The 10th Legion
By Ignoramus
Part 1: Beginnings 61 B.C – 58 B.C
This article is about the 10th Legion, Rome’s finest and Caesar’s favorite.
Birth of the 10th Legion and Iberian Campaign 61 B.C.
The 10th Legion was first raised in Spain in 61 B.C by Caesar when he was governor of Baetica, or Further Spain, when Caesar needed 3 legions for his Spanish campaign. It this campaign, the 8th, the 9th, and the newly raised 10th Legions all marched under Caesar’s command to Lusitania, where the remaining Iberian tribes were still free from Roman rule. They brutally conquered the last part of the Iberian Peninsular for Rome. After his Iberian campaign his appointment as governor was up and he temporarily parted his legions
Helvetian Campaign 58 B.C.
In 58 B.C. the Helvetii tribe Went on a mass migration movement into Gaul, Caesar who had been appointed the provinces of Cisalpine Gaul, Transalpine Gaul, and Illyricum, was determined to stop them. He marched with the 7th 8th 9th and 10th Legions to stop them. He heard that they were planning to cross the River Rhone on a bridge at Geneva. He quickly marched there and destroyed the bridge before the Helvetii could cross. He then ordered his legions to build 16ft wall of earth for 18 miles along the riverbank. After many frustrating unsuccessful attempts to breach the wall, the Helvetii tired another route, crossing into the territory of the Aedui. He quickly recruited two more legions, the 11th and 12th and went to confront the Helvetii. After one strategy was ruined by the clumsiness of his subordinates, Caesar and his legions marched towards Bibracte, the Aeduian capital to secure more grain for the legions’ rations. The Helvetii, seeing Caesar’s men turn back from following them, turned at harassed Caesar’s rear. Caesar then ordered all his cavalry to head off the Helvetii, to give him enough time to prepare his men for battle. Soon after he had arranged his legions, the Roman cavalry appeared, having lost many men due to the superiority of the Helvetian horsemen. The Helvetian warriors soon followed and formed themselves into one solid massive phalanx of spearmen. As they climbed the hill where the Roman Legions were standing, Caesar gave his men a short rousing battle speech. As the Helvetii came quite close to Caesar’s men he ordered them to throw their pilums at the densely packed mass of Helvetians. The Roman pilums flew into the Helvetian ranks or lodging themselves in Helvetian shields, thus rendering them useless. The Helvetians bravely stood their ground as the Romans charged into the now disorganized phalanx.
The Helvetians gradually gave ground, and withdrew down the hill, but as the Romans pursued them, a force of 15,000 Boii and Tulungi, who had been acting as the Helvetian rearguard, appeared. Caesar quickly ordered his first and second lines to attack the main Helvetian force, while his third line to take on the new Gallic force. After many times of reforming and charging the Romans broke through both the Helvetian and their allies’ lines, pursued them, and ruthlessly cut them down. Over half of the Helvetian force was utterly destroyed, the remaining Helvetians begged for mercy from the Romans. Caesar was merciful, after receiving hostages from the Helvetii, he ordered them to return to their lands after repairing the damage they had done to the lands in which they marched. After this campaign the fame of “Caesar’s Legion” was beginning to spread. Caesar then promised to the 10th that he would make them his bodyguard.
Up Against Ariovistus 58 B.C.
Soon after the victory over the Helvetii, a German king, Ariovistus, king of the Suebi Germans, famous for his fierce German warriors, invaded northern Gaul. The tribes of the region appealed to Caesar to come and help them. Caesar ordered his legions to march northwards Besancon, the Sequani capital. Caesar and his legions reached Besancon in three days of forced marches. The Legionaries mixed with locals, who spoke of the immense stature and terrifying battle skills of Ariovistus’ Germans, who were marching towards the town. All this gradually built up nervousness among the men, and soon all the talk was of gloom and doom. Caesar’s experienced centurions warned him that if he ordered his troops to do battle with the Germans they might not obey. He then repeated his promise to the 10th Legion of his promise to make them his bodyguard. Caesar angrily said that if necessary he would attack Ariovistus with just the 10th Legion, as he had every confidence that they would never let him down. The men of the 10th Legion thanked Caesar for his high thinking of them, but the other five legions didn’t want the 10th to get all the spoils, so they also marched with Caesar. Aristovistus then sent Caesar a message in which he accepted Caesar’s offer of a peace conference. But he attached a specific note that each leader was only allowed to be accompanied by a bodyguard of mounted troops. Caesar, thinking that Ariovistus might have bribed his Gallic cavalry to assassinate him, ordered his Gallic troopers to dismount and ordered men of the 10th Legion to take their place. One legionary is supposedly to have remarked, “Caesar is being better than his word, he promise to the 10th his bodyguard and now he’s knighting us.”. The conference took place on a hill about halfway between the Roman and German camps. Each leader tried to persuade the other to withdraw. The result was inconclusive and both parties retired to their camps. The next day, Caesar sent two envoys to negotiate with Ariovistus, when Ariovistus imprisoned the envoys, Caesar need his true intent. The two opposing armies jostled for position. The Germans attacked Caesar’s camp, but avoided a full-scale battle. From prisoners Caesar learned that the Germans believed they would not win a major engagement before the new moon. Caesar then decided to immediately attack, so as to demoralize the German foe. His sudden attack also had an unknown advantage, 15,000 Suebi reinforcements were approaching from the Rhine. Caesar attacked suddenly, and the Germans were forced to defend their camp. The primary German weapon was the long spear. The 10th Legion was posted on its now regular position, the right wing. The Germans charged too quickly for the legionaries to hurl their pila. Instead, they drew their swords as the Germans closed in on their ranks. The 10th threw themselves at the German front line. Some even wrenching shields from their opponents. By using these aggressive tactics, they 10th soon had routed the German left. Meanwhile the German right wing was pushing back the Roman left. Publius Crassus, who Caesar had left in charge of the Roman cavalry, ordered the stationary third line to advance. This arrival turned the tide of the battle and soon routed the entire Germany army. The legions pursued them as far as the Rhine. A few Germans escaped along with Ariovistus. However, most of them, including the king’s wife and daughters were hunted down and either killed or captured by the Roman cavalry.
Sources:
Caesar’s Legion by Stephen Dando-Collins.
Maps:
http://www.unc.edu/awmcmap8.html
http://www.athernapub.com/caesarg1.htm