The Gallic War: Seven Commentaries on The Gallic War with an Eighth Commentary by Aulus Hirtius (Oxford World's Classics)

Interesting, historic read. Ceasar wrote 7 of 8 chapters (written from his own notes from the Galic wars) and the 8th chapter was written by a historian who followed Ceasar. Recommended if you like history.

I wish I had been able to read this more than 65 years ago when I was laboring through it in Latin! Not as a crib, but as a way of understanding what a phenomenal writer Caesar was. I still find the endlessly shifting alliances and loyalties among the Gallic tribes a little hard to wade through, but his accounts of his military exploits are fascinating (of course, in the intervening years I have also been an army engineer and so have learned a bit about supply chains and "throwing a bridge across a river" in a combat zone...). The translation is quite remarkably good: you feel you are actually reading about current events, not the very distant past. If you never had to study Latin in school, this will help show you why so many previous generations did, and benefited from it. Thank you, Dean Hammond.

For anyone whose a student of history, or someone who just wants to undestand the psychology of human behavior, do yourself a FAVOR...READ CAESAR'S GALLIC WARS. the gallic wars are more than just a chronicle of caesar's campaigns while in gaul(modern day france), it's also THE definitive text book on " divide and conquer". It 's the story of how a smaller force(caesar's) was able to completel DECIMATE a much larger force simply by setting the opposition against itself. This textbook used to be taught at the middle school level in america ( 1940's) , and now it only allowed at the elite ivy league schools at the seminar level...I should know..I went to Harvard. the copy arrived quickly.. this version has a complete textually faithful translation of caesar's original latin, and it has helpful maps. enjoy!!

This is of course a classic, used as source material not just by modern scholars, but by Roman Generals for generations after Julius Caesar. But - it is hard to wrap your brain around. For example, it's hard to really understand the scope of the genocide just based on Caesar's writing. It's better to have a historian give you a view of the archaeological evidence alongside the narrative.Having read this multiple times in preparation for my podcast, I can tell you that reading a biography of Caesar first is the way to go. Try Goldsworthy first. If you want the Gallic Wars in Audio form, check out my podcast:iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-rhine/id1059237175?mt=2Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/joseph-rigodanzo/the-rhine-stories-and-legends-from-the-contested-frontier-of?refid=stpr

I will forewarn anybody thinking about reading this book, it was the most difficult introduction I have ever read! However, after I mustered my way through the introduction, rereading passages here and there, Googling certain terms and locations, I found this to be one of the best military books I have read. Even with the account slanting towards Julius Caesar because of his political ambitions, the story still gives great insight into the Roman Republic's military expansion into Gaul.Highly recommend, but before you read it, Google video Roman Republic Hierarchy/Task Organization and do a quick reference into the Geography during the same period.

I wish that I had read this (in English; didn't take Latin in high school) years ago, but then this wonderful translation did not exist back then. It reads like a great adventure story, but it is real historyl. You come away realizing what a genius Julius Caesar was, winning a battle when the chips were down and implementing great strategy to defeat the Gauls, Brits, and the Germans of that time. He was an inspiration to his troops, too.

A lot of inside info on the workings of the Roman government. He grabbed opportunity. His solders followed him because they would get the spoils of war. Luck and skill in battle but the most important thing is not being afraid to kill large numbers of people.

A must read for all who appreciate the genius of Caesar

translations are good and the footnotes are really helpful.

Excelente

Such an interesting, first-hand account of one Caesars greatest military achievements. Also a great ethnographical account of the Gallic, German and Celtic-British tribes that made up the barbarian world in what the Romans termed oikuomene, the limit of the civilised world. The two landings on the island of Britannia, almost a hundred years before Claudius' invasion, are a wonderful account of the first contact with Britains ancestors. A great and exciting primary literary source!

An easy read, historically interesting but not as explicit with regard to Caesar's tsctics and strategy as i had expected. still, very pleasurable to read and to think that these are the words of the great man himself.

Excellent as always