Cost of Glory

Cost of Glory Greece Retreat: https://costofglory.com/retreat

Part 1 of 3 of Caesar's Civil War series. The die is cast—Caesar crosses the Rubicon and plunges Rome into civil war. In this episode:
  • The political crisis of 51-50 BCE as Caesar's enemies demand his recall from Gaul
  • Curio's shocking defection and proposal that both Caesar and Pompey lay down arms
  • The breakdown of negotiations and Pompey's fateful acceptance of command against Caesar
  • His lightning campaign through Italy as cities surrender without a fight
  • The siege of Corfinium and Caesar's revolutionary policy of clemency toward enemies
  • Pompey's strategic retreat to Greece, abandoning Rome and splitting the Republic
  • The brilliant Spanish campaign at Ilerda, showcasing Caesar's military genius
  • The brutal siege of Marseille and Caesar's appointment as Dictator
Caesar's own account reveals a man driven not by revolutionary ambition, but by wounded dignity and the desperate need to defend his honor against enemies who would destroy him through partisan prosecution.

As Lucan wrote of this cosmic struggle: "Of civil wars and worse waged on Thessalian fields / Of crime made law we sing, how a powerful people / Turned on its own heart its conquering hand."

The war that would transform Rome forever begins not with grand ideology, but with Caesar's refusal to submit to humiliation—and his enemies' fatal miscalculation of the man they sought to crush.

Works Cited

Kurt Raaflaub (ed.), The Landmark Julius Caesar
Matthias Gelzer, Caesar: Politician and Statesman
Erich Gruen, Last Generation of the Roman Republic

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Also Thanks Dr. Richard Johnson, the Crassus to this Caesar series!

What is Cost of Glory?

The most influential biographies ever written, admired by leaders, creators, soldiers, and thinkers for nearly 2,000 years: Plutarch’s Parallel lives. Essential listening for anyone striving after greatness. Alex Petkas, former professor of ancient philosophy and history, revives and dramatically retells these unforgettable stories for modern audiences. The subjects are statesmen, generals, orators, and founders; pious and profane, stoics and hedonists. The stakes bear on the future of Western civilization. The cost of glory is always great. Visit costofglory.com to find out more.