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THE NERVI
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Marie Warchol
Chapter 15
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Caesar agrees to protect the Aeduans
However, as a compromise, he demanded 600 hostages
Caesar and his forces got the Ambiani to surrender
and took all their possessions
The Nervii bordered the Ambiani territory
Caesar was informed that the Nervii: weren’t accessible
by merchants, they had no wine or imported luxuries
(thought these things would impair courage)
Nervii were savage+brave, and condemned the Belgae
who had surrendered to Rome
Nervii declared that they would not accept terms of
peace
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Caesar marched 3 days in the Nervii territory,
and discovered the river Sambre was about 10
miles away from camp
All the Nervii were stationed on the other side
The Nervii, with their neighbors (Atrebates +
Veromandui) awaited the Romans
The Aduatuci also were awaiting the Romans,
having put their women and those useless for
war in a safe location
Chapter 16
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Caesar sent scouts to choose a camp ground
Some of these scouts, however, went to the
Nervii by night and informed them about the
Romans, and gave them a plan to seize the
Romans baggage trains
The Nervii constructed a wall around
themselves as a final warning
Chapter 17
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The camp was on a hill, extending from the
Sambre river
The enemy hid in the woods around the hill
The river was about 3 feet deep
Chapter 18
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Caesar followed the enemy, but the plan of the
march was different than reported
While the Romans were fortifying camp, the
enemies, hidden in the woods, lined up for
battle, and attacked the Roman forces
The Romans were surrounded by Nervii forces,
which continued to proceed towards the
Roman camp
Chapter 19
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Caesar had to take control (give signs, order
trumpets, summon soldiers…)
Because of such short notice, many of these
actions weren’t taken
However, Caesar had two advantages: First, his
soldiers were well trained and knew what to
do, secondly, Caesar had kept his lieutenants
on site at all times
AKA his soldiers didn’t necessarily need
instructions
Chapter 20
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Caesar continued to encourage his men as they
fought the enemy
He finally gave the signal to commence battle
Lack of time caused the battle to be chaotic
Chapter 21
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The 9th and 10th legions drove away the
Atrebates to the river
The 8th and 11th legions gained higher ground
while fighting the Veromandui
However, much of the Roman camp was
exposed
The Boduagnatus and Nervii headed for the
unprotected parts of camp and surrounded
some of Caesar’s legions
Chapter 22-23
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Fighting continues
Those who came with the Roman baggage train
arrived to find the camp filled with battle
The Treviri, who helped assist the baggage
claim rushed back home and told their state
that the Romans were conquered and the
enemy possessed their camp + baggage train
Chapter 24
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The 4th cohort was defeated
The crowded Roman troops were a hindrance
to themselves
Many of the other centurions of other cohorts
were killed
P. Sextius Baculus, a brave man, advanced to
the front line of battle and ordered the soldiers
to keep moving foreword, thus boosting their
courage
Chapter 25
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Caesar tried to separate the legions so that they
were not so pressed together in battle
Made a charge on the enemy with a double
front
Began to fight off the enemy more successfully
Titus Labienus gained possession of the
enemy’s camp and observed from higher
ground the attack on the Romans. He sent the
10th legion to help the Romans fight.
Chapter 26
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The arrival of the 10th legion restored much
courage in the men
Once the Romans had defeated the enemy up
close, the enemy began to cast their weapons at
the Romans from a hill
They returned the Romans darts so that it
appeared as if the enemy had not stupidly
passed a river, ascended a hill, and fought in a
disadvantaged location
Chapter 27
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Battle was over
Nervii were annihilated
The women + those unable to fight from the
Nervii sent ambassadors to Caesar and
surrendered themselves to him
Nervii senators reduced 600-3
60,000 men to 500 who could bear arms
Begged Caesar for compassion
Chapter 28
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The Aduatuci, who had been making their way
towards to battle to help the Nervii, turned
around after hearing the news
They picked a geographically protected camp
site near the Rhine river, and set up 6,000
guards
Chapter 29
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The Roman army arrived at their set up camp
and argued with them
The Aduatuci, because of Roman conflict,
remained in their camp, surrounded by a
rampart
From their camp, they observed the Romans
building a tower, which they mocked, thinking
there was no use in this construction, and that
the Romans didn’t have enough hands or
strength to build it
Chapter 30
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When the Aduatuci saw the tower being
moved, and approaching their walls, they sent
ambassadors to appease Caesar
Treated Caesar with much respect, and gave
themselves and all their possessions into
Caesar’s possession
Begged to be spared and not deprived of their
arms
Chapter 31
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Caesar agreed to spare the Aduatuci if they
surrendered themselves before the batteringram should touch the wall (meaning they
would have to give up their arms until they
touched the top of the wall)
Caesar agreed to command the Aduatuci’s
enemies not to look down or attack the
Aduatuci
However, the Aduatuci hid a third part of their
town and didn’t give up everything
Chapter 32
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The Aduatuci attacked the Romans and broke
treaty of peace while they thought the Romans
weren’t paying attention to them
About 4000 of the Aduatuci were killed by the
Romans, and the rest returned back to town
Caesar “sold the whole spoil of that town”,
which was 53,000 people
Chapter 33
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P. Crassus informs Caesar that the Veneti,
Unelli, Osismii, Curiosolitae, Sesuvii, Aulerci,
and the Rhedones were now under Roman
control
Word spread of Roman victory, and nations
beyond the Rhine contacted Caesar saying that
they would follow his command if need be
Caesar set out for Italy
A 15 day celebration was held for the Roman
victories
Chapter 34-35
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Third person
Glorifies the Roman army and himself
Refers to the enemies as “savages” and mocks
their lack of culture
Presents himself in a very high manner, as the
powerful leader of the Roman army
How Caesar presents the
information:
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Caesar’s problems all seem to arise through
scouts (i.e. when his scouts told the Nervii that
the Romans were near by in chapter 17
In battle, Caesar blames much of the time
where the Romans are losing on the fact that
they didn’t have proper time to prepare for
battle
Avoids taking credit for any wrongdoing
Problems?
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Caesar presents himself as a hero during the
surprise attack on the Romans by the Nervii,
where Caesar explains how he himself had to
give signs, encourage the men, and so on.
P. Sextius Baculus is presented as a hero in
chapter 25, yet a lesser hero than Caesar
himself.
Heroics?
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Reports in 3rd person
Glorifies himself and the Roman army
Causes reader to be impressed by his quick
thinking during battle and careful planning
Avoids putting any blame on himself, so that
he may continue to look like a hero
Many geographical references to help reader
understand the action more
How does Caesar report
the action?