Gallic Wars : list of legates and other staff officers in Julius Caesar's army

Maciamo

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I am currently reading the book series Marius' Mules about the Gallic Wars (first 9 volumes, one book per year) and the Civil War between Caesar and Pompey. It is historical fiction, but written based on Caesar's Commentarii de Bello Gallico. Caesar's book is notoriously tedious to read and author Simon Turney wanted to provide the reader with a more entertaining historical account with adventure, gory battles, camaraderie and humour. It's a great read, although the author is still finding his writing style in the first volume. The main character is fictional (Marcus Falerius Fronto), but most of the others are real.

I was looking for a list of Caesar's officers and the years each served as legate, but the information is surprisingly hard to come by. For once I found more information in French than in English. Many officers didn't serve for the 9 years of the war (58-50 BCE) and Caesar rarely mentioned which legate was appointed to which legion. Here is a quick summary. I listed the officers by seniority in Caesar's army (first joined, then longest serving on top).


[TABLE="class: grid, width: 700"]
[TR]
[TD]Name[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Years served (BCE)[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Legion[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Rank (year)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Titus Labienus[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]58-50[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]9th & 10th[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Legate (58-50)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Publius Vatinius[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]58-50[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Legate (58-56, 51), Praetor (55)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Aulus Hirtius[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]58-50[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Legate (58-54)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Marcus Vitruvius Mamurra[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]58-50[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Praefectus fabrum
(chief engineer)
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Servius Sulpicius Rufus[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]58-52[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Legate[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Quintus Titurius Sabinus[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]58-54 (†)[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]8th[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Legate (57-54)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Publius Licinius Crassus[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]58-56[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]7th[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Legate (?)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Quintus Pedius[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]58-56[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Legate (58-56)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Gaius Volusenus Quadratus[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]57-51[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]12th[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Tribune (57-53), Legate (52)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Quintus Tullius Cicero[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]57-52[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Legate (57-52)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Lucius Aurunculeius Cotta[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]57-54 (†)[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]8th[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Legate[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]56-52[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Navy[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Legate[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Titus Terrasidius[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]56-55[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]7th (cavalry)[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Officer[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Lucius Minucius Basilus[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]55-52[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Legate (?)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Gaius Trebonius[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]54-50[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Legate (54-50)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Mark Antony[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]54-50[/TD]
[TD="align: center"][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Quaestor (52), Legate (51)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Lucius Munatius Plancus[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]54-52[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Legate[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Marcus Licinius Crassus[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]54[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Quaestor (54)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Gaius Messius[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]54[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Officer[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Lucius Roscius Fabatus[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]54[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]13th[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Legate (54)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Quintus Atrius[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]54[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Officer[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Titus Sextius[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]53-50[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]?[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Gaius Volcatius Tullus[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]53-51[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]?[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Gaius Antistius Reginus[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]53-52[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Legate (53-52)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Marcus Junius Brutus[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]53[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]?[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Gaius Caninius Rebilus[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]52-50[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Tribune (52), Legate (51)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Lucius Julius Caesar[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]52[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Legate[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Marcus Sempronius Rutilus[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]52[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Legate[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Marcus Aristius[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]52[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Officer[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Quintus Fufius Calenus[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]51-50[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Legate (51-50)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Gaius Fabius[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]51[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Legate[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Quintus Attius Varus[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]51[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]general of the horse[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Publius Ventidius Bassus[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]?[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]?[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]


A few centurions from Caesar's legions in Gaul are even known by name. Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo have become famous thanks to their depictions in the HBO series Rome.

[TABLE="class: grid, width: 500"]
[TR]
[TD]Gaius Crastinus[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]10th legion[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Primus Pilus[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Publius Sextius Baculus[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]12th legion[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Primus Pilus[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Titus Balventius[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]8th legion[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Primus Pilus[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Lucius Vorenus[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]11th legion (?)[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Centurion[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Titus Pullo[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]11th legion (?)[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Centurion[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Quintus Lucanius[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Centurion[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Marcus Caesius Scaeva[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]11th or 12th legion[/TD]
[TD="align: center"]Centurion[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
 
Last edited:
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