Caesar’s Violence in Gaul

Traditional and Genocidal Narratives on the Roman Conquest of Gaul

Abstract

This historiography examines the differing portrayals of Caesar’s violence in Gaul during the Gallic Wars. It aims to compare and contrast traditional bibliographic narratives with more recent texts analyzing specific events from a genocidal perspective. These texts include a critical article considering the extent of genocide during the conflicts, an archaeological paper arguing that the Romans were indeed genocidal, a traditional biography of Caesar’s life, and a somewhat bibliographic historical critique from the perspective of a significant Gallic resistance leader. It also views how these unique texts utilize and interpret their shared primary source. The events this article focuses on are the massacre of two Germanic tribes, the persecution of a Belgic tribe, and finally the destruction of a Gallic town. By emphasizing the circumstances of the native inhabitants of Gaul, who have often been overlooked in favor of the imperialist Roman viewpoint, this article discusses an alternate lens through which to view this conflict and the human cost of Caesar’s conquests.