The Battle of Dyrrhachium, 48 BC: Caesar, Pompey, and the Early Campaigns of the Third Roman Civil War

by Gareth C. Sampson

Overview

In 49 BC the Roman Republic collapsed once more into bloody civil war. At the heart of this war lay the two greatest living Roman commanders, and former allies, Pompey the Great and Julius Caesar, each having built their own factions within the Roman oligarchy and refusing to compromise. The subsequent civil war would be fought for control of the Republic with each man determined to restore peace and stability to Rome, under their leadership. Yet despite this clash it was eighteen months before the two men met in Battle at Dyrrhachium in Albania.

Gareth Sampson outlines the strategic background, describing the early campaigns of the civil war and the factions of Caesar and Pompey that fought for control of the vast resources of the Republic. The Battle of Dyrrhachium itself is analysed to determine the strengths and weakness of both armies and their various commanders as well as the tactics used in the phases of the battle which culminated in victory for Pompey. Focus is also given to the aftermath of the battle that saw Caesar defeated and Pompey in the ascendancy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781526793591
Publisher:	Pen & Sword Books Limited
Publication date:	07/07/2023
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
File size:	17 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

After a successful career in corporate finance, Gareth C Sampson returned to the study of ancient Rome and gained his PhD from the University of Manchester, where he taught history for a number of years. He now lives in Plymouth with his wife and children. His previous books, The Defeat of Rome (2008), The Crisis of Rome (2010), The Collapse of Rome (2013), Rome Spreads Her Wings (2016) and Rome, Blood and Politics (2017) were also published by Pen & Sword.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements viii

List of Illustrations ix

Maps & Diagrams x

Introduction: The Defeat that Never Was xv

Timeline: Pre-Third Civil War (70-49BC) xvii

Timeline: The Early Years of the Third Roman Civil War (49 BC) xix

Timeline: The Early Years of the Third Roman Civil War (48 BC) xxi

Section I Rome, Blood & Politics: The Background to the Third Civil War 1

Chapter 1 Out of the Ashes, The Rise & Fall of the New Republic (70-49 BC) 3

Section II The Battle for the Western Republic: The Early Campaigns of Third Civil War (49 BC) 31

Chapter 2 The Italian Campaign - The Phoney War (49 BC) 33

Chapter 3 The Gallic and Spanish Campaigns (49 BC) 60

Chapter 4 The Sicilian, African and Illyrian Campaigns (49 BC) 88

Chapter 5 Between the Campaigns: The First Citizen and the Dictator 107

Section III The Dyrrhachium Campaign (48 BC) 119

Chapter 6 The Road to Dyrrhachium (48 BC) 121

Chapter 7 The Battle of Dyrrhachium - The Early Manoeuvres 147

Chapter 8 The Battle of Dyrrhachium - The Decisive Clash 161

Appendix I Who's Who in the Third Roman Civil War (49-48 BC) 184

Appendix II How Many Civil Wars? 197

Notes 204

Bibliography 213

Index 223

Editorial Reviews

If you want a high-level examination of Pompey's and Caesar's strategies, this book will suit you.

The Historical Miniatures Gaming Society

[A] welcome addition to the topic of the civil wars and to the ever-growing literature on the military history of the Roman Republic. The Battle of Dyrrhachium offers a good description of the military campaigns and battles of the Caesar’s Civil War, supported by an accessible and engaging style. I would recommend it particularly for general readers interested in the military history of Rome.

Journal of Military History

An impressively well researched, written, and detailed account… unreservedly recommended addition to personal, community, college, and university library Roman Military History collections.

Midwest Book Review