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Concept
Caesar's civil war
Summary
Caesar's civil war (49–45 BC) was a civil war during the late Roman Republic between Gaius Julius Caesar and Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus. The main cause of the war was political tensions relating to Caesar's place in the republic on his expected return to Rome on the expiration of his governorship in Gaul.
Before the war, Caesar had led an invasion of Gaul for almost ten years. A build-up of tensions starting in late 50 BC, with both Caesar and Pompey refusing to back down, led to the outbreak of civil war. Pompey and his allies induced the Senate to demand Caesar give up his provinces and armies in the opening days of 49 BC. Caesar refused and instead marched on Rome.
The war was fought in Italy, Illyria, Greece, Egypt, Africa, and Hispania. Pompey defeated Caesar in 48 BC at the Battle of Dyrrhachium, but was himself defeated decisively at the Battle of Pharsalus. Many former Pompeians, including Marcus Junius Brutus and Cicero, surrendered after the battle, while others, such as Cato the Younger and Metellus Scipio fought on. Pompey fled to Egypt, where he was assassinated on arrival. Caesar intervened in Africa and Asia Minor before attacking North Africa, where he defeated Scipio in 46 BC at the Battle of Thapsus. Scipio and Cato committed suicide shortly thereafter. The following year, Caesar defeated the last of the Pompeians under his former lieutenant Labienus in the Battle of Munda. He was made dictator perpetuo ("dictator in perpetuity" or "dictator for life") in 44 BC and assassinated shortly thereafter.
The civil war is commonly recognised as one of the possible endpoints of Rome's republican government. Its outbreak also has been seen by some Romanists as the proximate cause of the republic's fall due to its polarising interruption of normal republican government. Caesar's victory and the following total victory of his heir some twenty years after his death led to the formation of the Roman Empire.
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