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Caesar portrayed his invasion of Gaul as being a defensive pre-emptive action, most historians agree that the wars were fought primarily to boost Caesar's political career and to pay off his massive debts. Even so, Gaul was extremely important to Rome, as they had been attacked many times by the Gauls. Conquering Gaul allowed Rome to secure the natural border of the river Rhine. Caesar painstakingly describes his military campaign, and this is it is still the most important historical source on the Gaul campaign. It is also a masterwork of political propaganda, as Caesar was keenly interested in manipulating his readers in Rome as he published this book just as the Roman Civil war began. W. A. Macdevitt's translations brings this land mark historic book alive.… (more)
Though probably not from the fair hand of the great man himself, but compiled by his military secretary, this is a clear and iconic military campaign book, probably earlier than any other roman military treatise. ( )
There’s much to value in Julius Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic War; it is lucidly and elegantly written, and Caesar’s august style makes it a rare reading experience. Being (at least in part) intended as source material for others, the narrative is straightforward and transparent, and there’s not a word too many. This is easily the best account of a military campaign I have ever read. The detailed descriptions of battle tactics, siegeworks, troop movements (on both sides), logistics, etc, gives an unique view of the different battles as well as the practical (and psychological) mechanisms of ancient warfare. Except for the occasional depreciating remark about Gauls in general, I was little bothered about the purported propaganda aspect of this work, also because it clearly shows what a formidable foe the combined forces of the Gallic tribes actually were. At the outset, I didn't expect to like it as much as I actually did, but I come out of this with a newfound respect for both the military commander and the author, as well as the man, Gaius Julius Caesar. I read the excellent translation by S. A. Handford, revised and with a new introduction by J. F. Gardner; much of the introduction is however rather jumbled and stands in stark contrast to Caesar’s own clear and well-organized account. The maps are good and invaluable for being able to follow the troop movements throughout Gaul.
Here we have One of the better known pieces of military history ever penned, and a common model of Latin composition. Like a good deal of military writing, the aims of the author, and his wish to maintain, if not establish his military reputation is clearly carried out. It reads, at least in this translation, easily. The mapping, as usual is not particularly good. ( )
Un libro escrito hace 2000+ años por un militar? (bueno, seguramente dictado y editador por sus secretarios) No parece que vaya a ser una maravilla. Pero Julio Cesar mantiene moviendose en el libro como si fuera un campo de batalla. Variando entre el comentario politico, el movimiento de tropas, el desarrollo de batallas particulares y detalles culturales.
Por supuesto Cesar seguramente miente en todos los detalles, parece que siempre toma las decisiones tacticas y estrategicas ideales lo cual no pudo ser así siempre.
Pero ya se sabe que la historia la escriben los vencedores. ( )
Fascinating to be reading the words Julius Caser wrote over 2,000 years ago. However, took a long time to get through this. Put the book down numerous times. ( )
Gallia est omnis divisa in partes tres, quarum unam incolunt Belgae, aliam Aquitani, tertiam qui ipsorum lingua Celtae, nostrae Galli appellantur.
Gaul is a whole divided into three parts, one of which is inhabited by the Belgae, another by the Aquitani, and a third by a people called in their own tongue Celtae, in the Latin Galli.
Quotations
Last words
Quo cum venisset, cognoscit per C. Marcellum consulem legiones duas ab se remissas, quae ex senatus consulto deberent ad Parthicum bellum duci, Cn. Pompeio traditas atque in Italia retentas esse. Hoc facto quamquam nulli erat dubium, quidnam contra Caesarem pararetur, tamen Caesar omnia patienda esse statuit, quoad sibi spes aliqua relinqueretur iure potius disceptandi quam belli gerendi. Contendit . . .
When he was come thither he learnt that through the action of the consul Gaius Marcellus the two legions sent back by himself, which in accordance with the Senate's decree ought to have been marched off for the Parthian campaign, had been handed over to Gnaeus Pompeius and kept in Italy. This action left no doubt in any man's mind what was afoot against Caesar; still, Caesar determined to submit to anything so long as some hope was left to him of a constitutional settlement rather than an appeal to arms. He pressed . . .
Caesar portrayed his invasion of Gaul as being a defensive pre-emptive action, most historians agree that the wars were fought primarily to boost Caesar's political career and to pay off his massive debts. Even so, Gaul was extremely important to Rome, as they had been attacked many times by the Gauls. Conquering Gaul allowed Rome to secure the natural border of the river Rhine. Caesar painstakingly describes his military campaign, and this is it is still the most important historical source on the Gaul campaign. It is also a masterwork of political propaganda, as Caesar was keenly interested in manipulating his readers in Rome as he published this book just as the Roman Civil war began. W. A. Macdevitt's translations brings this land mark historic book alive.
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Best war memoir ever written by the greatest general who ever lived.
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