58 BCE - Caesar Pits Gaulish Celts Against Each Other

by Iain MacAnTsaoir

Drowning in debt again, Caesar began looking to Gaul as a place for profit to be made. To accomplish this, Caesar began playing the various tribes against each other. Reporting to the Senate, he painted a picture that demonstrated the Celtic tribes of Gaul as a buffer between the Germani and Rome. Therefore, when Roman friendly tribes invited Caesar's forces to help them against encroachments by other Celtic tribes, the Senate allowed Caesar to intervene.

The Suevi had their own eyes on the conquest of all of Gaul. The Suevian king Ariovist had already placed more than a few tribes under his own yoke. He also saw through Roman "friendship's" with other Celtic tribes and decided that the spoils of war that Gaul would become, would be either his or Caesar's. The first battle was in the late summer, just before autumn. Caesar moved up from bases in Gallia Narbonensis to check an initiative by the Suevi in the territories of the Sequani, who were a Roman-friendly Celtic tribe. This battle occured near Mulhouse in Alsac. The result was the complete overthrow of Suevi power.

Fulfilling the fears of many Celtic tribes, Caesar did not pull back to his bases after his victory over the Suevi. Instead, he permanently stationed Roman troops in the territory of the Sequani. From this forward position, he incited intrigues that pitted Celtic tribes against each other. He used the problems that arose from his instigations as grounds to further his advancement into Gaul.

Sources:

The Battle For Gaul, Julius Caesar, David R. Godine Pub, (c)1980, ISBN 0-87923-306-0

The Celtic Empire, Peter Berresford Ellis, Carolina Acedemic Press, (c)1994,ISBN 0-89089-457-4

The World of the Celts, Simon James, Thames and Hudson Ltd., (c)1993, ISBN 0-500-0567-8

The Celts, Gerhard Herm, St. Martin's Press, (c)1977, ISBN 312-1205-7

The Celts, Jean Markale, Inner Traditions Intl, (c)1978, ISBN 0-89281-413-6

The Celtic World, Amanda Green, Routledge, (c)1995, ISBN 0-415-05764-7

Encyclopedia Brittanica15th Edition, Vol. 2, ISBN 0-85229-591X

History of the World, J.M. Roberts,Oxford Press, 1993, ISBN 0-19-521043-3

prepared by Iain MacAnTsaoir

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