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!

Part 2 of 3 of the Life of Julius Caesar. In this episode:

• Caesar forms the First Triumvirate with Pompey and Crassus, uniting Rome's most powerful men
• His revolutionary consulship of 59 BCE bypasses Senate opposition through popular assemblies
• The brilliant staging of the Gallic conquest, using allies and tribal conflicts as pretexts for expansion
• His management of Rome through letters while commanding armies across Gaul
• The death of Julia and Crassus fractures the political alliance holding Rome together
• Vercingetorix's rebellion culminates in the decisive siege of Alesia, securing Gaul for Rome

Caesar transforms both Rome and Gaul forever through calculated strategy, personal magnetism, and relentless ambition—all while his enemies in Rome, led by Cato, plot his downfall and convince Pompey to turn against him, setting the stage for civil war.

Thanks to our sponsor, Ai Labs. Visit austinlab.ai to chat with a team member about custom Agentic AI power solutions for your SMB to Enterprise level business. Powered by Shokworks.

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

The much awaited series on Julius Caesar begins, with the inaugural episode: "Man of Destiny".

In this episode:

• Caesar's formative years in the shadow of Sulla's dictatorship
• His early political boldness and refusal to divorce Cornelia
• The capture by pirates and his merciless revenge
• Caesar's rise through the ranks of Roman politics as Quaestor and Aedile
• The Catilinarian conspiracy and Caesar's narrow escape from execution
• His famous ambition: "I would rather be first man here than second at Rome"

A tale of charm, audacity, and calculated risk as a young aristocrat from a modest branch of an ancient family navigates the treacherous waters of late Republican politics. Caesar—stylish, charismatic, deeply in debt, and dangerously ambitious—sets himself against the legacy of Sulla while methodically building a coalition that would eventually transform Rome forever.

Thanks to our sponsor, Ai Labs. Visit austinlab.ai to chat with a team member about custom Agentic AI power solutions for your SMB to Enterprise level business. Powered by Shokworks.

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