111 - Caesar’s Civil War III: Came Saw Conquered

Part 3 of 3 of Caesar's Civil War series. From triumph to near-disaster. Caesar's Egyptian entanglement transforms him from a glorious victor to a desperate challenger. In this episode:

• Pompey's assassination in Egypt and Caesar's unexpected grief over his former ally's death
• Cleopatra's legendary entrance in a bed-sack and her political seduction of Caesar
• The brutal urban warfare trapping Caesar in the palace quarter for six months
• The burning of the Great Library during the harbor battles—400,000 volumes lost
• Caesar's desperate swim to safety while clutching precious documents above water
• Young King Ptolemy XIII's tragic fate and the consolidation of Cleopatra's power
• The lightning campaign against Pharnaces in Asia—"Veni, Vidi, Vici"
• The veterans' mutiny outside Rome and Caesar's masterful psychological manipulation
• Cato's final stand in Africa and his defiant suicide
• The decisive Battle of Thapsus and the strategic genius of fighting on narrow ground
• The massacre of surrendering enemies as Caesar's clemency finally fails

As Caesar recounts, the Republic's future dictator came very close to destruction in the palaces and canals of Alexandria. While Rome descended into chaos under Mark Antony's drunken rule, Caesar fought for his life against war elephants and Numidian cavalry, transformed by his liaison with the living goddess Cleopatra. The man who emerged from Egypt was no longer merely a Roman general, he had consorted with divinity and fathered the son of a pharaoh. 

As Cicero wrote in frantic letters to Atticus: "Where am I to look for solace?" The final campaign that would cement Caesar's supremacy began with the most dangerous gamble of his career.

Works Cited: (Affiliate links - support the show!)

• Gareth Sampson, The Battle of Pharsalus 
• Matthias Gelzer, Caesar: Politician and Statesman 
• James Froude, Caesar: A Sketch, 
• Raaflaub (ed.) Landmark Caesar

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!