Gallic Wars

(58–50 BC) Campaigns in which Julius Caesar conquered Gaul. Clad in his blood-red cloak as a “distinguishing mark of battle,” he led his troops to victories throughout the province, relying on superior strategy, tactics, discipline, and military engineering. In 58 he drove back the Helvetii from Rome's northwestern frontier, then subdued the Belgic group of Gallic peoples in the north (57), reconquered the Veneti (56), crossed the Rhine River to raid Germany (55), and crossed the English Channel to raid Britain (55, 54). His major triumph was the defeat of Vercingetorix in 52. He described the campaigns in De bello Gallico.

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