Why was Caesar a great general?

There are several reasons why Caesar was a great general, but what were the most significant reasons?

-First to master the use of artillery as an offensive weapon...

-Master of strategic retreat...

-Ability to inspire his soldiers...

What else?

What battles illustrate his greatness as a general and why?

I am very interested in everything that has to do w/ Caesar and why he is one of the greatest generals of all time and would like to discuss this with others who are interested...

Master of strategic retreat--definitely. He ran from his creditors to Spain and then from the irate senate to Gaul. No one was better than getting out of Dodge than Gaius Julius Caesar.

An example of Caesar's mastery of strategic retreat is at the river Rhone when he would not allow the Helvetii to cross into Gallic territory trying to migrate from their home in Switzerland...he followed them, but ran out of grain and could not pursue them any longer...

An example of Caesar's mastery of strategic retreat is at the river Rhone when he would not allow the Helvetii to cross into Gallic territory trying to migrate from their home in Switzerland...he followed them, but ran out of grain and could not pursue them any longer...

Have you ever noticed how often Caesar was running out of food? One historian observed that if you counted up all the days that Caesar was on campaign, that fully half of them involved him attempting to extricate himself from situations that he put himself into needlessly. Now, there's much to be said for Caesar's talents at command--logistics, however, were not his strong suit. (Now Alexander, on the other hand....)

There are several reasons why Caesar was a great general, but what were the most significant reasons?

-First to master the use of artillery as an offensive weapon...

-Master of strategic retreat...

-Ability to inspire his soldiers...

What else?

 

What battles illustrate his greatness as a general and why?

 

I am very interested in everything that has to do w/ Caesar and why he is one of the greatest generals of all time and would like to discuss this with others who are interested...

His willingness to risk all. Its an important point. History, and my own experience as a wargamer, shows that a commander who doesn't throw everything in when the opportunity arrives won't win. Time and again historical commanders have lost a battle they should have won for simply because they tried to conserve the assets they had. Caesar on the other hand is a different animal. He's willing to fight alongside his men in the front rank if need be. Thats not only true of Caesar on the battlefield, but his his approach to life in general. Also, I would say he had an instinctive grasp of strategy, a ruthless streak, and a habit of exaggeration.

Incidentially, whilst Caesar quite clearly had an excellent grasp on artillery tactics I don't think he was the first.

What I find so interesting about Caesar, is that despite his faults and recklessness (as Cato delights in pointing out), his men would seemingly follow him anywhere (including across the Rubicon). I don't mean to over illustrate this point, as disciplined Roman armies followed a great number of excellent generals, but leaders who have the sort of charisma and relationship with their men that Caesar had is relatively rare. Oddly enough, sometimes what makes a great general is not necessarily being great, but of his army simply believing that he is.

What I find so interesting about Caesar, is that despite his faults and recklessness (as Cato delights in pointing out), his men would seemingly follow him anywhere (including across the Rubicon).

How many times did his men mutiny? At least twice.

What I find so interesting about Caesar, is that despite his faults and recklessness (as Cato delights in pointing out), his men would seemingly follow him anywhere (including across the Rubicon).

 

How many times did his men mutiny? At least twice.

In both known cases, 49 and 47 BC, he was not present. When he arrived the mutiny was quelled. Regardless, I am not suggesting that his men were sheep who blindly followed, but only that many who had served him for (in some cases) over a decade from one end of the continent to the other, maintained loyalty despite the above incidents.

Not only fast in retreat but even faster in offensive. Add to this his incredible luck. So often he didnt give his enemies the chance to defend themselves. And he had one more thing that good general must have - the ability to choose good officers. Most of his legates were excellent commanders. But not every general is smart enough to hire such people - so many in history were too envy for this.

Noone can say that Caesar wasnt a great commander. Maybe he had a lot of luck but Fortuna always likes the best and the strongest, having the weak in contempt.

Caesar was always willing to risk his own life to achieve his goals. Suetonius tells how when he ran for Pontifex Maximus, he told his mother that he would come home having won the election or not at all. In the Gallic Wars he was always at the fore of the fighting.

The credits of great leadership belonging to Julius Caesar are long. But to sum those up.... " At Rome , official enthusianism burst forth anew at the tidings of these successes ( in Spain) . The Senate decreed fifty days of supplications , and recognized Caesar's right to extend the Pomoerium , since he had extended the limits of the Empire.....

After Thapsus ( defeat of the Pompeians) in on 6 April 46, (uncorrected calendar) , he was more than a demi-god ; after Munda , he was a God altogether .. " Never , it is said, was the great conqueror brought so near defeat and destruction" ; But he won the day in the end , and only Sextus Pompeius survived among the leaders of his enemies. THe dead on the field were 30,000.

A statue was raised to him in the temple of Quirinus with the inscription : " To the Invincible God" and a college of priest , the Julians , was consecrated to him.... On the 13th September the dictator appeared at the gates of Rome.

It was expected that he would take revenge on his enemies in Rome but instead he pardoned many. It was latter those who he had shown clemency and mercy to whom murdered Caesar at the foot of the Statue of Pompey.

What I find so interesting about Caesar, is that despite his faults and recklessness (as Cato delights in pointing out), his men would seemingly follow him anywhere (including across the Rubicon).

 

How many times did his men mutiny? At least twice.

Did the Darling of Venus' legions ever leave the field? How did they respond when they were addressed as 'quirites'?

What I find so interesting about Caesar, is that despite his faults and recklessness (as Cato delights in pointing out), his men would seemingly follow him anywhere (including across the Rubicon). I don't mean to over illustrate this point, as disciplined Roman armies followed a great number of excellent generals, but leaders who have the sort of charisma and relationship with their men that Caesar had is relatively rare. Oddly enough, sometimes what makes a great general is not necessarily being great, but of his army simply believing that he is.

It's these leadership abilities combined with a sense of confidence (his and his soldier's), a choice to make sacrifices for speed and his willingness to take the risks that makes him a great commander. Those strengths are often his greatest weaknesses; call it a trade-off in the matrix of military operations.

Whatever his drawbacks the bottom line is that his opponents made more mistakes than JC did.

Have you ever noticed how often Caesar was running out of food? One historian observed that if you counted up all the days that Caesar was on campaign, that fully half of them involved him attempting to extricate himself from situations that he put himself into needlessly. Now, there's much to be said for Caesar's talents at command--logistics, however, were not his strong suit. (Now Alexander, on the other hand....)

It seems to me he was a very quick thinker (relative to other generals of the day) and did not dilly-dally about after a thought occurred to him - that he always took his first hunch and ran with it. He did not fully consider things before embarking on a plan of action. If he got into trouble, which happened a lot, he was able (with no small amount of luck or did he create his own luck?) to get out of it with similar quick thinking. He always had the initiative - always a step ahead of his opponent. If he had considered Logistics more often he would have lost his edge in initiative. He took huge risks - could probably be called foolhardy. It doesn't seem like he feared death as much as his contemporaries or rather he didn't think about it as much. Everyone he faced was always reacting to his moves.

I wonder if he was the kind of person who wouldn't let you finish talking - who'd finish your own sentences for you. In his later years, he definitely seemed an impatient sort of chap .

As for tactics on the battlefield, it seems like the Legion was designed to fight so that anyone could command it effectively. I don't think Caesar was exceptional in this department.

P.S. Hello all, interesting forum. My first post.

Was Marius any less successful than Caesar? Compare their invasions of Africa, where--contrary to previous claims--Labienus had the initiative against Caesar and soundly trounced him at Ruspina.