Julius Caesar: Man, Soldier, And TyrantSince the Renaissance, Julius Caesar has been idolized as a superman. Classical sources, however, present a far less exalted being. As General Fuller writes, Caesar was "an unscrupulous demagogue whose one aim was power, and a general who could not only win brilliant victories but also commit dismal blunders. . . . It is reasonable to suspect that, at times, Caesar was not responsible for his actions, and toward the end of his life, not altogether sane." There is not doubt that Caesar was an extraordinary man." But Fuller points out that he was extraordinary for his reckless ambition, matchless daring, and ruthless tyranny, rather than for his skills as a military commander. Caesar continually had to extricate himself from results of mistakes of judgement. His unnecessary Alexandrian War, his close call at Thapsus, and his seemingly unpremeditated Gallic conquest are just a few of Fuller's many examples.And in telling Caesar's history, Fuller illuminates a century of Roman history as well. Aided by maps of Caesar's principal battles and diagrams of many of his weapons, Fuller brings to life Caesar's wars, his armies, his equipment, and his methods. Brilliant in design and impressive in scope, Julius Caesar clarifies how the military, political, and economic aspects of the Roman Republic worked together to produce a man whose name has come down to us as a synonym for absolute authority. |
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Page 47
... land to his discharged soldiers , for the purchase of which there was now ample money in the treasury . Instead , the Senate set out to humiliate him ; it haggled over his acta one by one , and quibbled over the cost of land for his men ...
... land to his discharged soldiers , for the purchase of which there was now ample money in the treasury . Instead , the Senate set out to humiliate him ; it haggled over his acta one by one , and quibbled over the cost of land for his men ...
Page 62
... land in Italy on which to settle the indigent poor and discharged soldiers , it had the appearance of being a popular measure . According to the bill , the purchase money was to be raised by selling vast tracts of land and real estate ...
... land in Italy on which to settle the indigent poor and discharged soldiers , it had the appearance of being a popular measure . According to the bill , the purchase money was to be raised by selling vast tracts of land and real estate ...
Page 116
... land forces . - The problem of the campaign centred in the defeat of the Venetian fleet , either in a naval action , or by cutting it off from its land bases . The latter course was most difficult , because the bases were strongholds 1 ...
... land forces . - The problem of the campaign centred in the defeat of the Venetian fleet , either in a naval action , or by cutting it off from its land bases . The latter course was most difficult , because the bases were strongholds 1 ...
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Aedui Afranius Alesia Alexandria Antony Appian archers Ariovistus arms army arrived Arverni assembled attack battle battle of Pharsalus became Bellovaci Bituriges Brundisium Caesar camp campaign Cassius Cato cavalry centurions Cicero Cisalpine Gaul Civil Wars Clodius cohorts command consuls consulship contravallation Corfinium corn Crassus decided defeat Domitius Dyrrachium elected enemy enemy's entrenched favour fight flank fleet followed foragers force Gaius galleys Gallic garrison Gergovia Germans Gnaeus Helvetii hill Holmes honour horse horsemen Ibid Ilerda infantry Italy join king Labienus land learnt legionaries legions light-armed Marius miles Mithridates Nervii night Numidian occupied Petreius Pharsalus Plutarch Pompeians Pompey Pompey's praetors probably province Publius Quintus raised rampart rear recruited revolt Rhine river Roman Republic Rome Scipio Senate sent ships siege soldiers Spain Suetonius supply surrender tactics Thapsus told took town tribes tribunes troops Vercingetorix victory withdrew writes