By the time Caesar was born, Rome occupied almost all the land surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, from the Iberian and Italian Peninsula to Greece, Turkey, Egypt, and the lands of the North African coast previously occupied by Carthage. As the Mediterranean became “mare nostrum,” or “our sea,” Rome shifted its focus northward to Gaul, where the Gaelic tribes had posed a constant external threat for centuries. Appointed as the governor of Gaul, Caesar soon began his campaign “Bellum Gallicum” (The Gallic War) against the different tribes of Gaul. This aimed not only to extend Roman control over Europe but also to elevate his standing in Roman politics. The Gallic Wars that lasted for 7 years (from 58 to 51 BCE) is a key period not only for understanding Roman history but also in grasping the ancient culture of Celts and revealing the sophisticated narratives of Caesar’s rise to power.
“De Bello Gallico”, a commentary of Caesar regarding his wars in the land of Gaul, stands as one of the very valuable pieces of evidence for understanding the history and culture of the Gaelic people, or otherwise known as the Celts, who did not leave any written records of themselves. In his commentary, Caesar provides extensive information on different tribes of Celtic people spread across Western Europe, from the Helvetii, Belgae, Aquitanni, Suebi, and more, and unveils the mysterious lives and religions of these people. One of the most astonishing records of the Celts left by Caesar is their unique religious practices surrounding the Druids.
Natio est omnis Gallorum admodum dedita religionibus, atque ob eam causam, qui sunt adfecti gravioribus morbis quique in proeliis periculisque versantur, aut pro victimis homines immolant aut se immolaturos vovent administrisque ad ea sacrificia druidibus utuntur
The nation of all the Gauls is extremely devoted to superstitious rites; and on that account they who are troubled with unusually severe diseases, and they who are engaged in battles and dangers, either sacrifice men as victims, or vow that they will sacrifice them, and employ the Druids as the performers of those sacrifices
(De Bello Gallico Book 6 Line 16)
Druids represented wisdom and guidance in the Gaelic civilizations. They seemed to hold authority in religious, political, and even educational sectors among the Celtic people. It’s ironic that Caesar, the conqueror of the Celts, substantially contributed to the modern understanding of Celtic culture through his detailed commentaries.
Simultaneously, the Gallic Wars were also a great milestone in Caesar’s path to power. The Romans valued military success more than anything, and the overwhelming success of Caesar in subjugating almost all of the Celtic territories (modern-day France) surely promoted Caesar as one of the most prominent individuals of Rome. Due to the fear of precedents of military generals gaining too much political control, the Senate ordered Caesar to step down from the governorship of Gaul and return to Rome. The one thing the Senators feared the most was a military leader marching to Rome and seizing power by force, just like Sulla did decades prior to Caesar. The Senate would have feared Caesar more than previous military generals because he was a strong supporter of Populares (Roman populism), which put Caesar in an antipode of the Optimates (Roman aristocrats) majority Senate.
Caesar was ordered by the Senate to dismiss his legion before the Rubicon River and return back to Rome. Entering Rome without protection would have been suicidal, especially after the breakdown of the triumvirate alliance between Caesar, Crassus, and Pompey. Crassus’s death in the battle against Parthian Empire and Pompey’s betrayal left Caesar isolated. With no other choice, Caesar resisted the Senate and opted to continue his dignitas. “Alea iacta est,” Caesar crossed the Rubicon and threw his dice to challenge the Senate.