Siege of Massilia
Siege of Massilia | |||||||||
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Part of Caesar's Civil War | |||||||||
Map of the siege | |||||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||||
Supporters of Julius Caesar |
City of Massilia Supporters of Pompey | ||||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
Gaius Trebonius (siege) Decimus Brutus (naval blockade) | L. Domitius Ahenobarbus | ||||||||
Units involved | |||||||||
Legio XVII, XVIII and XIX | Militia of Massilia | ||||||||
Strength | |||||||||
Land forces: c. 15,000 legionaries (3 legions)
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Land forces: c. 8,000 militia
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Casualties and losses | |||||||||
1,100 | 4,000 |
The siege of
Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus had become proconsul of Gaul and was sent to gain control of Massilia (modern Marseille) in order to oppose Caesar. As Caesar marched to Hispania (en route to confront Pompey's legions), the Massiliots closed their gates to him, having allied with Ahenobarbus and the Optimates. Roused by their hostile actions, he commenced a siege against Massilia, leaving the newly raised XVII, XVIII, and XIX legions to conduct the siege under the command of Gaius Trebonius. He also placed Decimus Brutus in charge of his fleet there. Caesar himself marched with his veteran legions to Hispania to fight the Pompeian generals Lucius Afranius and Marcus Petreius. He would return to the siege of Massilia after defeating his opponents at the battle of Ilerda.
After the siege had begun, Ahenobarbus arrived in Massilia to defend it against the Caesarian forces. In late June, Caesar's ships, although they were less skilfully built than those of the Massiliots and outnumbered, were victorious in the ensuing naval battle.
Gaius Trebonius conducted the siege using a variety of siege machines including
Trebonius built a stationary tower, 30 feet (9.1 m) square and six stories in height, under the very walls of the city and in the face of a rain of missiles from its engines. The walls of the tower were of brickwork 5 feet (1.5 m) thick. When the lowest storey was built it was covered with a solid fireproof roof which was not secured to the walls but rested upon them like a lid. The eaves projected considerably, and from them screens were hung on all sides, covering all the walls. By means of screws the whole canopy, roof, and screens was now raised to the height of one storey and the workmen proceeded to build the walls of that storey under its protection. This process was repeated in the same manner until the full height of the tower was attained.[1]
The Massiliots valiantly defended against the siege machines and works. They threw down
At the final surrender of Massilia, Caesar showed his usual leniency and Lucius Ahenobarbus fled to Thessaly in the only vessel that was able to escape from the
In fiction
- In Colleen McCullough's novel Caesar (the Master of Rome series) the siege is described in some detail.
- In Steven Saylor's novel Last Seen in Massilia (the Roma Sub Rosa series) the siege is the setting for the story.
References
- ^ Caesar: de Bello Civili, Book II, 8, 9.