Gaius Iulius Caesar's

Commentarii de bello civili.

 

Gaius Julius Caesar

     Julius Caesar was a general, statesman, orator, and a man of letters; and in each of these fields he displayed genius.  His military campaigns have evoked the admiration of some of the craftiest military generals throughout history.  His statesmanship and oratory skills were said to have been incredible.  Some historians, like Caesar’s contemporaries, have viewed Julius Caesar as a brilliant man, ingenious leader, and the savior of Rome.  Others have classified him as a tyrant with an insatiable lust for power.  However, few question Caesar’s abilities as a man of letters.  Caesar’s commentaries are said to be one of the first examples of good historical writing.  His accounts of the Gallic and Civil Wars are noted for their directness and brilliant simplicity of statement. 

 

The Civil War 

     When studying the Civil War one will inevitably discover that the primary sources, the original histories that all subsequent histories are based, are limited in number.  A thorough examination of the sources of most works on the period would reveal that Caesar’s writings are used frequently.  Some historians take Caesar at his word, while others question his work's accuracy (or truthfulness).  For obvious reasons though, students of Roman history should read the commentaries for themselves.  Even if Caesar’s writings are not historically accurate, they do reveal how he viewed the Civil War, or at least how he wished others to view the Civil War.   Not to mention that it is exciting to read a work that is well over two thousand years old, and remains relatively intact (unlike the Bible which has been rewritten numerous times). 

The purpose of this web page is to provide an online resource for students studying the Roman Civil War of 49 B.C.  When I was doing research on the topic for a paper, I found very little information online that is appropriate for a serious discussion on the topic.  The information that is online is incomplete and all to often these sites provide poor documentation.  Many of the online copies of Caesar’s commentaries (English versions) on the Civil War are missing portions, to the best of my knowledge the version contained on this site is complete.  Furthermore, I have yet to find a site that contains both the Latin and English versions of this work.  I have provided links to both versions and links to Latin dictionaries that I have found helpful.  In addition, I would just like to add that this site is a work in progress.  I hope to include in depth information on the Roman Civil War, including the various interpretations that historians have put forth, and to include a forum for academic discussion.  

I can't help but feel that too many history programs at the undergraduate level are neglecting classical studies, especially the study of Latin!  So if any of you wish to contribute to this web page or if you have a page of your own, send me an email and I will either post your contribution (and of course give you credit for your work) or provide a link to your page.

P.S. -I will be moving this page to a real server that does not have advertisements as soon as I have enough information to warrant paying for the service.

 

                 

 

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