pompey and his legions before they could escape further from Rome. I left for Pompey, who was leaving for Hispania, and I left Marcus Antonius (Mark Antony) in control of Rome and it's well being as I leave Italia to pursue Pompey. After my legions marched for twenty-seven days, my army defeated Pompey's officers, and after the victory in Hispania, I returned east to Greece to fight Pompey.

Sources Used:
Caesar, Julius, Aulus Hirtius, and Jane F. Gardner. The Civil War of Caesar. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1976. Print.

The Senate -vs- Caesar, Caesar Crosses into Italy

Many troubles found me while I remained in Gaul. It seemed the deaths of my daughter, my grandson, and my mother were just the start of more troubles that I would find from my fellow Roman politicians. It seemed even Pompey Magnus may even deny our friendship after he denied my proposal to marry my blood, Octavia. While political turmoil seem to be brewing in Rome, I had to win over the esteem of Gaul authorities and kings to much pain to myself. I offered them gifts, including thousands of prisoners or lending them Roman troops when they requested their assistance. With the brewing conflict, I did not ask for the permission of the Senate before making this generous proposal to the authorities or kings. I went further with my generosity and presented wonderful public works for principal cities in Greece and Asia. I couldn't stop in Greece or Asia, and therefore, I sent a magnificent public work to Rome, Gaul, and Hispania. Romans and foreigners loved the spectacles I sent to their cities. I had the people wanting more and more.
After the spectacles, Marcus Claudius Marcellus, who then became a Consul, proposed to the Senate and the People that I  should relieve my command of my legions in Gaul and my Governorship since the war ended victorious before my term as Governor expires. Furthermore, he advised that there should be a replacement governor and that the legions in Gaul be disbanded. Marcellus didn't stop there. He then publicly stated that I should be prohibited from running for another term as Consul without appearing in Rome. To make the matter worse, Pompey had a bill passed through the Senate that regulated the privileges of Roman magistrates, but he forgot to include my situation of exception into the clause. This would exclude my opportunity to run for Consul as an absentee, which I had done for the last several years with the friendship of Pompey. Crassus, whom Pompey and I had a triple pact with, had been killed in battle at Carrhae with the Parthians. Crassus' death, my daughter Julia's death, and the death of her son, caused Pompey and I's friendship to crumble. However, I did not think he would betray me in such a fashion as to enact laws to create turmoil for me politically. Pompey had the new law engraved on a bronze tablet, and then he placed the tablet into Rome's treasury. Marcellus requested to the Senate that the colonists who for the past few years I have liberated and created Roman citizens in Gaul to forfeit their citizenship because their citizenship had only furthered my political gain and not that of Rome's.
All of this news infuriated me, and I stated, "Now that I am the leading Roman of my day, it will be harder to put me down a peg than degrade me to the ranks." It was not hard to convince the tribunes of the people to veto Marcellus' bill. I further damaged Marcellus by enlisting the help of one of his closest colleagues, Servius Sulpicius. Regardless of Marcellus' or his cousin Gaius' policy towards me, I was once more voted a Consul. I bribed several prominent tribunes to obtain the consulship.
I realized that Pompey and I's friendship has faltered, and the new consul-elects are standing against me. I went before the Senate, practically begging, to write an address to not cancel the privileges voted to me by the Roman people without forcing the other military leaders to resign their commands at the parallel time that I would resign my command. However, the Senate misinterpreted this request. They understood this to mean that I would mobilize my battle-hardened troops sooner than Pompey could rally his troops who hadn't seen battle for many years. I offered the Senate a deal that I would disband eight of my legions if I were to keep two legions and to be the governor of Cisalpine Gaul - or Illyricum with one legion.
The Senate did not intervene, and my opponents refused any deal that I was willing to give where the public good was concerned. The only alternative was to cross into Cisalpine Gaul with all my legions armed, and I halted at Ravenna. I had to protect the rights of all Romans, both Italia and Rome's loyal providences. I had to prepare for war if the Senate, or my opponents, were to take any serious actions against my interests and the interest of the people.

Sources Used:

Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars, Penguin Classics Revised Edition, December 18, 2007. Print

Family Tragedies to the Edge of Civil War

Over the years of the Gaul campaign, tragedy struck me at home while I was away. My dearest mother died. Not long after, my daughter, Julia died during child birth while delivering my grandson, who also died. I was grief stricken. My mother was very influential in my life, and my only daughter dies giving birth to what would have been my first grandchild, a grandson. It was a devastating blow in a time when Gaul was suffering many defeats to my legions.
The assassination of Publius Clodius had the Roman people outraged. The Senate answered harshly towards me passing a motion through the Senate that there should only be one Consul, and their Consul of choice was my dear friend, Pompey Magnus. The tribunes of the Roman people wanted me to be a colleague to Pompey. I asked whether they would let me continue my conquest of Gaul and to persuade the people that my Governorship of Gaul was nearly at an end. I would hate to leave Gaul when my work is not yet completed. Graciously, the people granted my request. With the conquest of Gaul, I would gain a lot of popularity from the people, not that my success in Gaul had not already obtained me great popularity from the people. I declared my decision to run for my second Consulship. With money from my spoils of Gaul, I built a new forum. In the forum, I held gladiatorial entertainment and a public banquet in memorial of my daughter Julia and my still born grandson.
In order to preserve my friendship with Pompey and to renew family ties, I offered Pompey my sister's granddaughter, Octavia. Octavia was already married to Gaius Marcellus, but in return, he would divorce Octavia to marry Pompey's daughter. I won a lot of favor from Pompey's friends and most of the Senate by offering them loans from very low to interest free rates. I also gave gifts to others who may not have even asked for them. All of these actions were a benefit to me because they endeared these people to me. My beneficiaries would rely upon me to help them in their difficulties, such as legal, debt, or those who lived past their wealth. However, I had my limits. Some Romans that would come to me for help would have records that were so heinous, people whose tastes were so expensive, people with criminal records, and people whose pockets were completely empty. I told people frankly, "What you need is a civil war."

Sources Used:

Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars, Penguin Classics Revised Edition, December 18, 2007. Print

I Came, I Saw, I Conquered

Yet, another concern came to me during my governorship of Gaul. A Germanic leader of the Suebi tribe, Ariovistus, demanded that the Sequani, a neighboring tribe, give the Ariovistus land to accommodate the people he ruled. If they were to have the lands he demands, the Suebi could attack the rest of Gaul. This must be stopped.
After the victory of the Helvetii, many of the tribes of Gaul congratulated me on my victory over the Helvetii, and they wanted to meet with me to speak of Ariovistus' actions. Diviciacus was the head speaker of the Gallic assembly of tribes, and he expressed many concerns with me over the hostages and conquests that Ariovistus has taken. Diviciacus proposed that I fight the Suebi tribe and their leader to remove the threat of Germanic invasion into Gaul or else the Gallic tribes would have to seek new lands. This was a grand opportunity, not only just for me, but to add to the glory of Rome. This action would help protect the allegiances between the Aedui and Rome with the opportunity to expand the Republic's borders, it would strengthen my soldiers, it would bring more loyalty from my soldiers, and it would establish myself as the commander of Rome's troops in Gaul. It was a marvelous opportunity that seemed destined for me to take.
Once again, the Senate worked against me. They declared Ariovistus a "king and friend of the Roman people" to prevent me from declaring war on the Suebi tribe. They did the Aedui, who have only been allies to Rome, a great wrongdoing. I could not ignore their cries. Ariovistus tried to assure me that the hostages of the Aedui would be safe as long as the Aedui pay their yearly tribute. That did not stop him, and when Ariovistus' attacks pushed Gallic tribes across the Rhone, I obtained the justification I needed to wage war on the Ariovistus and the Suebi tribe.
We marched for Vesontio, a large settlement of the Sequani who the Suebi planned to attack. Some of my officers tried to hold their positions, but when I said that the only legion I could count on was the 10th, the officers and their legions put their pride before their political standings. However, I pushed my legions to arrive in Vesontio before Artiovistus' even arrived. Ariovistus arrived and requested a meeting between the two of us. As I began to meet him, Suebi horsemen began to throw stones at my mounted escorts. A few days later, the Suebi leader asked for another meeting. Therefore, I sent Valerius Procillus, a trusted fiend, and Caius Mettius, a merchant who traded with Ariovistus, to meet. Ariovistus found my choice to be insulting, and he threw Caius and Valerius in chains along with the convoy. Ariovistus camped two miles behind me, which was only a problem because it cut off my supplies and communication to my allies. I could not entice the leader of the German tribe into battle, and my solution was to place a smaller camp closer to the encampment of Suebi. He attacked the smaller camp, but the legions repulsed their attack. The next morning, I ordered my troops to form a triplex acies advancing towards Ariovistus and the Suebi. I lined up on the right flank of the formation. Ariovistus lined up his seven tribal formation against the triplex acies. I would have to give credit for the victory against Ariovistus to Publius Crassus who led the cavalry charge who changed the tide of the battle in our favor, and the charge broke the German line. As the German line broke, the tribes along the line began to flee. The legions successfully killed most of Ariovistus' 120,000 men. The Seubi returned home, and they never engaged against my armies again. I was victorious.
My next campaign in Gaul was against the Belgae in 57 BC. By then, my legions had become skilled veteran force. After constant encounter, I defeated Belgae after they had suffered heavy losses, and they surrendered when I threatened to have all of their towns burned to the ground. All of the client tribes of the Belgae surrendered or fled. In 56 BC, I focused my legions against the Veneti tribe in Armorica who assembled a confederacy against the Roman providence. After constant land and sea campaigning, we were victorious against the tribes in Armorica. In 54, I brought a large force across the sea to defeat the powerful tribe of Catuvellauni, and from the success, I forced the tribe to pay tribute to Rome. The victories over the Catuvellauni and Veneti were great propaganda victories for myself and the glory of Rome.
In 54 and 53 BC, subjugated Gauls created an uprising under the leadership of Ambiorix. Quintus Tullius Cicero narrowly survived an attack that whipped out fifteen Roman cohorts by the Atuatuca Tungrorum. If it weren't for my timing, Cicero would have been killed. By the end of 53 BC, my legions crushed the uprising and restored order. However, another uprising came about when the Arverni tribe of central Gaul led by Vercingetorix united many of the Gallic tribes and lands under him. Vercingetorix's troops never fought my forces face to face, but instead, he made a campaign to rid me of my supplies. With haste, I captured the town of Avaricum, but unfortunately, I suffered a defeat at Gergovia. Vercingetorix always stayed mobile, and he never fought me openly. Finally, Vercingetorix held out for a battle at Alesia. I successfully besieged him and defeated a large reinforcement army of Gallic tribes after they had ran out of food. This defeat marked the end of the fighting between my legions and the Gallic and German tribes. I captured Vercingetorix and kept him as a captive for all the Roman people to see. Rome proclaimed a thanksgiving of twenty days to honor me for having reconquered Gaul.

Sources Used:
Caesar, Julius, S. A. Handford, and Jane F. Gardner. The Conquest of Gaul. London: Penguin, 1982. Print.