Reading Group--Caesar's Legion

[mmadsen]

Chapter VII -- Enemy of the State

In full armor, helmet, and scarlet general's cloak now -- there was no longer any need to disguise himself -- Caesar walked to where Colonel Pollio waited with a horse for his commander. The first of Caesar's reinforcements...were only several days march away....Any other general would have waited for them to arrive so that he entered Italy with at least three legions. But not Caesar.

As the author suggests, Julius Caesar lives by the same motto as Patton: Audacity, audacity, always audacity. He's willing to invade Italy with just one legion -- even though Rome knows he's coming.

Everyone expects him to wait at the Rubicon for his three legions to gather. He waltzes in early -- and Pompey doesn't really have ten legions ready; he has his elite 1st, the 15th, a legion that used to serve under Caesar, and muster rolls to fill another eight [legions] with draftees and veterans eligible for recall from retirement.

 

[mmadsen]

Chapter VII -- Enemy of the State

With Caesar and Colonel Pollio leading the way and Caesar's personal standard flying proudly from the horse coming along behind him, the German cavalry clattered over the bridge spanning the Rubicon and entered Italy. With this act, Julius Caesar violated the Cornelia Majestatis Law, which made it illegal for a general to lead troops out of the province to which he had been assigned by the Roman Senate. In doing so he was considered to have committed an act of war against the Senate and the people of Rome. There was no turning back from here.

Now that's crossing the Rubicon. As always, standards rock -- and I love the term "Cornelia Majestatis".

 

[mmadsen]

Lurkers?

Out of curiosity, are people who aren't reading the book reading (and enjoying) this thread? And how many people are reading along in our little reading group?

(Oh, and, thanks, Mike/optimizer, for the kind words and subtle "bumps".)

 

[Leopold]

i am reading the book..i had to read tomas harris' red dragon first as i want to see the movie when it comes out and couldn't resist..now it's back to caeser and his destruction of the britons!

 

[optimizer]

Re: Lurkers?

Howdy!

Out of curiosity, are people who aren't reading the book reading (and enjoying) this thread? And how many people are reading along in our little reading group?

(Oh, and, thanks, Mike/optimizer, for the kind words and subtle "bumps".)

You are very welcome! I am enjoying this thread immensely. I ran out to my local Borders to buy this book right after the thread started. I have found it to be a well-written book. My fiancee thumbed through it, and now wants to read it after I finish with it.

I do have one small negative comment on the book -- there is a lack of maps on the individual battles. I would like to see some more tactical maps of the battles being described -- they have helped me with other military history books. Does any one know of any works with some good maps of Caesar's battles?

Thanks for a great thread!

Mike

 

[mmadsen]

General Domitius decides to hold out in Corfinium and sends word to Pompey to relieve him. Pompey says he never told him to hold out there. Caesar's probably expecting more legions, so Pompey tells him to get out; he's not coming to his aid. But it's too late.

General Domitius lied to his men; he told them that Pompey was on the way with a relief force, and urged them to defend the town with all their might. At the same time, he made secret preparations to escape. But not secret enough -- word leaked out about the general's planned desertions of his troops. he was nabbed by his own soldiers, in civilian dress, trying to effect his escape.

I can't believe they let him live. They handed him over to Caesar in chains. He gave his word to stay out of the war, and Caesar set him free.

 

[mmadsen]

Re: Re: Lurkers?

I am enjoying this thread immensely. I ran out to my local Borders to buy this book right after the thread started. I have found it to be a well-written book....Thanks for a great thread!

You're very welcome! (Thanks to to SHARK too, of course!)

My fiancee thumbed through it, and now wants to read it after I finish with it.

Excellent!

I do have one small negative comment on the book -- there is a lack of maps on the individual battles. I would like to see some more tactical maps of the battles being described -- they have helped me with other military history books. Does any one know of any works with some good maps of Caesar's battles?

John Warry's Warfare in the Classical World covers far more than Caesar's battles, so it doesn't go into great depth, but it does have a few nice maps and some excellent diagrams of siege works.

 

[optimizer]

Re: Re: Re: Lurkers?

Howdy!

John Warry's Warfare in the Classical World covers far more than Caesar's battles, so it doesn't go into great depth, but it does have a few nice maps and some excellent diagrams of siege works.

Thanks -- this may be just what I need!

Mike

 

[SHARK]

Greetings!

I have previously developed a system of powerful, magical banners for armies on the battlefield. Between Caesar's Legion and the ELH, I must revise some of my earlier designs! Quite obviously, throughout Caesar's Legion, Standards and Banners are used for communication, inculcating unit pride, but also possessing powerful psychological power on the battlefield.

More than a few times hardened veterans have thrown themselves into the fire for the preservation, or prestige, of a unit standard!

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

 

[dagger]

Im a Lurker who doesnt have the book yet . But Im enjoying the thread...


I plan on picking the book up eventually though.