The Civil War

Front Cover
Penguin UK, Feb 5, 2004 - History - 368 pages
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.
 

Contents

Caesar the man and his aims
INTRODUCTION
The Civil War and the continuations
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
TRANSLATORS NOTE
THE CIVIL WAR PART I THE STRUGGLE BEGINS 1 Intransigence at Rome
Caesar reacts
The siege of Corfinium
Pompey follows
The battle of Pharsalus
The death of Pompey
Caesar at Alexandria
THE ALEXANDRIAN
EVENTS IN EGYPT 1 Military preparations
The water supply poisoned
Naval engagements

Pompey leaves Italy
Caesars Senate
Resistance at Massilia
The first Spanish campaign Ilerda
A naval fight at Massilia
Spain a war of attrition
The Pompeians capitulate
SECURING THE WEST 1 The Siege of Massilia
Spain the surrender of Varro 3 Massilia capitulates
Africa Curios campaign
Curios last stand
THE GREAT CONFRONTATION 1 Caesar in Italy Pompeys preparations
Negotiations in Epirus
Trouble in Italy
Antony runs the gauntlet
The lieutenants in Macedon
Stalemate at Dyrrachium
Setbacks for Caesar
Caesar moves to Thessaly
The last stages
EVENTS IN ASIA
EVENTS IN ILLYRICUM
EVENTS IN SPAIN
ZELA
THE AFRICAN WAR 1 Initial landings in Africa
Waiting at Ruspina
Consolidation
Caesar takes the offensive
The Pompeians lose the initiative
NOTES
APPENDIXES
THE ULTIMATE DECREE
GLOSSARY OF PERSONS AND PLACES
Thapsus 7 The settlement of Africa
INDEX TO MAPS
Italy
Copyright

Other editions - View all

Common terms and phrases

About the author (2004)

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.

Bibliographic information