Gallic War

The conquest that begot the Roman Empire.

Caesar (C. Iulius, 102-44 BC), statesman and soldier, defied the dictator Sulla; served in the Mithridatic wars and in Spain; entered Roman politics as a "democrat" against the senatorial government; was the real leader of the coalition with Pompey and Crassus; conquered all Gaul for Rome; attacked Britain twice; was forced into civil war; became master of the Roman world; and achieved wide-reaching reforms until his murder. We have his books of commentarii (notes): eight on his wars in Gaul from 58-52 BC, including the two expeditions to Britain in 55-54, and three on the civil war of 49-48. They are records of his own campaigns (with occasional digressions) in vigorous, direct, clear, unemotional style and in the third person.

Although the Gallic War in particular is carefully designed to present Caesar in the most favorable light as both commander and Roman citizen, it has long been revered as exemplary military history and a model of Latin prose style.

This edition of the Gallic War replaces the earlier Loeb Classical Library edition by H. J. Edwards (1917) with new text, translation, introduction, and bibliography. In the Loeb Classical Library edition of Caesar, Volume II is his Civil War; Volume III consists of Alexandrian War, African War, and Spanish War, commonly ascribed to Caesar by our manuscripts but of uncertain authorship.

About the Author

Cynthia Damon is Professor of Classical Studies, Emerita, at the University of Pennsylvania.