Julius Caesar is our travel guide as he takes us through his murderous subjugation of the native Celtic tribal peoples of ancient Gaul. It sounds vaguely like other, recent European colonial conquests...until the natives nearly win.
The host ponders what items would be on his list of things he would die for and mentions the New Hampshire State motto. He also suggests that creating such a list could help individuals measure their progress towards personal goals.
The tragedies in history occurred when one's willingness to die for something conflicted with another's, and the definition of freedom differed from nation to nation and age to age, leading to devastating results. The idea that freedom is based on the absence of external control over one's own people is another interpretation of political liberty different from the former.
The podcast host discusses the story of a European power dominating and colonizing tribal people with their technological and civilizational advantages and the destruction of their culture, sometimes with the choice between surrender or rebellion. The speaker finds a romantic but doomed quality to these stories and notes the impact on one's soul when imagining being subjected to such treatment.
The podcast discusses the conquest of nations by the United States and how the drive to increase territorial holdings and economic motives for organized aggression belong to an accepted norm of international activity in the ancient world. They also talk about the impact of diseases and the small number of Native American warriors fighting against encroaching Manifest Destiny.
In ancient times, the height and strength of soldiers could make a significant difference in hand-to-hand combat, especially when facing an army of people who were on average five inches taller and proportionately stronger than the average person. However, comparing this to the Holocaust has been considered an insult to Roman honor.
This episode discusses the early days of Rome, including its limited control over the surrounding areas and its conflicts with neighboring city-states. The focus is on the separation of men who will defend the city from the rest of the population.
Livy paints a picture of the great old men of Rome waiting for death in their decorated robes of higher office, while the Celts come into the city and touch off the forest fire of gallic impetuosity.
Historians debate whether the sacking of Rome in 390 BCE was carried out by a tribe of Celtic people or by a group of hired mercenaries. The ancestors of the people who sacked Rome may have been the same people in Ireland 500 years later.
Historical evidence suggests that select groups of Celtic warriors fought absolutely nude, except for a gold torque around their neck, which was described as a giant armlet or anklet. They were muscular, sinewy, and required to be in shape, fined if their belly drooped over their belt line.
The Romans were forced to conquer a portion of southern France from the Celtic peoples in order to gain access to Spain, due to their invasion fears. The hostile tribes in Spain were a threat to Rome after the Second Punic War, while the mix of Celtic and Germanic people along the border complicated identification and classification.
This episode discusses the role of Gaius Marius in formalizing and institutionalizing the practices of the Roman army, which allowed for the creation of the first Roman imperial army, as well as the deep-seated fear of invasion from the north that was present in Rome dating back to the sack of Rome in 390.
This episode explores the fascinating history and mythology of the druids, the intellectual class of ancient Gaul that were revered for their knowledge of nature magic and premonitions. Despite being treated as barbarians by the Romans, the druids were highly respected and revered by their own people.
Julius Caesar's account of the problems faced by the Celts living in Gaul attributes their downfall to the infusion of Roman and Greek culture and luxuries. Wine, in particular, is identified by Caesar as the leading softening agent.
Caesar's account depicts the Germans as rough, tough, and interfering in the Celtic world that threatened the region's stability. The trade-off for losing the barbarian edge supposed to benefit was the ability to control troops and instill drill and organization that would provide a logistical advantage of concentrating food and supplies to keep armies in the field, all benefits of centralized urbanized state-like systems.
The Roman Empire faced a threat from the tribes they ruled over as these tribes become more capable as fighters. Historian Adrian Goldsworthy explains how the Roman three-headed monster, consisting of Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus, ruled over Gaul, creating a merit-based system where only the strong survive.
Caesar recorded a massive migration of over 350,000 Gauls from modern-day Switzerland who burnt their possessions and towns before crossing Roman territory. Although it was labelled as a logistical disaster by Caesar, a few modern-day historians compared it to people showing up at Woodstock rock concert in the 60s, where they burnt their bridges to ensure that no one would go back.
Celtic expert Barry Cunliffe suggests that during the Helvetian migration, the people of Gaul were under unusual threat, causing a crisis situation. Julius Caesar deals with the domino effect of this migration, caused by the Dacians' offensive against another Celtic people in the Hungarian Plain.
Julius Caesar faces a mass of humanity wanting to cross over and overwhelm the defenses or sneak by on any given point. Caesar makes it clear that, according to the custom and precedent of the Roman people, he could not permit anyone to journey through the province and that he would stop them if they tried to force their way through.
Historian Michael Sage discusses Caesar's tactics in the Helvetic War, including his use of propaganda to justify his actions and his assessment of the enemy's fighting style.
The tribes in Gaul that are friends of Rome have huge numbers of rebel fifth columnists who support the Gallic cause. Caesar uses these tribal disputes to divide and conquer, and when he faces objections from the Celts in Gaul, he investigates them and uses their stories to his advantage.
Caesar's confrontation with the German king, Ariovistus, becomes the first antagonist in his narrative, as he attempts to solve the root cause of Gaul's destabilization by engaging in battle and explaining the characteristics of the Germans to Rome.
In this episode, Mike Duncan analyzes the exchange of messages between Caesar and Ariovistus. Caesar is presented to have asserted that he has a right to keep the balance of power in Gaul, and a Germanic barbarian tries to counter that argument by citing the legal basis of the ancient world's right of conquest.
Cassius Dio's accounts reveal a different perspective on Caesar's bravery and leadership from the one portrayed by Caesar himself. While Caesar's soldiers were either mutinous or terrified, he was able to "rally those troops" and lead them against the German leader, Ariovistus, according to his self-described accounts.
The Roman soldiers were both devastatingly effective soldiers and skilled construction workers. Soldiers could construct forts in real time, which had a lasting impact on the battles they fought in, as evidenced in their battle against Ariovistus.
Caesar intervenes in the politics of Gaul, defeating the Helvetii and sending them back across the Rhine. He soon faces a conspiracy among the Belgae tribes and a potential 300,000 warrior resistance against his presence in Gaull.
Caesar's conquest of the Belgians was made possible by his superior logistical capabilities which allowed him to feed his army and keep them in the field. He also employed the tactic of having his Gallic allies attack the individual tribes that were part of the Belgian confederation, keeping them busy while he focused his attention on other ones.
The Romans' ability to construct fortresses overnight and feed their army on campaign was a key factor in their success, giving them an advantage over enemies that lacked the same capabilities.
Caesar and his troops are suddenly ambushed by a tribe of Nervii and rushes to reorganize his men to form a block of human beings that can resist the charge. Despite his troops being vulnerable, Caesar exhibits decisive leadership, putting his cavalry and light troops out to screen the operation and deploying legions to build a fortified camp.
Dan Carlin discusses the Battle of Nervia and poses the question of how many deaths it would take to make something that seemed inevitable not inevitable anymore, specifically in regards to the expanding of the United States and the history of the Romans.
Caesar conquers the Belgae tribe in Gaul and proceeds to destroy their leadership and enslave 53,000 of their people to sell them as slaves in Rome. He then claims that Gaul is pacified despite the potential opportunistic reasons for his declaration and the questionable legality of his actions.
The author discusses how Julius Caesar portrayed the Gallic peoples' fight for freedom in his account of the Gallic Wars and how this portrayal still resonates with contemporary audiences in terms of motivation and sacrifice required to fight for liberties.
Julius Caesar's conquest of Gaul led to the pacification of the region and his eventual rise to power in Rome. Caesar used brutal tactics to quell domestic resistance, which is an interesting case study for modern people interested in military affairs and guerrilla warfare.
In this episode, Mike Green takes a look at how the Romans dealt with opposition leaders and rebels who were charismatic and dangerous, and how they followed a standard policy to deal with them.
Caesar's divide and conquer strategy in Gaul was successful until he faced a growing sense of his power and control, which led to rebellion by previously friendly tribes against him. The Roman conquest led to a decline in material culture in the region, and Caesar used brutal tactics, such as having a Gallic leader flogged to death and beheaded, to quell resistance and maintain control.
Caesar's conquest of Gaul led to the subjugation of the Celtic people, who started to rebel after hearing rumors of political troubles back in Rome. The rebellion gained steam as tribes joined in and yielded massive casualties, except for the loyal ones to Rome.
Vercingetorix became the gallic war leader and began implementing policies that were unlike traditional gallic methods. He organized a centrally directed army representing an alliance of various tribes, leading the rebellion against the Romans in ancient Gaul.
Vercingetorix, a Gallic leader, knows he cannot face Julius Caesar's Roman legions in open field battles, so he devises a guerrilla-warfare strategy. He orders the destruction of all their cities and farms in the radius which foragers can cover, which was a desperate but effective measure against Caesar's army.
The Gallic rebellion involved multiple tribes rebelling against Roman domination, with some adopting more urban habits, a strategy which Caesar countered by attacking their population centers one by one, with the Siege of Avaricum being one of the main battles.
Caesar faces continued resistance and reinforcements from the Edoci tribe provide critical support. The siege of Gergovia becomes one of the biggest battles of the Gallic Wars.
Caesar engages in a game of territory nibbling with the Gauls, but after receiving word that the Edui have switched sides and his supply lines may be compromised, he leaves a smaller force at Gergovia, which ultimately suffers a setback in a battle against the Gauls.
After Caesar's defeat in the Battle of Gergovia and the flipping of the Edui tribe, the low point of Caesar's career is witnessed, shattering the aura of Roman invincibility and leading to the addition of more tribes to the rebellion.
During the Gallic Wars, Caesar made friends with German tribes who provided him with their powerful cavalry. Although small in number, they were able to dominate on the battlefield through their unique combined arms formation and sheer intimidation.
In this episode, Dan Carlin discusses the Battle of Alesia, where Julius Caesar fights against hundreds of thousands of Gauls in a city fortified by natural defenses and Roman engineering.
The battle at Alesia was a turning point in the Roman conquest of Gaul. Julius Caesar built an enormous fortification around the Gallic town of Alesia, and then successfully fought off both an attack from the outside and a sally by the defenders within the fortifications, effectively ending the Gallic Wars and establishing Roman dominance over Gaul.
The relief army arrives at Alésia, and the Gauls prepare for a final assault. The Roman cavalry clashes with the Gallic cavalry, and the German cavalry once again helps the Romans win the battle.
The Battle of Alesia was the turning point in Julius Caesar's conquest of Gaul. The Gallic army, despite twice the size of Caesar's army, was ultimately defeated, resulting in the annexation of Gaul by the Roman Empire.
Julius Caesar strategically sends his troops to fight against 60,000 hand-picked tribal warriors and launches a surprise attack against the weak part of the Roman fortification, leading to the complete turn of the tide in battle.
Historian Paul Gavagon suggests that the Gallic war for independence was lost with the end of the Battle of Alesia and the estimated death toll of one million Gallic natives raises the question of how much resistance is justified when faced with conquerors who will take everything from you.
Even after centuries of conquest, Celtic languages and cultural traits can still be found in the people of many regions in the British Isles and Ireland. The judgment of whether or not to classify these people as Celtic and the origins of their similarities with other Celtic groups is still up to debate, but the tenacity of the Celtic identity persists nonetheless.