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BELLA CIVILLY TEMPORE CAESARIS
50-45 a.C.
B.C.
50.—After the breaking up of the triiuuvirate, Caesar and Pompey enter into competition for the sole eoutrol, Caesar
representing the deniocralic, Pomiiey the aristocratic part}'.
On tlie pretext that Caesar was ilisoljeying orders regarding the liiying down of liis olHce, Pompey obtains the
authority of the consuls to march against him.
Caesar sends an ultimatum to Rome, but at Pompey's dictation the Senate orders him to lay down liis arms. The
tribunes who vetoed this resolution had to Hy for their lives to Caesar's camp.
Caesar now decides on his course, lie crosses the Rubicon on the night of December lOth, and thus begins the
Civil War. He takes Ariminnm by surprise the next da}'. Here he is met by Pompey's messengers with proposals
which fall through.
From Ariminum Caesar sends Marc Antony to Arretium, which he seizes on December "iOth. Curio is sent to
Igiivinm, « Inch is abandoned by the praetor and occupied by Curio. Caesar's rear is thus secure.
49. — Antony and Curio then move out of Arretium and Iguvium, and join Caesar at Ancona on .January 4th.
Caesar then marclies on Auximum, whence Pompey's lieutenant retires, many of his soldiers joining Caesar.
At this juncture there is alarm at Rome, and the consuls abandon the capital and establish their tiovernment at
Capua. Pompey holds a conference witli his supporters at Teanum Sidieinuni anil decides to take his two legions to
Picenum, and there collect levies. He moves accordingly to Luceria to carry out his plans.
While Pompey is so occupieil Caesar moves down Picenum, where most of the town join him. He then marches
by way of Firmum and Truentum to Asculum. The Pompeian army stationed here takes to flight or deserts to
Caesar. Those taking to tliglit assemble at Corfinium, where Pompey's lieutenant, Domitius Ahenobarbus, was
in command.
Cae.sar at once marches on Corfinium by way of Interamnum and Pinna, saves the biidge over the Aternus,
and lays siege to Corfinium, which soon surrenders, the garrison coming over to Caesar. fSulmo also surrenders
to Marc Antony.
Pompey's headquarters were at Larinum, near Luceria. He marches all his cohorts to Brundisium, where he makes
preparations to leave Italy witli lii.s troops.
Caesar, from Corfinium, marches on Biundisium by way of Teanum, Arpi, Anxanum, Canusium, and Barium in
Apulia, in order to i^revent, if possible, Pompey's escape from Italy. On reaching Brundisium he finds that tlie
consuls had left for Dyrrhachium witli 'M cohorts, but Pompey was still there with "20, awaiting transport.
Caesar tries to blockade the town, but he fails in this, and Pompey, with Ids force, succeeds in leaving Italy.
Caesar, now in possession of Italy, returns to Rome, makes all arrangements, and marches to Transiilpine (jaul, and
over the Corniche, towanls JIassilia, which had as governor Pompey's lieutenant Domitius.
Intending to lay siege to the place, Caesar directs Fabius from Gaul to occupy the Pyrenees, and Antony to hurry on
with his legions which «-ere di\-erted to-wards Spain.
Fabius reaches Ilerda (about 20th April), and finds the camp of Afranius and Petreius about 800 yards on the south
of the town near the Sicoris. After some tiiue Afranius makes an unsuccessful attempt on Fabius' camp : and soon
after Caesar reaches Fabius and decides to attack Afranius. An indecisive action takes place. High tloofls then
setting in and carrying away Caesar's bridges, his communications with Gaul are cut off, though he manages to bring
in a convoy Irom Ciaul with some dithcult}'.
About this time an engagement takes place between the forces of Domitius anil Brutus, near an islan