ТОП просматриваемых книг сайта:
On The Alexandrian War. Caesar Gaius Julius
Читать онлайн.Название On The Alexandrian War
Год выпуска 0
isbn 9788835404064
Автор произведения Caesar Gaius Julius
Издательство Tektime S.r.l.s.
107.
Considering the situation quite dangerous, he ordered that other legions from Asia be sent to him, units that he himself had set up to be formed with the veterans of the Pompeian legions. Besides, he was forced into Alexandria by those winds called Etesii that prevented him from sailing from his port. But in addition to the weather hindrances, Caesar believed it was pertaining to the Roman people and his as consul, to resolve the dispute between Ptolemy XIII (13) and his sister, also in consideration of the fact that during his previous consulate he had proposed a law, then which became a Senate Decree, which entered into an alliance with Ptolemy XII (12) father of the current pharaoh. He then let the Egyptians know that it would be to his liking that Ptolemy XIII (13) and Cleopatra would dissolve their respective armies and settle their disputes before him, following the legal and not the arms routes.
108.
But due to the young age of the boy pharaoh, one of his eunuch pedagogues named Potinus was in fact the ruler of the Kingdom. The eunuch at first complained to his helpers, he was indignant that a king was called to defend himself in court. Subsequently, following his complaints, he found among the collaborators of the king who could help him implement his plans; thus he managed to secretly bring the army from Pelusio to Alexandria and put in charge the Achilla already mentioned. Achilla was instigated and made proud by promises of both Potino and the king; through letters to ambassadors, Potino made him aware of his plans.
In the testament of Ptolemy XII (12) the eldest of the two sons and the eldest of the two daughters were indicated as heirs. Still in the same testament, in the name of the Gods and of the alliance made with Rome, Ptolemy XII (12) called the Roman people to be witness and guarantor of its dispositions. A copy of this testament had been sent to Rome to be kept in the public treasury archive; this copy, however, could not be deposited due to the ongoing political upheavals and remained among Pompeo's documents; the other copy was kept in Alexandria and was published with the royal seal.
109.
While Caesar was busy acting as arbiter to settle the matter by acting as a friend of both and the various issues were dealt with before him, the sudden news came that the royal army with all the cavalry was heading towards Alexandria. The soldiers at Caesar's disposal were not such as to be able to face a battle outside the city, so he could not help but remain on his positions in the city and understand what Achilla's intentions were. Caesar ordered his men to remain in arms and asked the king to send ambassadors to Achilla choosing among his family those who had a greater prestige, so that he could ask him what he intended. The king chose Dioscorides and Serapion, former ambassadors to Rome and known for their great authority over Ptolemy XII (12). When they arrived at Achilla's camp they didn't even have the opportunity to explain the reason for their embassy, because Achilla ordered them to be captured and killed. So they were immediately taken, one killed, the other wounded was thrown away as if he were dead. Following this event, Caesar considered it more convenient for him to keep the king in his power, considering the ascendancy that he had over his subjects but also to make it appear that the war was not waged out of royal will, but only because of initiative of private citizens and unscrupulous adventurers.
110.
The troops at Achilla's disposal were not despicable either by numerical strength or by military experience: they amounted to 20,000 men of which a part was made up of former legionnaires of Aulus Gabinius, who had remained in Alexandria getting used to that licentious life and now forgetful of the good name of the Roman army and its discipline; many of these had married, and some also had children. Another part was made up of thieves and murderers gathered in Syria, Cilicia and neighbouring regions; also sentenced to death and exiles were enrolled with these. After all, Alexandria, for all our runaway slaves, was a safe haven as long as they enlisted in the army. It also happened, in the event that one of them had been taken over by the master, that the companions went to free him to take him back with them, considering this as the right thing being themselves in the same condition as the companion, and this action was a guarantee for all of them. This composite army used to tyrannise the pharaoh asking for the death of the unwelcome advisers, to plunder the assets of the wealthiest and to besiege the royal palace to obtain a salary increase, to expel the unwanted kings from the kingdom to put others in it. The strength of this army was also given by the presence of 2000 knights and by the fact that they were veterans of many wars on behalf of Alexandria among which the one who put Ptolemy XII on the throne (12), the one with the killing of the two sons of Bibulo and others against the Egyptian people, all things that made them expert soldiers.
111.
Trusting in the value of his soldiers and despising the small number of those available to Caesar, Achilla occupied that large part of the city of Alexandria which was not controlled by the Romans. In the first assault he tried to raid the residence chosen by Caesar to stay there, but the Roman cohorts located in the neighbouring streets supported the assault; but almost simultaneously he attacked at the port, which turned out to be the real target and a much more demanding attack to be repelled. The enemies had divided into squads to be able to fight in several ways, trying with a considerable number of soldiers to take over the many Egyptian warships present in the port. Among those were the 50 sent to aid Pompeo who had returned to Alexandria with the end of the war in Thessaly, it was a question of quadriremi and quinqueremi perfectly equipped and ready for battle. In addition to those there were 22 others, also equipped with a covered bridge, which served as a normal military garrison in Alexandria. If the Alexandrians had succeeded in regaining possession of those ships, they would have taken control of the port and all the surrounding sea, preventing Caesar from providing food and help. For this reason, at the port they fought fiercely, the Alexandrians in the hope of a quick victory, the Romans for their salvation. Caesar's men got the better of it, but since it was too large an area to be defended, Caesar thought it wise to set fire to all those ships and even those in the dry dock (the fire will also spread to the Great Library), so he immediately landed some soldiers at the Great Lighthouse at the mouth of the port.
112.
The Grande Faro is a large, very tall tower of admirable workmanship which bears the name of the island on which it was built; this island was in front of the city creating the port. The first kings of the city threw a long pier of 900 steps (675 meters) that united it to the city almost like a bridge, albeit with a narrow passage. On this island there is a district as big as a city whose inhabitants are also devoted to piracy on those ships that, due to inexperience or storm, end up defenceless too close to the island. Another thing to mention is the fact that due to the narrow access opening to the Grand Port, no one could enter it without the consent of the person who controls it. This is why Caesar, aware of the strategic value of that position for his supplies, while the enemies were busy at the port makes you land soldiers, occupied the Faro tower and placed a garrison there, thus ensuring the flow of wheat by sea and reinforcements which, moreover, he had already arranged to request from all the neighbouring provinces.
In other parts of the city where there was fighting, there were neither losers nor winners, mainly because of the too cramped places, so that few men were killed. During the night Caesar fortified those strategically important points that were in his possession. In that part of the city controlled by Caesar on the mainland, there was a part of the palace that Caesar had immediately used as his residence and a theatre connected to the palace that was used as a stronghold. That area was also connected to the king's port and shipyards; all these parts were fortified in the following days so that they became its walls, to have the possibility of not engaging in fights against one's will.
In the meantime, in the enemy camp it happened that the younger daughter of Ptolemy XII (12), in the hope of occupying the vacant kingdom, left the palace to take refuge with Achilla with the intent to conduct the war with him. But soon discord arose between them regarding the supreme command of the operations, triggering a contest of donations to the soldiers to ingratiate them. Meanwhile, the eunuch Potino, regent of the