Episodes

A massive migration of "barbarians" is headed directly for one of Julius Caesar’s provinces. This is Caesar’s first test as Proconsul. The tribes say they want to pass through Transalpine Gaul but promise not to misbehave. Caesar is having none of it. What’s more, he has spotted an opportunity for glory. Note: Further Gaul and Transalpine Gaul are two names for the same province. In this episode I use the terms interchangeably. Correction: I discuss the practice of forcing your enemies to “pas...

Julius Caesar recruits additional legions without permission from the Senate. With his new army he races to confront the Helvetii as they rampage through the territory of tribes allied with Rome. Caesar catches up with them at an opportune moment, and, never being one to miss an opportunity, he seizes it. We gain our first glimpse of Caesar’s ruthlessness in Gaul. Venmo If you enjoyed the episode and want to leave a tip, click the link below! https://venmo.com/code?user_id=3764325529420842984...

Julius Caesar’s army faces early setbacks against the Helvetii. Soon Caesar finds out the real enemy is within his own camp. Faced with the prospect of his army’s starvation, Caesar must wade into the complex world of inter-tribal politics to find out why his allies aren’t supplying his army with food as promised. Venmo If you enjoyed the episode and want to leave a tip, click the link below! https://venmo.com/code?user_id=3764325529420842984&created=1680471101.0362968&printed=1 Patreon If ...

Julius Caesar’s army is famed for being a well-oiled machine that had a fanatical devotion to their commander unlike any seen in history. At this point in our story, they are not yet that army. Caesar plans a clever trap for the Helvetii but miscommunications and scouting blunders combine to ruin his well laid plans. Venmo If you enjoyed the episode and want to leave a tip, click the link below! https://venmo.com/code?user_id=3764325529420842984&created=1680471101.0362968&printed=1 Patreon ...

Julius Caesar lines his legions up for the first pitched battle of the Gallic Wars. The Helvetii attack and the fighting rages for hours as Caesar commands his troops on foot having dismissed his horse in a show of solidarity with his soldiers. Listen now to find out how Caesar and his legions fare in their first test of combat against the Gallic peoples. Venmo If you enjoyed the episode and want to leave a tip, click the link below! https://venmo.com/code?user_id=3764325529420842984&created=...

In another move to deepen the growing bond between soldier and General, Julius Caesar gives his army time to recover before pursuing the Helvetii. For their part, the Helvetii still have one last surprise in store for the Romans. Eventually, Caesar must play judge and jury on the fate of the entire Helvetii. We also take a deep dive into the motives behind Caesar’s actions and how these have been viewed throughout history. Venmo If you enjoyed the episode and want to leave a tip, click the lin...

A gathering of Gallic leaders makes a secret request of Julius Caesar to protect them from a band of German mercenaries led by a man known as Ariovistus. Ariovistus has no intention of listening to Caesar though and soon the two big egos are butting heads. Venmo If you enjoyed the episode and want to leave a tip, click the link below! https://venmo.com/code?user_id=3764325529420842984&created=1680471101.0362968&printed=1 Patreon If you want to contribute to The March of History with a month...

Julius Caesar and his Roman legions race for the town of Vesontio to capture it before the Germans. At Vesontio the legionaries are told horrifying tales of the skill and ferocity of their German foes. Fear begins to spread through the ranks like wildfire. Seeing the panic spread, Caesar knows he must put an end to the fear using one of his greatest gifts, his voice. Venmo If you enjoyed the episode and want to leave a tip, click the link below! https://venmo.com/code?user_id=3764325529420842...

Julius Caesar and Ariovistus finally meet face to face. Both personalities struggle to dominate the meeting. Verbal sparing soon turns to the real thing and Caesar must decide how much longer these peace talks can continue. Venmo If you enjoyed the episode and want to leave a tip, click the link below! https://venmo.com/code?user_id=3764325529420842984&created=1680471101.0362968&printed=1 Patreon If you want to contribute to The March of History with a monthly donation, click the link below...

Ariovistus makes a move to cut off Julius Caesar's supply lines, ending any chance of a peace settlement. Caesar maneuvers to gain his supply lines back and battle ensues in the contest. Despite this, the Germans refuse to engage in a pitched battle. But why? Caesar searches furiously for intelligence that will explain his opponent's motives. Venmo If you enjoyed the episode and want to leave a tip, click the link below! https://venmo.com/code?user_id=3764325529420842984&created=1680471101.03...

The final clash with Ariovistus is finally upon Julius Caesar and the Romans. At the battle of Vosges the Romans must face the Germans head-on. In this battle of ancient armies neither side will give quarter nor expect it from the enemy. Only one side can walk away with victory and Caesar is determined it be the Romans. Venmo If you enjoyed the episode and want to leave a tip, click the link below! https://venmo.com/code?user_id=3764325529420842984&created=1680471101.0362968&printed=1 Patreo...

Brendan joins the podcast again as we discuss what life has been like for Trevor living in Spain during a pandemic. We also discuss all of the history-rich cities Trevor has traveled to in the past 7 months. Phoenician history, Roman history, Visigothic History, Islamic history, the Age of Exploration, this episode has it all! We even go into a side-bar about Cynocephaly (dog-headed people) throughout the ages (yes this is a real thing). Correction: There were 3 Pinzon brothers Venmo If you e...

Brendan joins the podcast again as we discuss what life has been like for Trevor living in Spain during a pandemic (including the New Years Day fire that forced him to move apartments). We also discuss all of the history rich cities Trevor has traveled to in the past 7 months. Phoenician history, Roman history, Visigothic history, Islamic history, the Age of Exploration, this episode has it all! Correction: I absolutely butcher the pronunciation of Boabdil, the last Muslim King of Granada. It i...

We take a small detour for part of this episode and talk about a young 19 year old Julius Caesar catching malaria before jumping back to Caesar in Gaul. Winter is here and Caesar has finished his first year in Gaul. But what does Caesar expect of his army in winter quarters? How does he train them to become the elite veteran legions of the later Civil Wars? Find out in this episode! Venmo If you enjoyed the episode and want to leave a tip, click the link below! https://venmo.com/code?user_id=...

The Belgae have formed a unified alliance against Julius Caesar and Rome. Gathering in massive numbers they plan to throw the Romans out of Gaul altogether. Always looking to seize the initiative Caesar rushes forward to meet them. Venmo If you enjoyed the episode and want to leave a tip, click the link below! https://venmo.com/code?user_id=3764325529420842984&created=1680471101.0362968&printed=1 Patreon If you want to contribute to The March of History with a monthly donation, click the li...

The united force of the Belgae bring their power to bare on Julius Caesar and his Roman legions. Though heavily outnumbered, Caesar has chosen his ground well and is ready for the fight. Venmo If you enjoyed the episode and want to leave a tip, click the link below! https://venmo.com/code?user_id=3764325529420842984&created=1680471101.0362968&printed=1 Patreon If you want to contribute to The March of History with a monthly donation, click the link below! https://www.patreon.com/themarchof...

The Nervii, fiercest of the Belgae, gather en masse to confront Julius Caesar and his legions. Caesar races ahead to meet them. On the bank of the River Sabis the Nervii set an ambush that Caesar and his Romans walk right into. A chaotic large-scale battle ensues. Soon Julius Caesar is forced to grab a shield and join his soldiers on the front line. Will it be enough to save the Romans from destruction? Venmo If you enjoyed the episode and want to leave a tip, click the link below! https://ve...

Julius Caesar may have defeated the fiercest of the Belgic tribes but there are still tribes that continue to resist. Using siege warfare the Belgae have not dreamed of, Caesar sets out to teach them that resistance to Rome is futile. Upon completion of the campaign Caesar declares the whole of Gaul as being pacified. Back at home, Rome goes absolutely wild. In this episode we also delve into why the Gauls posed such an existential threat in the minds of ordinary Romans and what it meant to the...

Julius Caesar has been waging war in Gaul for 2 years now. Back in Rome, his political contemporaries have not been sitting still. Cicero is in exile, Cato has been sent to Cyprus by Clodius and Pompey is in love. In this episode we will catch you up on the lives of these historical giants. Venmo If you enjoyed the episode and want to leave a tip, click the link below! https://venmo.com/code?user_id=3764325529420842984&created=1680471101.0362968&printed=1 Patreon If you want to contribute t...

Clodius declares war on Pompey. In desperation, Pompey backs a Tribune, named Milo, to create a rival gang. Milo is both willing and able to meet violence with violence. The result is all out battle in the Roman Forum. Venmo If you enjoyed the episode and want to leave a tip, click the link below! https://venmo.com/code?user_id=3764325529420842984&created=1680471101.0362968&printed=1 Patreon If you want to contribute to The March of History with a monthly donation, click the link below! ht...

Clodius holds Rome in a state of perpetual terror with the help of his street gangs. Milo rises to the challenge and puts his newly raised gang to work fighting Clodius. The two begin battling in the streets of Rome in all out gang warfare. Meanwhile Pompey and the Senate start a major campaign to recall Cicero. Venmo If you enjoyed the episode and want to leave a tip, click the link below! https://venmo.com/code?user_id=3764325529420842984&created=1680471101.0362968&printed=1 Patreon If yo...

With the first Triumvirate publicly unraveling at the seams, Julius Caesar attempts to save the alliance. Calling Crassus and Pompey to his province of Cisalpine Gaul he lays out what the future could look like with Rome’s three most powerful men continuing to work together. We also take a detour through the strange family relations of Cato and the Optimates. Venmo If you enjoyed the episode and want to leave a tip, click the link below! https://venmo.com/code?user_id=3764325529420842984&crea...

Crassus and Pompey take the consulship by violent storm, backed by Julius Caesar. Their triumvirate wishlist from Lucca will take even more violence to get approved but Crassus and Pompey seem happy to use naked force where bribery and covert coercion fail. We also take a quick look at Caesar’s key legates in Gaul and the civilians that act as his proxies in Rome while he is in Gaul waging war. Venmo If you enjoyed the episode and want to leave a tip, click the link below! https://venmo.com/c...

Back to Gaul! The March of History returns to the Gallic Wars. Julius Caesar may have declared Gaul as being pacified but no one alerted the Gauls of this. Soon war breaks out again as a seafaring people known as the Veneti decide to take on the might of Rome. Venmo If you enjoyed the episode and want to leave a tip, click the link below! https://venmo.com/code?user_id=3764325529420842984&created=1680471101.0362968&printed=1 Patreon If you want to contribute to The March of History with a m...