Battle of Ilerda took place in June 49 BC between the forces of Julius Caesar and the Spanish army of Pompey the Great, lead by his legates Lucius Afranius and Marcus Petreius. Unlike many other of the battles of the civil war, this was more a campaign of maneuvre than actual fighting. Consuls: Lucius Cornelius Lentulus Crus, Gaius Claudius Marcellus Maior. ... Gāius Jūlius Caesar (IPA: ;[1]), July 12 or July 13, 100 BC – March 15, 44 BC) was a Roman military and political leader and one of the most influential men in world history. ... This article refers to the Roman General. ... A legatus (often anglicized as legate) was equivalent to a modern general officer in the Roman army. ... Lucius Afranius was a name shared by two prominent ancient Romans: Lucius Afranius, legatus of Pompey and republican consul, and Lucius Afranius, a comic poet of the early 1st century BC. Sextus Afranius Burrus was another Roman to have Afranius in his name. ...

Combatants Julius Caesar and supporters, the Populares faction, Roman senate, the Optimates faction, Commanders Julius Caesar Pompey, Titus Labienus†, Metellus Scipio†, Cato the younger†, Gnaeus Pompeius The Roman civil war of 49 BC, sometimes called Caesars Civil War, is one of the last conflicts within the Roman Republic. ... Consuls: Lucius Cornelius Lentulus Crus, Gaius Claudius Marcellus Maior. ... Populares (Favoring the people, singular popularis) were aristocratic leaders in the late Roman Republic who tended to use the peoples assemblies in an effort to break the stranglehold of the nobiles and optimates on political power. ... Optimates (Good Men) were the aristocratic faction of the later Roman Republic. ... Gāius JÅ«lius Caesar (IPA: ;[1]), July 12 or July 13, 100 BC – March 15, 44 BC) was a Roman military and political leader and one of the most influential men in world history. ... Lucius Afranius was a name shared by two prominent ancient Romans: Lucius Afranius, legatus of Pompey and republican consul, and Lucius Afranius, a comic poet of the early 1st century BC. Sextus Afranius Burrus was another Roman to have Afranius in his name. ... Marcus Terentius Varro ([[116 BC]–27 BC), also known as Varro Reatinus to distinguish him from his contemporary Varro Atacinus, was a Roman scholar and writer, who the Romans came to call the most learned of all the Romans. ... Combatants Julius Caesar and supporters, the Populares faction, Roman senate, the Optimates faction, Commanders Julius Caesar Pompey, Titus Labienus†, Metellus Scipio†, Cato the younger†, Gnaeus Pompeius The Roman civil war of 49 BC, sometimes called Caesars Civil War, is one of the last conflicts within the Roman Republic. ... Siege and naval battle at Massilia in Caesars civil war. ... Siege and naval battle at Massilia in Caesars civil war. ... Combatants Populares Optimates Commanders Gaius Curio Attius Varus King Juba of Numidia This article is about the battle which was part of Caesars civil war. ... Combatants Populares Optimates Commanders Gaius Curio† Attius Varus King Juba of Numidia The Battle of the Bagradas River (49 BC) occured on August 24 and was fought between Julius Caesars general Gaius Curio and between the Pompeians under Attius Varus and King Juba of Numidia. ... Combatants Optimates Populares Commanders Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus Gaius Julius Caesar Strength 45,000 15,000 Casualties Unknown 1,000 The Battle of Dyrrachium (or Dyrrhachium) on 10 July 48 BC was one of a series of contests between Gaius Julius Caesar and Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus that ended with Pompeys... Combatants Populares Optimates Commanders Julius Caesar Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus Strength Approximately 23,000 legionaries, 5,000-10,000 Auxiliaries and Allies, and Allied Cavalry of 1400 Approximately 50,000 legionaries, 4,200 Auxiliaries and Allies, and Allied Cavalry of 4,000-7,000 Casualties 1,200 6,000-10,000... Combatants Populares Optimates Commanders Julius Caesar Titus Labienus The Battle of Ruspina was fought on January 4, 46 BC between the forces of Julius Caesar and the Pompeian forces of Titus Labienus. ... Combatants Populares Optimates Commanders Julius Caesar Metellus Scipio †, Cato the younger † Strength Unknown (at least 10 legions) Unknown (at least 10 legions), 2,500 cavalry Jubas allied troops with 60 elephants Casualties 1,000 30,000 The Battle of Thapsus took place on February 6, 46 BC near Thapsus... Combatants Populares Optimates Commanders Julius Caesar Titus Labienus †, Gnaeus Pompeius; Strength 8 legions, 8,000 cavalry total: circa 40,000 men 13 legions, cavalry and auxiliaries total: circa 70,000 men Casualties 1,000 30,000 The Battle of Munda took place on March 17, 45 BC in the plains...

Introduction

After having driven the optimates from Italy, in March 49 BC, Caesar turned his attention to the Republican army in the Spanish provinces. On his way to Spain, Caesar was delayed when in April the port city of Massilia rebelled under Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus. Leaving the siege of Massilia to be conducted by Gaius Trebonius and Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus, Caesar moved on to Hispania Citerior to reinforce the three legions he had sent there as an advance guard under Fabius. Optimates (Good Men) were the aristocratic faction of the later Roman Republic. ... Marseilles redirects here. ... Siege and naval battle at Massilia in Caesars civil war. ... Gaius Trebonius (died 43 BC) was a military commander and politician of the late Roman Republic, a trusted associate of Julius Caesar who later participated in his assassination. ... Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus (died 43 BC) was a Roman politician and general of the 1st century BC, one of Julius Caesars assassins. ... During the Roman Republic, Hispania Citerior was a region of Hispania roughly located in the northeastern coast and in the Ebro valley of modern Spain. ...

the Ilerda campaign

When he arrived on the Spanish border, Caesar was able to seize the Pyrenees passes from the republicans and march into Spain. Near Ilerda, the Pompeians made camp on a hill and Caesar camped on an other near by lower hill with the only thing separating the two armies the river Sicoris. Caesar caused his troops to dig a huge trench in order to force on the one path to the huge hill between them and the city of Ilerda. By light both armies raced towards the hill and the Pompeians occupied it first as they had the shorter distance to travel. As they occupied the most strategic position of the area, this put Caesar's army under pressure, to relieve this pressure Caesar despatched the cavalry to fall on the Pompeians at the other side. Both sides pulled back and a stalemate appeared. Central Pyrenees. ...

The spring storms and the melting snow from the mountains then caused flooding, which particularly effectd the lwoer situated Caesarians whose camp was flooded. This meant that the Caesarian troops were unable to forage and famine struck the army, accompagnied by disease. When the flood of the river Sicoris finally withdrew, the Caesarians built a bridge over it and caused Petreius and Afranius to abandoned their camp and the city of Ilerda and a retreat towards a second republican army under Marcus Terentius Varro was started. Marcus Terentius Varro ([[116 BC]–27 BC), also known as Varro Reatinus to distinguish him from his contemporary Varro Atacinus, was a Roman scholar and writer, who the Romans came to call the most learned of all the Romans. ...

Caesar ordered a pursuit which overtook the retreating rear guard of the republican army and he was able to block the route on which the republicans were retreating. The two armies again camped close to each other and confraternization between the two armies started. Petreius, wanting to stop this confraternization, had the Caesarian soldiers who had wandered into the republican camp rounded up and killed. After this the republicans again retreated towards Ilerda, only to become besieged by the Caesarians in their new camp. By July 30, Caesar had completely surrounded Afranius and Petreius's army. On August 2, the Pompeian 5 legions strong army in Ilerda surrendered to Caesar.

Aftermath

After the surrender of the republican main army in Spain, Caesar then marched towards Varro in Hispania Ulterior, who at once without a fight submitted to him and surrendered an other two legions. After this Caesar left his legate Lucius Cassius Longinus - the brother of Gaius Cassius Longinus - in command of Spain with four of the legions, partly made up of men who had surrendered and gone over to the Caesarian camp, and returned with the rest of his army to Massilia and its siege. During the Roman Republic, Hispania Ulterior was a region of Hispania roughly located in Baetica and in the Guadalquivir valley of modern Spain. ... Gaius Cassius Longinus (before 85 BC – October 42 BC) was a Roman senator and the prime mover in the conspiracy against Julius Caesar. ...

Reference

• Caesar's Commentarii de Bello Civili.