Why Was Julius Caesar Successful

Julius Caesar’s military campaign was successful for many reasons, he was a skillful and vigilant military leader who was always a step ahead of his enemies, his legions were well-trained and loyal, and his alliances with surrounding were well utilized and were assisted when needed.

In 61 B.C. the Helvetii, led by Orgetorix, have been convinced that their country was too small for their population and supply demand. They then began a two-year preparation for war to gain more land and expand their country. Although Orgetorix dies before the war had begun, the Helvetii continued on with the plan. Caesar heard of their plan and sent a legion of troops towards Geneva to burn the Geneva bridge so the Helvetti could not pass over. The Helvetian
leaders were sent to Caesar to barter and they insisted that they wanted to march peacefully and with the permission of Caesar. Caesar did not, “believe that these men, hostile as they were, would refrain from doing harm and damage if allowed to march though,” but still he told them to return at a later date for his answer.1 This bought Caesar time to construct a sixteen feet high and nineteen mile long wall ranging from Lake Lemannus to the Jura mountain range.
The Roman troops also constructed a long trench and sent groups of troops along the border of the Sequani and Helvetii for further precaution. When the Helvetians returned for Caesar’s verdict he announced that he could not grant them permission to march through the Province and warned that if they tried any alternative routes that, “he would stop them”. 2 The Helvetians did not care for Caesar’s warning and attempted to enter the Province by crossing the Rhône. Caesar had anticipated this and had troops prepared to fend off the Helvetii boats and
rafts, which they did successfully. All necessary precautions were used against the Helvetti to prevent their march and conquest for new land due to Caesar’s preparedness, quick-thinking and quick-acting. There was one final way that they Helvetti could make it through towards the Province.

The last alternative route was though the land of the Sequani and was the most dangerous route.
The Helvetii needed permission from the Sequani to pass through as the route was, “narrow and difficult, so that the waggons could hardly pass in single file, and the mountain which loomed over it meant that a handful of men could easily block the pass”.3 Without the permission they would not make it through the pass.
The Sequani did not agree for the Helvetti to pass through so the Helvetti asked Dumnorix the Aeudan to help negotiate with the Sequani. The groups came to an agreement in which they would use the pass and they once again promise that they would, “do [no] harm or damage as they were passing through”.4 Caesar heard of this and knew that the route would take them near the state of Tolosates in the Province and feared that they were a serious threat to the unprotected and fertile land, and as a preventative measure he immediately acted. The troops at the Rhône were put under another commander’s orders and Caesar travelled towards the Helvetti with an army of five legions. The Helvetti broke their promise and staged an attack on the Aedui and the Aedui begged Caesar to send help. As the Aedui were allies to Rome and Caesar decided that they did not deserve,” to have their land laid waste, their children enslaved, and their towns stormed.”5 Many other allies requested aid against the Helvetti and Caesar rounded up three legions to stage the attack. Although they were not Roman citizens Caesar and his troops protected them fiercely, once you were an ally the Romans
would die for you. Many Helvetti were killed that day, which was a great victory as they killed the enemies of the past and present.