Gallic War (58–51 bce )

Abstract The Gallic War was a series of campaigns conducted by Gaius Julius Caesar as proconsul which resulted in the conquest of the region of Gaul between 58 and 51 BCE. He relied heavily upon a team of senior officers ( legati ), sometimes placed in command of one or more legions, in order to subdue such a large territory. Caesar's conquest laid the foundations of Roman rule in the region for the next four centuries. The principal sources for the war are Caesar's own commentaries. These provide a level of detail that has rarely been preserved in Roman history. They are, however, imbued with contemporary political concerns and omit some key details. Accounts in other ancient sources such as Appian ( B Civ. 2.13–29) and the biographies of Caesar by Plutarch and Suetonius provide comparatively little detail about the Gallic War.