He defeated the Optimates' Gallic and Germanic auxiliary cavalry in a skirmish near Ruspina Labienus and the Optimates' right wing cavalry had charged some of Caesar's Spanish auxiliaries, but he had advanced too far from the main army. With these reinforcements Caesar went on the offensive. Meanwhile, one of Caesar's admirals, Sallust, had captured a large Optimate grain supply on the Cercina islands and the XIII and XIV legions had arrived in Ruspina. The Optimates were gathering their forces near Hadrumetum Scipio and the main army arrived bringing up their forces to 40,000 heavy infantry (about eight legions), a powerful cavalry force and many thousands of light infantry. Ĭaesar decided to stay in camp around Ruspina, improve its defences and wait for more troops to arrive. A battle was fought the Optimates, led by Petreius and Labienus, almost overcame Caesar's force, but in the end Caesar was able to extract his men and return to Ruspina. When his scouts reported the enemy was nearby he ordered his cavalry and archers to join him from Ruspina.

He marched out with half his force 9000 legionaries in 30 understrength cohorts. On January 4, Caesar marched out from Ruspina on a foraging expedition. On January 1, he took some of his men and moved on to Leptis where he was joined by some of his scattered transports bringing much needed reinforcements. On 29 December Caesar reached Ruspina.Ĭaesar made Ruspina his base of operations. Caesar was a much better and far more experienced commander than Curio and kept his forces moving using his cavalry to keep the Numidians at bay while his legionaries marched on to Ruspina. The enemy cavalry force, mainly Numidian light cavalry, harassed his army all the way to Ruspina they tried to pin Caesar's army in place, surround him, and then wear down his men and destroy his army just like they had done to Curio. When his scouts reported that a large force of enemy cavalry was onroute he decided to march south.

Caesar launched several probing attacks on the city, but found out he had neither the men nor the material to take it. Caesar made camp south of the city and tried to negotiate with Considius, but the Optimate commander refused to read his message. Hadrumetum was held by a strong Optimate garrison under Gaius Considius Longus and Gnaeus Calpurnius Piso. He reached the African coast on the 28th of December, landing near Hadrumetum, but a storm had scattered his transports leaving him with just 3000 infantry and 150 cavalry. Despite the weather being far from optimal Caesar embarked his six legions and sailed for Africa. Four more legions were on their way from Rome. The African campaign leading up to Thapsus Ĭaesar had gathered six legions around Lilybaeum in Sicily. After the pacification of the Eastern provinces, and a short visit to Rome, Caesar followed his opponents to Africa. King Juba I of Numidia was a valuable local ally. Other key figures from the nobility in the resistance were Titus Labienus, Publius Attius Varus, Lucius Afranius, Marcus Petreius and the brothers Sextus and Gnaeus Pompeius (Pompey's sons). Their leaders were Marcus Cato (the younger) and Caecilius Metellus Scipio. The remaining Optimates, not ready to give up fighting, regrouped in the African provinces of Mauretania. Pompey then fled to Egypt, where to Caesar's consternation, Pompey was assassinated. Still outnumbered, Caesar recovered and went on to decisively defeat the Optimates under Pompey at Pharsalus. Led by Caesar, the Populares followed, but were greatly outnumbered and defeated in the Battle of Dyrrhachium. The Optimates fled to Greece under the command of Pompey since they had not organised an army and were incapable of defending the city of Rome itself against Caesar. He crossed over the Rubicon river with the 13th Legion, a clear violation of Roman Law, and marched to Rome. In 49 BC, the last civil war of the Roman Republic was initiated after Julius Caesar, who saw that his political enemies in Rome were looking to arrest and prosecute him, defied senatorial orders to disband his army following the conclusion of hostilities in Gaul. It was followed shortly by the suicides of Scipio and his ally, Cato the Younger, the Numidian King Juba, and his Roman peer Marcus Petreius. The forces of the Optimates, led by Quintus Caecilius Metellus Scipio, were defeated by the forces of Julius Caesar. The Battle of Thapsus was a military engagement that took place on April 6, 46 BC near Thapsus (in modern Tunisia).

Vergilius (Garrison commander of Thapsus)

Who was after julius caesar