Martin Antonenko
A Fixture
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2008
- Messages
- 9,001
Total Victory!
On March 17, 45 B.C. Gaius Iulius Caesar...
...defeated in a battle in Hispania...
...his last opponents in the civil war who still have armed power.
Opposing his legions stands near the city of Munda...
...the "senate army" led by the very experienced former subordinate of Caesar during the conquest of Gaul, Titus Labienus...
The second leader of the "senate army" is Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus minor (the younger), who lives more on the name of his famous father - who was murdered in Egypt - than on his own talent...:
His brother Sextus is also there!
With 70,000 men (13 legions, cavalry and auxiliaries) the Senate army is almost twice as strong as Caesar's troops, which consists of eight legions and 8,000 cavalrymen (40,000 men) - on both sides the troops are experienced Roman drilled soldiers!
However, Caesar still has an auxiliary force with him, the "army" of the Mauritanian "king" Bogus, who is allied with him...:
At first he hides this troop from the eyes of his opponents.
Labienus has put the "senate army" in a better starting position, it is standing on a hill - so Caesar's soldiers have to fight uphill!
The fight goes on for some time with no clear advantage for either side...
...which forces the generals of both sides to leave their command posts and go to the fighting troops for encouragement.
Caesar takes command of the right wing, where his 10th Legion is engaged in heavy fighting. His presence renewed the will to win among the soldiers, and slowly they pushed the enemy back.
Nevertheless, the situation was so threatening for Caesar that he is said to have later said that he had usually fought for victory, but at Munda for his life.
The situation changes abruptly when the Mauritanians suddenly appear on the battlefield and attack the legionnaires of the "senate army" in the rear...:
The actually disciplined soldiers panic and their formation falls apart.
When Labienus tries to save the day...
...he falls in battle, after which his legionnaires turn to flee and try to escape to the nearby town of Munda.
While fleeing, many are massacred by Caesar's legionnaires - and even those who make it into Munda are overwhelmed when Caesar's troops - hot on their heels - storm the city!
At least 30,000 of the original 70,000 soldiers of the "Senate Army" die near Munda - the list of casualties of Caesar's legions is much shorter: around 1,000 dead.
Total victory!
However, the brothers Sextus and Gnaeus Pompeius manage to escape.
With this victory and with a bloody "pacified" Hispania, Caesar no longer has any opposition and can return to Rome, where he will accept the title "Dictator for life" in February 44.
On March 17, 45 B.C. Gaius Iulius Caesar...
...defeated in a battle in Hispania...
...his last opponents in the civil war who still have armed power.
Opposing his legions stands near the city of Munda...
...the "senate army" led by the very experienced former subordinate of Caesar during the conquest of Gaul, Titus Labienus...
The second leader of the "senate army" is Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus minor (the younger), who lives more on the name of his famous father - who was murdered in Egypt - than on his own talent...:
His brother Sextus is also there!
With 70,000 men (13 legions, cavalry and auxiliaries) the Senate army is almost twice as strong as Caesar's troops, which consists of eight legions and 8,000 cavalrymen (40,000 men) - on both sides the troops are experienced Roman drilled soldiers!
However, Caesar still has an auxiliary force with him, the "army" of the Mauritanian "king" Bogus, who is allied with him...:
At first he hides this troop from the eyes of his opponents.
Labienus has put the "senate army" in a better starting position, it is standing on a hill - so Caesar's soldiers have to fight uphill!
The fight goes on for some time with no clear advantage for either side...
...which forces the generals of both sides to leave their command posts and go to the fighting troops for encouragement.
Caesar takes command of the right wing, where his 10th Legion is engaged in heavy fighting. His presence renewed the will to win among the soldiers, and slowly they pushed the enemy back.
Nevertheless, the situation was so threatening for Caesar that he is said to have later said that he had usually fought for victory, but at Munda for his life.
The situation changes abruptly when the Mauritanians suddenly appear on the battlefield and attack the legionnaires of the "senate army" in the rear...:
The actually disciplined soldiers panic and their formation falls apart.
When Labienus tries to save the day...
...he falls in battle, after which his legionnaires turn to flee and try to escape to the nearby town of Munda.
While fleeing, many are massacred by Caesar's legionnaires - and even those who make it into Munda are overwhelmed when Caesar's troops - hot on their heels - storm the city!
At least 30,000 of the original 70,000 soldiers of the "Senate Army" die near Munda - the list of casualties of Caesar's legions is much shorter: around 1,000 dead.
Total victory!
However, the brothers Sextus and Gnaeus Pompeius manage to escape.
With this victory and with a bloody "pacified" Hispania, Caesar no longer has any opposition and can return to Rome, where he will accept the title "Dictator for life" in February 44.
