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1 Prelude

After crossing the Rubicon in 49 BCCenturies: 2nd century BC 1st century BC 1st century Decades: 90s BC 80s BC 70s BC 60s BC 50s BC 40s BC 30s BC 20s BC 10s BC 0s BC 0s Years: 54 BC 53 BC 52 BC 51 BC 50 BC 49 BC 48 BC 47 BC 46 BC 45 BC 44 BC Events January 1 The Roman Senate receives a pro, Caesar started the last RepublicanSee also Roman Republic (18th century) and Roman Republic (19th century). The Roman Republic traditionally lasted as a representative government of Rome and its territories from 510 BC until the establishment of the Roman Empire, typically placed at 44 BC civil war by defying senatorial orders to disband his army. Following his invasion of Italy and Rome, the Conservative Republicans fled to Greece under the command of PompeyThis article refers to the Roman General. However, Pompey is also the nickname of the city of Portsmouth in Hampshire, England, and also of its principal football club, Portsmouth F. Pompey is not to be confused with the Roman city of Pompeii. Gnaeus Pomp. They where defeated in the battles of DyrrhachiumThe Battle of Dyrrachium (or Dyrrhachium) on 10 July 48 BC was one of a series of contests between Julius Caesar and Pompey that ended with Pompey's defeat in the Battle of Pharsalus a month later. However, at Dyrrachium Caesar counted himself fortunate t and Pharsalus in 48 BC. Pompey was murdered, but the conservatives, not ready to give up fighting, clustered in the Africa provinces and organized a resistance. Its leaders were Marcus Porcius Cato, the younger, and Metellus Scipio. Other key figures in the resistance were Titus Labienus, Publius Attius Varus and the brothers Sextus and Gnaeus Pompeius (Pompey's sons). King Juba I of Numidia was a valuable local ally. After the pacification of the Eastern provinces, and a short visit to Rome, Caesar followed is opponents to Africa and landed in Adrumetum (modern Sousse) in December 28 47 BC.

The Conservatives gathered their forces with astonishing speed. Its army included 40,000 men (circa 10 legions), a powerful cavalry led by veteran Titus Labienus, allied forces of local kings and 60 war elephants. The two armies embarked in small conflicts to measure forces, during which two conservative legions deserted to Caesar. Meanwhile, Caesar expected reinforcements from Sicily. In the beginning of February, Caesar arrived in Thapsus and besieged the city, blocking the southern entrance with three lines of fortifications. The conservatives, led by Metellus Scipio, could not risk the loss of this position and were forced to accept battle.