Cæsar
First sentence
The orders were that while Caesar and the major part of his army were in Britannia, none but the most urgent communications were to be sent to him; even directives from the Senate had to wait in Portus Itius on the Gallic mainland until Caesar returned from his second expedition to the island at the western end of the world, a place almost as mysterious as Serica...
Description
At the time of his death, Julius Caesar was the most powerful man on earth. Beginning with the Gallic Wars, he had fought a series of epic campaigns, culminating in the brutal civil war that brought the Roman Republic to an end and gave birth to the new Roman Empire. His battles ranged over much of the known world, from Spain, Gaul and Italy, to Greece, Asia Minor, and Egypt. Caesar's own Commentaries are a classic account of how he led his beloved legions into battle, but they leave many questions of war and strategy unanswered. Theodore Ayrault Dodge's illustrated history of Caesar was first published in 1892, as part of his “Great Captains” series. The author, an experienced military officer and historian, visited all of the major battlefields, and made full use of ancient sources. His history follows Caesar’s entire career, reconstructs his victories and defeats, and explains his lasting impact on the art of war. “Caesar” is an unparalleled military history of one of the world’s greatest generals.