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New book
Caesars Gallic War
Caesar against the ancient Belgians, part I, The Invasion
written in Dutch by Armand Sermon,
published by Mens & Cultuur Uitgevers Gent
ISBN 978-90-77135-34-1
432 pages, 49.95
Summary
The book, Caesar tegen de Oude Belgen Deel 1 De Invasie, covers the battle of the Axona between Caesar and the Belgae in -57, as described by Caesar in his Gallic War, Book II, 1-12. The book builds on research, conducted by Armand Sermon and Geert Vandeplassche, providing further evidence that the battle did take place near the hill of Mauchamp (Berry-au-Bac, Aisne).
The key new findings of the research, which the book works out in detail, are as follows:
1 the army of the Belgae must be drawn up to the north-east of Caesars camp, contrary to the generally accepted view, that situates them to the south-west of the camp behind the river Miette;
2 the Roman army must be disposed pro castris, i.e. on the side of the camp which faced the enemy, which was the north;
3 the marsh of no great size as referred to by Caesar is not to be identified with the Miette, as is the generally received view, but instead with a depression between Caesars camp and Guignicourt to the east of the camp at the same level as the Miette;
4 Quintus Titurius Sabinus must be localized in the old oppidum of the Remi in Condé-Variscourt, which we identify with the castellum on the left Aisne bank where Caesar leaves him with six cohorts, in defense of the castellum that the Belgae, after finding forts in the river Aisne, seek to conquer;
5 an original approach to calculating the actual length of the days march and the forced days marsh of Caesars legionaries.
Moreover, the book illustrates what it takes to march to war far from home with an army of some 50 000 legionaries, shows that the hill near Mauchamp is just wide enough to allow the line of battle to be formed upon it alongside of the camp and that the camp excavated by colonel Stoffel was capable of accommodating eight legions. Further, the book goes more deeply into the civitates, tribal structures, consanguinity between Remi and Suessiones, affinity between Remi and the Belgae, magistratus, rix, vergobretus and Gallic religion.
Besides, the book covers the existing knowledge on order of battle, the positions on the Aisne, the battle field, the battle, the identification of Noviodunum and Bibrax.
More information in Dutch: click here
Armand Sermon
armand.sermon@skynet.be
Geert Vandeplassche
geert.vandeplassche@skynet.be
27-01-2013 om 00:00
geschreven door Armand Sermon 
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