Battle of Pharsalus: How Caesar’s Hidden Reserve Broke Pompey’s Cavalry
John's Chronicle
90 views
At the Battle of Pharsalus in 48 BC, Julius Caesar faced Pompey the Great with a smaller army and a severe cavalry disadvantage. Instead of simply reinforcing his exposed right flank, Caesar pulled veteran cohorts from his main formation and created a separate reserve positioned to counter Pompey’s cavalry. When the cavalry attack drove back Caesar’s horsemen and began moving around the flank, the reserve struck, routed the cavalry, cleared away the supporting archers and slingers, and then turned against Pompey’s infantry from the side and rear. This video follows the decisive tactical sequence at Pharsalus, from Pompey’s plan to envelop Caesar’s army to the reserve maneuver that helped transform a dangerous battlefield position into one of Julius Caesar’s most important victories in the Roman Civil War.
Sources:
https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Rom...
https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Rom...
https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Rom...
https://www.livius.org/articles/battle/pha...
https://www.worldhistory.org/article/697/t...
#BattleOfPharsalus #JuliusCaesar #PompeyTheGreat #AncientRome #RomanHistory #RomanCivilWar #MilitaryHistory #AncientWarfare #RomanLegions #BattleTactics #HistoryDocumentary #Caesar
Battle of Pharsalus: How Caesar’s Hidden Reserve Broke Pompey’s Cavalry
John's Chronicle
90 views
At the Battle of Pharsalus in 48 BC, Julius Caesar faced Pompey the Great with a smaller army and a severe cavalry disadvantage. Instead of simply reinforcing his exposed right flank, Caesar pulled veteran cohorts from his main formation and created a separate reserve positioned to counter Pompey’s cavalry. When the cavalry attack drove back Caesar’s horsemen and began moving around the flank, the reserve struck, routed the cavalry, cleared away the supporting archers and slingers, and then turned against Pompey’s infantry from the side and rear. This video follows the decisive tactical sequence at Pharsalus, from Pompey’s plan to envelop Caesar’s army to the reserve maneuver that helped transform a dangerous battlefield position into one of Julius Caesar’s most important victories in the Roman Civil War.
Sources:
https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Rom...
https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Rom...
https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Rom...
https://www.livius.org/articles/battle/pha...
https://www.worldhistory.org/article/697/t...
#BattleOfPharsalus #JuliusCaesar #PompeyTheGreat #AncientRome #RomanHistory #RomanCivilWar #MilitaryHistory #AncientWarfare #RomanLegions #BattleTactics #HistoryDocumentary #Caesar