The earliest eye-witness account of Britain and its inhabitants appears in these famous memoirs.
Betweeen 58 and 50 BC Julius Caesar not... read full description
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May 20, 2010
Scott
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Julius Caesar, the Roman geezer, lays omnis Gallia waste with his customary clemency, celerity, and efficiency. The Gallic War is a startling read, no less for its cracking pace and clear style, than for its shameless brutality and its unblushing depiction of greed and violence on an international scale: entire governments executed, civilian populations enslaved en masse, mass mutilations ... you get the feeling sometimes that that you're reading the diaries Hitler would have written, if he had
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Feb 08, 2012
A.j.
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There's nothing like a semi-truthful book by one of history's greatest sleaze-bags, old Julius himself. No doubt he dictated this to his secretary (Strabo?) while on campaign, the style of war that amassed 340,000 dead Germans in one afternoon. Not bad going. If he had a week at his leisure, he could have wiped out the entire race. Then where would we be? No schnaaps! No English language! (quiz: which is more important?)
This is a fun read. You can count the dead as you go along; and More...
This is a fun read. You can count the dead as you go along; and More...
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Sep 03, 2010
CAESAR
THE GALLIC WAR
WITH AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION BY
H.J. EDWARDS, C.B.
This may be the eighth time I have read this book during my life it was sent to me falling apart stamped to be discarded rescued by my daughter who I no doubt talked to about it. More or less translated from the campaign journals of C. JULIUS CEASAR 58 through 51 B.C., it covers nine years of bloody Roman conquest in the land of ancient Gaul (modern day France), Germany and Britain. For Caes More...
THE GALLIC WAR
WITH AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION BY
H.J. EDWARDS, C.B.
This may be the eighth time I have read this book during my life it was sent to me falling apart stamped to be discarded rescued by my daughter who I no doubt talked to about it. More or less translated from the campaign journals of C. JULIUS CEASAR 58 through 51 B.C., it covers nine years of bloody Roman conquest in the land of ancient Gaul (modern day France), Germany and Britain. For Caes More...
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May 11, 2008
Cicero
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This a very engaging set historical reports of Caesar's Conquest of Gaul.
When Caesar was writing this himself he was using it as a propaganda for himself back in Rome with the people and certain members of the Senate. While there are clear elements of propoganda; Caesars reports are fairly balanced with only a few cases of selected reporting (such as his assertion that his entrance of Gaul was a peace-keeping mission).
Caesar himself is a very gifted writer using a very p More...
When Caesar was writing this himself he was using it as a propaganda for himself back in Rome with the people and certain members of the Senate. While there are clear elements of propoganda; Caesars reports are fairly balanced with only a few cases of selected reporting (such as his assertion that his entrance of Gaul was a peace-keeping mission).
Caesar himself is a very gifted writer using a very p More...
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Dec 24, 2011
Bruce
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Having taken three years of high school Latin, fifty years later, a couple of years ago, I decided to relearn my Latin and begin reading works of classical antiquity in their original languages. I’ve not yet made it to learning Greek, but the Latin is progressing. Most students of Latin will recall having read Caesar’s The Gallic War as their first literary work. I found that what I read then was both abbreviated and heavily edited. Now I’ve read the work in its entirety, and it has been gre
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Oct 11, 2011
Jeremy
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In 387 B.C., Rome suffered the worst defeat in its history by that point. Brennus of the Senones, a people from Gaul, laid waste to the army of Rome and entered the city. The Gauls looted and devastated the city and they would not leave until the Romans bought them off. The defeat had damaged the Roman psyche, before Rome would only go to war if for a just cause like self-defense. After this attack, their view of self-defense would take on a completely new dimension: preemptive attacks--to use a
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Feb 04, 2009
Stupac
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Even though this is clearly a propaganda piece, it has been hailed as the most valuable piece of ancient military history. It reads much like a journal and gives great first hand insight into the operations of a post-Marian Roman army, the most efficient military force of its day which is surprisingly like modern military forces. Caesar gives details on the daily operations, from gathering supplies, building fortifications and bridges, artillery, scouting, ambushes, transportation, garrisons, pu
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Aug 10, 2010
Jesse
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One expects a simple, straight-forward prose from a general, but no one expects elegance! Caesar, however, without intending to, wrote very well, and, as a result, these are the only commentaries on campaigns written by their general from the ancient world that have come down to us. The conquest of Gaul, or modern France, interestingly, wasn't even Caesar's intention, as he moved his troops to Illyricum in Greece after his first year in the province. Internal strife, however, called him back, as
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Dec 11, 2009
Keely
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Nothing better represents Caesar's understanding of how to play upon the hopes and joys of man than the fact that he was able to turn a few hundred pages of troop movements into a thoughtful, engrossing narrative. We read not only Caesar's thoughts and intentions in the work, but also gain an invaluable view of Roman politics. In his own words, Caesar sets the scene for the events which soon overtook the empire and captured the imagination of western literature for thousands of years to come.
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May 19, 2009
Arne
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Time-travelling with Julius. His account on the Gallian Wars read like they were recorded with a dictaphone on horseback or in his tent. Very precise and absolutely free of humour -which makes it almost funny. The most enjoyable bits are: The beginning, when the Helvetians (all of them!) leave their country (and only scorched earth) behind, wanting to move to the Dordogne in Southwestern France. Julius would not let them. And the part when he tries to invade England for the first time, because
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Dec 06, 2011
Andrew
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I was surprised at how engaging this actually is. This tells the story of Caesar's wars in Gaul, which led up to his attempt at assuming absolute power over the Roman Empire. It tells how the war began, and provides many details concerning Roman warfare, the legions, and even provides interesting perspectives on the peoples Caesar fought against.
While there is much useful historical information, keep in mind it's written by a politician who had his own interests in mind.
I re More...
While there is much useful historical information, keep in mind it's written by a politician who had his own interests in mind.
I re More...
Dec 15, 2010
Barnaby
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In this captivating and eloquent masterpiece, Julius Caeser gives a year-by-year account of his seven years in Gaul, keeping the Celts in line, advancing unsuccessfully across the English channel and the Rhine, and putting down a major rebellion organized by the Arverni king Vercingetorix.
One can see why Roman letters set the high standard of eloquence that European scholars would look to for over a thousand years. The clarity and precision of Caeser's writing are extremely admirable, More...
One can see why Roman letters set the high standard of eloquence that European scholars would look to for over a thousand years. The clarity and precision of Caeser's writing are extremely admirable, More...
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Aug 21, 2008
Terence
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Gallia est omnis divisa in partes tres...I first read this remarkable little work in my high school Latin class (in the original Latin). Yes! My high school offered Latin as an elective and it wasn't Catholic.
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Jan 24, 2011
Shawn
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Compared to some other historical books I've read on ancient wars (Punic Wars, Peloponnesian War, etc), this was probably one of the better ones.
I think it helped that this was basically a 7-year journal from one of the actual participants and not a historian who wrote an account of it decades after it happened.
Although I could never get used to how it was written in a combination of both the 1st AND the 3rd person. For example, he would write something along the lines of, "Cae More...
I think it helped that this was basically a 7-year journal from one of the actual participants and not a historian who wrote an account of it decades after it happened.
Although I could never get used to how it was written in a combination of both the 1st AND the 3rd person. For example, he would write something along the lines of, "Cae More...
Feb 08, 2008
Courtney
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I have to give Caesar credit, it's a pretty good bunch of propaganda. Ultimately, it allowed him to justify his takeover of Rome, "for the good of the republic."
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Oct 19, 2010
Like Spielberg in "Jaws" Caesar delays his own appearance for some time. Like Bob Dole, he refers to himself in the third person.
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May 29, 2010
Amy
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Reads like an episode from Lord of the Rings. The Roman army was the most gallant, courageous, strong, honorable group of heroes ever. As long as you keep in mind the assumed unreliable nature of the narrator and his ulterior motives for writing this piece, the history of the Gallic people is fascinating. There are detailed tidbits like how some tribes would build their ships, how they would lay a siege, or flank a cohort. Being in charge of the army of the largest empire in the world must have
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Aug 25, 2011
Mason
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Two quotes from The Simpsons are relevant here. First is the episode with Rodney Dangerfield, when the cops think Homer kidnapped Burns' son, and Mr. Burns shouts through the megaphone, "The negotiations have failed, shoot him!" Caesar engages in constant diplomacy but is pretty quick to bring out the legions when he feels like it. Second is the episode with George H.W. Bush writing in his memoirs: "Since I had achieved all my goals in a single term, there was no need for a second
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Sep 10, 2011
Travis
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Julius Caesar wrote ten commentaries, covering his campaigns in Gaul (modern day France) and the Roman civil war. The Gallic War collects the first seven of these, with an eight commentary by Aulus Hirtius. Carolyn Hammond's translation comes with a lengthy introduction, a chronological list of primary events, illustrations of referenced geography, a glossary and end notes. Personally, I loathe end notes, because they provide relevant information but interrupt the reading process to access.
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Feb 15, 2011
Chris
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Not only was Caesar a master self-promoter and consummate politician, but he could wield the pen with a stylistic flourish: The Gallic Wars hums along in double time, marching the reader through the entire lengthy invasion and pacification campaign of non-Narbonensis Gaul. Really, Caesar offers it all - a foretaste of the Caesarian Cycle in the story of the migratory horde of the Helvetii and their fiercely contested clash with the Roman will, resulting in a thorough Julian chastisement; then a
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Jul 16, 2011
umberto
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I think this book is worth reading and pondering since it's written by one of the famous Roman generals and statesmen in Latin. Long time ago I first read his decisive quote, "I came, I saw, I conquered!" [Veni, vidi, vici!] somewhere with awe and wondered who said this and why. We can still read about him in innumerable biographies nowadays even though he lived 2,000 years ago. From this book, I think Julius Caesar was a leader of genius due to his wit, character and leadership. Some
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Sep 06, 2008
q
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Caesar's account of his conquest of Gaul is broken into chapters, usually one for each campaigning seasion. Generally (ha!) he lays out the political and strategic difficulties, giving his opponents' points of view as well as his own, then moves on to an account of events. It's often difficult to tell whether he arrives at others' points of view just by thinking in their shoes or from the reports of spies. Either way, his analyses come off as realistic and accurate.
He's certainly More...
He's certainly More...
Feb 25, 2008
Rick
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Since we no longer are required to take Latin in school, Caesar doesn’t get read like he used to. If you take a course in the Ancient World or The Classical World or, even more specifically, Roman History, you are much more likely to be assigned Suetonius or Tacitus, even Robert Graves, than Caesar. It’s a shame because Juilius could write quite nicely. What’s more he had a soldier’s respect for his opponents, be they Gauls, Britains, or Germans—all of whom fight stubbornly to resist the charms
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Oct 21, 2007
http://nhw.livejournal.com/1049815.html[return][return]An interesting first-hand account of seven years of campaigning (essentially the summers of the years from 58 to 52 BC) by the Roman army in what is now France, with excursions to what is now Germany, Belgium and England. The Penguin edition is not bad at all, with decent footnotes drawing attention to where Caesar is nuancing the story to make himself look better (the book was published shortly after his return to Rome, engaged in the strug
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Apr 24, 2007
ward
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This book is utterly fascinating!!!
It is written by Julius Caesar, about himself and the Roman conquest of Gaul, in the THIRD person ("As was his way, Caesar, in his greatness, showed clemency in accepting the praise of those whom he had conquered."). It is hard to imagine such self possessed aristocracy existing today - and yet to hear its thoughts given word. What can sometimes sound supremely arrogant, for lack of a better expression, begins to sound "Imperial" More...
It is written by Julius Caesar, about himself and the Roman conquest of Gaul, in the THIRD person ("As was his way, Caesar, in his greatness, showed clemency in accepting the praise of those whom he had conquered."). It is hard to imagine such self possessed aristocracy existing today - and yet to hear its thoughts given word. What can sometimes sound supremely arrogant, for lack of a better expression, begins to sound "Imperial" More...
Aug 22, 2011
Mathieu
rated it:
Sacré Jules ! On a beau savoir que le gros du texte est enjolivé pour sa propre gloire, et que la dernière partie n' est pas de lui, on le lit quand même avec intérêt.
La guerre des Gaules est en effet le seul texte contemporain de faits relatant la conquête de ce qui représente aujourd'hui la France, La Belgique et la partie de la Hollande qui se situe sur la rive gauche du Rhin.
Un texte à manier avec des pincettes donc,mais qui constitue malgré tout une source d' informations historiques majeur More...
La guerre des Gaules est en effet le seul texte contemporain de faits relatant la conquête de ce qui représente aujourd'hui la France, La Belgique et la partie de la Hollande qui se situe sur la rive gauche du Rhin.
Un texte à manier avec des pincettes donc,mais qui constitue malgré tout une source d' informations historiques majeur More...
Aug 04, 2011
Very interesting read indeed! Now that I'm through, I would like to invite recommendations about books that cover the same events but from modern scientific perspective (history), i.e. I want to know how much of what Caesar wrote really went that way. Also some illustrated (with e.g. maps and such) commentaries on the battles described would be nice as I have to admit some of them were a little hard to follow for me in pure literary form.
Jan 14, 2009
Amazing to think that this is the account of a military foray into present day France by Julius Caesar himself! Of course, one has to weigh the prose with a grain of salt (read "self-promotion"), but a fascinating read none-the-less. Especially enlightening is the ability of the Roman army to build roads through the Alps back in the days without heavy machinery - present day raod crews could use a lesson or two here!!!!
Nov 11, 2011
Simon
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Clear, concise account of Caesar's campaigns in Gaul. Full of interesting military detail, his commentaries are surprisingly honest in parts, though lacking any embellishments of style or humour. I would have loved more on the culture and institutions of the Gauls, which were the parts I found most interesting, but really, this is Caesar's account of his military career. As such, the political context in which he was writing must be kept in mind: written in the lead up to the Great Roman Civil w
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