Commentarii de Bello Civili

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For the epic poem by Lucan called de Bello civili, see Pharsalia.
Commentarii de Bello Civili
(Commentaries on the Civil War)
1783 edition of the Commentaries on the Gallic War and the Civil War
AuthorJulius Caesar
LanguageClassical Latin
SubjectHistory, Military history
GenreNon-fiction
PublisherJulius Caesar
Publication date
46 BC
Preceded byCommentarii de Bello Gallico 
Followed byde Bello Alexandrino 

Gnaeus Pompeius and the Roman Senate. It consists of three books covering the events of 49–48 BC, from shortly before Caesar's invasion of Italy to Pompey's defeat at the Battle of Pharsalus and flight to Egypt. It was preceded by the much longer account of Caesar's campaigns in Gaul and was followed by similar works covering the ensuing wars against the remnants of Pompey's armies in Egypt, North Africa, and Spain. Caesar's authorship of the Commentarii de Bello Civili is not disputed[citation needed], while the three later works are believed to have been written by contemporaries of Caesar.[1]

Title

The Latin title Commentarii de Bello Civili is often retained as the title of the book in English translations of the work. The title itself is Latin for "Commentaries on the Civil War". It is sometimes shortened to just "Civil Wars", "About the Civil Wars", and "The Civil War", in English translations.[2]

Background and motivations

Further information:
Caesar's Civil War

Following his consulship in 59 BCE, Caesar served an unprecedented ten-year term as governor of

Centuriate Assembly and the Tribal Assembly of the Plebs. This friendship of convenience came to an end with the death of Crassus in 53 BCE, and Pompey's marriage to Cornelia Metella, the daughter of a fierce opponent of Caesar. Amid a fresh outbreak of political violence in Rome, Pompey was appointed sole consul in 52 and solidified his support among the Optimates in the Senate. Caesar, meanwhile, had concluded his conquest of Gaul and, aided by the publication of his Commentarii de Bello Gallico, had become a champion of the people. The Senate, whose authority Caesar had defied in obtaining his post as governor, recognized that Caesar posed a serious political threat and demanded that he disband his army in order to be allowed to stand for the consulship. Caesar agreed provided that Pompey do the same, but this only further enraged the Senate. As his term as governor came to an end, Pompey and the Senate demanded that Caesar disband his army and return to Rome, and they forbade him to run for consul in absentia. Knowing that he would be ruined by his political opponents without either the protection provided by his army or the immunity offered by the consulship, Caesar ignored the demands of the Senate and, by entering into Italy at the head of his army on January 10, 49 BCE
, provoked the Senate to declare him an enemy of the Roman people.

In the text, Caesar presents himself as the victim of a conspiracy occurring in

epicurean model. Caesar omits many details of the military campaigns, focusing in large part on the larger strategic situation and the reasoning behind the actions occurring.[2]

Contents

Caesar organized his commentaries into three separate books, at that time written on individual scrolls. Each book is subdivided into numbered paragraphs. The books cover a two-year period discussing the Roman Civil War during 49 and 48 BC.

Book I

Written as a narrative, the book begins with the expiration of Caesar's term as governor of Gaul and the party dominating the Roman Senate ordering him to return to the city to face charges of misconduct and possible execution.[3] Caesar explains how he was wronged by Pompeius and his cohorts, who refused to permit him the triumph that was traditionally permitted to victorious generals. He proceeds with his army to invade Italy from Gaul. Pompeius attempts to raise an army in southern Italy, but is forced to retreat with the army to Greece. Caesar continually points to his efforts to reach an accommodation with Pompeius, and attempts to portray Pompeius as a jealous man only interested in perpetuating a rule in which he and his inner circle control the Republic.[4]

Book II

Caesar's lieutenant

Gaius Trebonius besieges Massilia
. After a long siege, the Massilians finally surrender to Caesar, who shows his typical leniency to the vanquished.

Curio sets out for Africa and establishes camp near Utica. He routs the troops of Publius Attius Varus, and the Numidian King Juba
sends reinforcements to Varus. Curio is overly confident; his poor decision-making leads to his army being trapped and slaughtered by the Numidians. Juba takes several Roman senators captive.

Book III

Caesar and his army follow Pompeius across the

Asia Minor and moves to reinforce Pompeius.[6]

The book climaxes with the

Hispanic
wars, written most likely by officers of Caesar's armies.

Criticism and revival

Modern historians[who?] lament the fact that Caesar omits many important details about the military events, primarily because the book is the only source known to exist for many of the events that occurred in it, but also because it was written from the unique perspective of the most powerful figure in the Republic and one of the most notable generals in human history.

The book was for a time lost, but was rediscovered in Italian city archives in the

Napoleon I, Emperor of the French, ordered a detailed look at the works of Caesar. The Commentarii de Bello Civili, along with his other works, were compiled into the Histoire de Jules Cesar, and served as an important history that renewed interest in Caesar.[9] The Commentarii de Bello Civili, along with Caesar's other literary works, became staple reading for Latin studies around the world because of their quality and simplicity and because of the excellent grammar employed by Caesar in his writings.[10]

References

  1. ^ See Suetonius, Lives of the Twelve Caesars: Julius 56 who suggests Aulus Hirtius and Gaius Oppius as possible authors.
  2. ^ a b Henderson, p. vii
  3. ^ Caesar, 1.2
  4. ^ Caesar, 1.5–8
  5. ^ Caesar, 1.23
  6. ^ Caesar, 2.4
  7. ^ Caesar, 3.103
  8. ^ Caesar, 3.112
  9. ^ a b Henderson, p. x
  10. ^ Henderson, pp. ix–x

Sources

  • Caesar, Gaius Julius. Commentarii de Bello Civili (in Latin). B.G. Teubner.
  • Henderson, Jeffery (2006). Civil Wars. Edward's Brother's.
    ISBN 0-674-99043-9
    .
  • ISBN 978-0-19-965974-6
    .
  • ISBN 978-0-19-872406-3.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link
    )
  • ISBN 978-0-674-99703-5
    .

External links

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