Battle of Munda
| date | March 17, 45 BC Chr. |
|---|---|
| place | Munda, near Osuna, southern Spain |
| output | Decisive victory for Caesar |
| Parties to the conflict | |
|---|---|
|
Conservative Republicans |
Caesarians |
| Commander | |
| Troop strength | |
|
13 legions , cavalry and auxiliary troops in total: about 70,000 men |
8 legions , 8,000 cavalry in total: about 40,000 men |
| losses | |
|
30,000 |
1,000 |
The Battle of Munda took place on March 17th, 45 BC. Chr. At the level of Munda in southern Spain instead. It was the final battle in the civil war between Gaius Iulius Caesar and the Conservative Republicans. After this victory and the death of Titus Labienus and the younger Gnaeus Pompeius , the eldest son of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus , Caesar was able to return to Rome and reign as dictator undisturbed . The battle thus marked the end of the Roman Republic , even if Caesar was murdered a year later.
prehistory
At the beginning of the year 45 BC Chr. Was near the last Republican civil war of its decision. After the defeats at Pharsalus (August 9, 48 B.C. ) and at Thapsus (April 6, 46 B.C.), the conservative republicans, originally led by Pompey, were limited to the Hispanic provinces , which in itself was not yet a desperate situation. Led by Titus Labienus , a gifted general, and the brothers Sextus and Gnaeus Pompey the Younger, the Conservatives had all of Hispania's resources and a newly recruited army of 13 legions at their disposal. Caesar followed the sons of Pompey from the African provinces to Hispania. Its aim was to destroy the last focal point of the opposition. He was accompanied by eight veteran legions, many under his command since the Gallic Wars , and 8,000 cavalrymen who would be decisive for the course of the battle. Overall, Caesar's troops were outnumbered by the enemy, but due to their many years of combat experience, his soldiers were far better prepared for battle than their enemies.
The battle
The two armies met in the plain of Munda near Osuna in southern Spain. The senatorial army camped on a gentle hill in an unfavorable position for Caesar's attack plans. He remained in sight for a few days until March 17th when he gave the order to attack.
The fight lasted for some time with no clear advantage for either side, forcing the generals to leave their command posts and go to the fighting force to cheer them up. Caesar then took command of the right wing where his 10th Legion was involved in heavy fighting. His presence renewed the will to victory in the soldiers, and slowly they drove the enemy back. Nevertheless, the situation was so threatening for Caesar that he is said to have said later that he usually fought for victory, but for Munda for his life.
Knowing about the new development, Gnaeus Pompeius moved a legion from his own right wing to the left to repel the attack, but this turned out to be a serious mistake: The attack of the 10th Legion was just a ruse. As soon as Pompey bared his right flank, Caesar's cavalry launched their attack there. At the same time, King Bogud of Mauritania , Caesar's ally, attacked Pompey's camp in the rear. Titus Labienus, the commander of the Pompeian cavalry, noticed the attack and tried to prevent it, as Bogud was also threatening the back of the main army. The legionaries, however, interpreted the action differently. Already under heavy attacks on the left (the 10th Legion under Caesar) and right (the cavalry) side, they now thought that Labienus was on the run. Panic broke out and the lines of the Pompeian legions collapsed.
Many of the men in Pompey's troops died in the persecution of Caesar's men. Others fell defending the city of Munda. About 30,000 men died in the battle, the vast majority on the side of the losers. Titus Labienus was one of those killed, but the brothers Sextus and Gnaeus Pompeius managed to escape to today's Córdoba . Caesar attacked the city that housed his enemies and troops. Cordoba surrendered, but was not spared. Around 20,000 people died here, including soldiers. Sextus and Gnaeus fled again, this time to the sea.
aftermath
After the Battle of Munda, Caesar set about "pacifying" other parts of Hispania that were still loyal to the Republican senators. He destroyed the cities where he suspected Sextus and Gnaeus, while Gaius Didius, a naval commander devoted to Caesar, destroyed the Senate's fleet so that Gnaeus had to try to hide in the country. He was soon caught and executed. Sextus, on the other hand, was able to escape and would cause problems for Caesar's heirs with his fleet for years.
With this victory and a pacified Hispania, Caesar initially had no more opposition and was able to return to Rome, where in February 44 he assumed the title of " dictator for life". He was born on March 15, 44 BC. Murdered by conservative republicans of the younger generation, at their head Brutus and Cassius , which ultimately only accelerated the dissolution of the republic: the Caesarians were able to bring Brutus and Cassius in 42 BC. BC, and at the latest with Octavian's victory over his rival Mark Antony , the republic definitely came to an end a few years later.
Localization
The localization of the battle and the ancient site of Munda is controversial in archaeological research. After Montilla was favored in older research (up to the New Pauly ), more recent publications refer to the Cerro de las Balas and the Llanos del Aguila near La Lantejuela about halfway between Osuna and Ecija (Andalusia) accepted as the more likely site of the battle. According to this theory, the name of Montilla, east of La Lentejuela, should be exchanged for the name of Osuna, to the south. That way the description of the battle in the sources would fit better.
literature
- Martin Grünewald / Alexandra Richter: Witness Caesar's worst battle? Labeled Andalusian sling lead from the Second Punic War and the Munda Campaign. Journal of Papyrology and Epigraphy 157 (2006), 261–269.