1 00:01:38,681 --> 00:01:40,600 [priest] Do you swear by the gods 2 00:01:41,267 --> 00:01:44,354 to loyally serve the Senate and the people of Rome? 3 00:01:45,396 --> 00:01:48,566 I swear by the gods to loyally serve the Senate... [narrator] After forming the Triumvirate with Pompey and Crassus, 4 00:01:53,363 --> 00:01:55,573 Julius Caesar is elected consul, 5 00:01:56,741 --> 00:01:59,577 the most powerful position in the Roman Republic. 6 00:02:07,001 --> 00:02:09,712 He rules an area of a million square miles, 7 00:02:11,256 --> 00:02:14,676 and commands an army of 150,000 men. 8 00:02:20,515 --> 00:02:22,058 For the former foot soldier, 9 00:02:23,810 --> 00:02:26,354 it's the crowning achievement of his young career. 10 00:02:30,441 --> 00:02:33,278 Now, Caesar's first order of business 11 00:02:33,903 --> 00:02:36,614 is to repay the men who brought him to power 12 00:02:37,490 --> 00:02:40,243 by passing their legislation through the Senate. 13 00:02:45,456 --> 00:02:50,336 It is in the interest of the Republic to compensate the men who protect it. 14 00:02:50,795 --> 00:02:53,006 It is our procedures that protect the Republic. 15 00:02:53,089 --> 00:02:55,216 Without them, we wouldn't be a republic. 16 00:02:55,300 --> 00:02:57,302 Without an army, we wouldn't be anything at all! 17 00:02:57,385 --> 00:03:00,180 This legislation has been delayed long enough. 18 00:03:00,263 --> 00:03:03,141 We are simply not in a position to approve these allocations. 19 00:03:03,766 --> 00:03:07,312 It would be irresponsible to rush their distribution. 20 00:03:09,522 --> 00:03:11,107 I move we postpone the vote. 21 00:03:13,735 --> 00:03:15,028 We are not postponing. 22 00:03:15,153 --> 00:03:16,654 That is up to the Senate. 23 00:03:22,243 --> 00:03:25,288 All those in favor of postponing the vote? 24 00:03:31,002 --> 00:03:33,171 With no other bills on the day's agenda, 25 00:03:33,755 --> 00:03:35,757 this session is hereby adjourned. 26 00:03:44,098 --> 00:03:46,017 [Tempest] Pompey and Crassus wanted Caesar 27 00:03:46,100 --> 00:03:48,853 to be consul because it would serve their own interests. 28 00:03:50,813 --> 00:03:52,815 Part of the problem, of course, was that Caesar's measures themselves were unpopular. 29 00:03:56,486 --> 00:03:59,614 Everyone could see that he was doing them for Pompey and for Crassus. 30 00:04:01,574 --> 00:04:02,408 I'll fix it. 31 00:04:03,409 --> 00:04:05,495 -How? -I'll figure it out. 32 00:04:05,578 --> 00:04:09,040 Will you? Forgive me if I don't have much confidence. 33 00:04:09,165 --> 00:04:10,124 I'll get it done. 34 00:04:10,708 --> 00:04:12,710 -If you can't... -I said I'll figure it out. 35 00:04:32,939 --> 00:04:37,110 [narrator] If Caesar can't get the Senate to pass Pompey and Crassus' legislation, 36 00:04:38,361 --> 00:04:40,863 he could lose his position as consul of Rome. 37 00:04:44,909 --> 00:04:47,829 So he takes matters into his own hands. 38 00:04:53,042 --> 00:04:54,460 [grunting] 39 00:05:02,635 --> 00:05:03,928 With the use of street thugs, 40 00:05:05,179 --> 00:05:07,348 Caesar sends a message of intimidation. 41 00:05:09,517 --> 00:05:11,853 Targeting all the senators who opposed him. 42 00:05:13,104 --> 00:05:14,022 [grunts] 43 00:05:18,151 --> 00:05:20,320 Making it clear that at the next vote, 44 00:05:21,487 --> 00:05:22,864 things will be different. 45 00:05:27,994 --> 00:05:30,246 [Caesar] Those who support this bill 46 00:05:30,705 --> 00:05:32,665 will be friends of the Republic. 47 00:05:35,168 --> 00:05:39,547 Any who oppose this bill, oppose the good of Rome itself. 48 00:05:41,883 --> 00:05:43,092 All those in favor? 49 00:06:02,737 --> 00:06:03,988 The vote is unanimous. 50 00:06:08,076 --> 00:06:11,079 [Strauss] Caesar's resort to heavy-handed tactics 51 00:06:11,287 --> 00:06:14,791 had a negative impact on his reputation in Rome. 52 00:06:15,625 --> 00:06:18,961 His political rivals now saw him 53 00:06:19,045 --> 00:06:22,465 as not merely a politician who disagreed with them, 54 00:06:22,548 --> 00:06:24,675 but a dangerous person. 55 00:06:24,926 --> 00:06:28,554 Someone who would resort to anything in order to get ahead. 56 00:06:38,856 --> 00:06:41,025 [narrator] Caesaer's strong arm tactics work 57 00:06:41,609 --> 00:06:44,362 and the Senate pass the Triumvirate's legislation, 58 00:06:46,322 --> 00:06:49,158 including generous tax cuts for Crassus 59 00:06:50,034 --> 00:06:52,662 and the allocation of land for Pompey's soldiers. 60 00:06:54,080 --> 00:06:57,083 [Toner] Crassus, Pompey and Caesar are so powerful 61 00:06:57,458 --> 00:06:59,877 that if they agree what they want to get done, 62 00:07:00,044 --> 00:07:01,421 they can get anything done. 63 00:07:01,504 --> 00:07:04,215 They can force whatever they want through the Senate. 64 00:07:10,138 --> 00:07:13,683 [narrator] The three become partners in several of Crassus' businesses. 65 00:07:14,892 --> 00:07:16,978 And for the first time in his adult life, 66 00:07:18,396 --> 00:07:19,897 Caesar is a rich man. 67 00:07:22,859 --> 00:07:27,071 For an alliance among three deeply unsavory individuals, 68 00:07:27,155 --> 00:07:30,658 the Triumvirate proved actually remarkably stable. 69 00:07:31,117 --> 00:07:33,244 They had been massively successful, 70 00:07:33,786 --> 00:07:35,288 and were enormously wealthy. 71 00:07:45,673 --> 00:07:50,052 [narrator] As consul, Caesar increases his wealth a hundred times over, 72 00:07:50,887 --> 00:07:53,890 putting him in the upper echelons of Roman society. 73 00:07:55,308 --> 00:07:57,143 He buys a lavish palace, 74 00:07:57,435 --> 00:07:59,604 throws extravagant parties, 75 00:08:00,104 --> 00:08:02,231 and can have any woman he desires. 76 00:08:04,525 --> 00:08:05,359 Hello. 77 00:08:08,321 --> 00:08:10,656 [narrator] He begins an affair with a married aristocrat 78 00:08:10,740 --> 00:08:12,408 who's well-connected in Rome. 79 00:08:13,326 --> 00:08:15,620 Her name is Servilia. 80 00:08:18,539 --> 00:08:20,917 [Mignone] When we look at the Roman Republic 81 00:08:21,250 --> 00:08:24,837 we can see a number of women who were major power players. 82 00:08:24,962 --> 00:08:28,299 They've got wealth, they've got power, they've got connections. 83 00:08:29,300 --> 00:08:30,968 Servilia is one of these. 84 00:08:35,223 --> 00:08:36,724 [bell tolling in distance] 85 00:09:05,086 --> 00:09:06,087 What's your name? 86 00:09:07,380 --> 00:09:08,339 Brutus. 87 00:09:11,842 --> 00:09:13,427 You look just like your father. 88 00:09:22,687 --> 00:09:24,438 [narrator] While the Triumvirate become rich, 89 00:09:26,399 --> 00:09:29,652 Caesar's use of violence turn the entire Senate against him. 90 00:09:32,113 --> 00:09:35,449 And because Pompey and Crassus are worried about their own careers, 91 00:09:36,701 --> 00:09:39,287 they decide Caesar must be replaced. 92 00:09:44,083 --> 00:09:45,376 [Caesar] This is working. 93 00:09:46,127 --> 00:09:47,253 So why change it? 94 00:09:48,421 --> 00:09:50,047 You've made too many enemies. 95 00:09:50,131 --> 00:09:51,382 I have done what I needed to do. 96 00:09:51,465 --> 00:09:53,759 And you got what you wanted. You were a consul. 97 00:09:56,804 --> 00:09:57,972 You still need me. 98 00:10:01,726 --> 00:10:02,560 For what? 99 00:10:06,522 --> 00:10:09,275 I have fulfilled my end of the bargain. 100 00:10:14,030 --> 00:10:17,074 I'll make sure that you're appointed a governorship. 101 00:10:19,493 --> 00:10:21,329 I'll even let you choose the province. 102 00:10:45,686 --> 00:10:47,563 Pompey is giving me a governorship. 103 00:10:48,648 --> 00:10:49,774 Congratulations. 104 00:10:51,817 --> 00:10:52,860 You knew about this? 105 00:10:56,947 --> 00:10:58,115 Why didn't you warn me? 106 00:10:58,824 --> 00:11:01,077 Actually, Pompey and I agree on this. 107 00:11:03,079 --> 00:11:05,706 I'm passing your legislation. 108 00:11:05,790 --> 00:11:07,833 I'm protecting your interests. 109 00:11:08,334 --> 00:11:09,502 You owe me! 110 00:11:11,128 --> 00:11:12,755 This isn't personal. 111 00:11:13,506 --> 00:11:14,590 It's just business. 112 00:11:22,098 --> 00:11:23,933 Caesar had won the consulship 113 00:11:24,016 --> 00:11:26,185 that he had been aiming after for his entire life, 114 00:11:26,352 --> 00:11:28,729 but he was planning on that being the beginning of his career, 115 00:11:28,813 --> 00:11:30,147 not the end of his career. 116 00:11:33,442 --> 00:11:35,319 He had major plans for himself. 117 00:11:46,247 --> 00:11:48,416 They made it sound like they were doing me a favor. 118 00:11:48,499 --> 00:11:50,042 Of course they did. 119 00:11:50,126 --> 00:11:52,044 They could have gotten me a second term. 120 00:11:52,253 --> 00:11:53,671 We could have pushed it through. 121 00:11:54,004 --> 00:11:55,965 And what would that have gained them? 122 00:11:56,716 --> 00:11:58,175 They know what they're doing. 123 00:11:59,009 --> 00:12:00,344 They want you out of Rome. 124 00:12:02,388 --> 00:12:03,347 Well, I'm not going. 125 00:12:05,266 --> 00:12:07,727 Where did Crassus make his fortunes? 126 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:11,397 Where did Pompey win his armies? 127 00:12:14,692 --> 00:12:17,027 There's a lot of opportunity in the provinces. 128 00:12:19,447 --> 00:12:20,948 Take advantage of it. 129 00:12:23,993 --> 00:12:26,787 Servilia is one of the most fascinating women, 130 00:12:26,871 --> 00:12:30,082 not just of the age of Caesar, but of the entire Roman Republic. 131 00:12:31,125 --> 00:12:33,043 Across several decades, 132 00:12:33,335 --> 00:12:36,005 she is probably the most important 133 00:12:36,088 --> 00:12:39,216 backchannel politician that Rome had to offer. 134 00:12:47,099 --> 00:12:49,226 [narrator] With his role as consul ending, 135 00:12:50,311 --> 00:12:54,398 Caesar realizes there is only one way to save his political career. 136 00:12:57,151 --> 00:13:00,070 He must become a conqueror. 137 00:13:01,489 --> 00:13:04,450 To do that, Caesar will need an army. 138 00:13:06,911 --> 00:13:09,413 [Duncan] What Caesar wanted for himself 139 00:13:09,497 --> 00:13:14,293 was to go out and be governor of some province in the Roman Republic 140 00:13:14,585 --> 00:13:17,880 that would allow him control of some armies 141 00:13:17,963 --> 00:13:19,715 so that he could then go off and conquer 142 00:13:19,799 --> 00:13:22,551 some additional territory for the Republic. 143 00:13:24,804 --> 00:13:28,307 [narrator] Caesar picks a province on the northern edge of the Republic 144 00:13:28,516 --> 00:13:32,937 that borders the one territory that no Roman general has ever conquered, 145 00:13:33,562 --> 00:13:35,773 known as Gaul. 146 00:13:41,028 --> 00:13:43,656 Over 200,000 square miles, 147 00:13:44,532 --> 00:13:48,327 Gaul comprises the territory of modern-day France and Belgium, 148 00:13:49,495 --> 00:13:52,957 as well as parts of Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Germany. 149 00:13:56,126 --> 00:14:00,047 The Gauls are considered Rome's most dangerous threat in the region. 150 00:14:09,473 --> 00:14:11,475 To keep them from invading, 151 00:14:12,434 --> 00:14:15,271 there are four Roman legions patrolling the border. 152 00:14:16,689 --> 00:14:19,817 [yelling, horse neighs] 153 00:14:21,527 --> 00:14:27,283 The Romans had long had a deep psychological fear of the Gauls 154 00:14:27,783 --> 00:14:30,619 because one of the most traumatic events in the history of Rome 155 00:14:30,703 --> 00:14:32,913 is shortly after the founding of the Republic. 156 00:14:34,415 --> 00:14:37,126 A Gallic army came down and actually sacked Rome. 157 00:14:39,879 --> 00:14:42,381 So, the Romans themselves were always a little bit afraid 158 00:14:42,464 --> 00:14:43,716 of the long-haired barbarians. 159 00:14:47,094 --> 00:14:49,013 [narrator] If Caesar can conquer Gaul, 160 00:14:49,513 --> 00:14:51,140 he'll return home a hero 161 00:14:51,932 --> 00:14:55,102 and reclaim his place as one of Rome's most powerful men. 162 00:14:56,979 --> 00:14:58,063 But if he fails, 163 00:14:58,981 --> 00:15:02,651 he'll either die in Gaul or be charged with treason 164 00:15:02,943 --> 00:15:06,030 for invading a foreign land without the Senate's approval. 165 00:15:06,447 --> 00:15:08,699 A crime punishable by death. 166 00:15:19,501 --> 00:15:21,128 In 58 B.C., 167 00:15:21,712 --> 00:15:25,174 Julius Caesar and his four legions of 20,000 men 168 00:15:25,925 --> 00:15:28,427 cross the border and invade Gaul. 169 00:15:30,012 --> 00:15:32,890 Caesar had no authority to invade Gaul. 170 00:15:32,973 --> 00:15:34,725 He does so off his own back. 171 00:15:35,601 --> 00:15:38,062 He ignores the Senate, and of course that shows 172 00:15:38,145 --> 00:15:39,980 how ambitious Caesar was. 173 00:15:40,856 --> 00:15:44,860 He was not going to be held back by a few political rules 174 00:15:44,944 --> 00:15:47,738 in his search for power and glory. 175 00:15:52,034 --> 00:15:55,663 [narrator] The Gauls are made up of tribes scattered throughout the region. 176 00:15:58,040 --> 00:16:00,084 [grunting, yelling] 177 00:16:00,167 --> 00:16:04,588 Caesar's plan is to attack them, one by one, before they can unite. 178 00:16:06,507 --> 00:16:07,675 Push forward! 179 00:16:09,259 --> 00:16:10,970 [soldiers yelling] 180 00:16:14,556 --> 00:16:19,186 [narrator] Moving quickly, Caesar and his men claim a string of early victories, 181 00:16:20,104 --> 00:16:22,356 allowing him to push deeper into the region. 182 00:16:25,150 --> 00:16:26,819 Caesar's conquest of Gaul 183 00:16:26,902 --> 00:16:30,280 is one of the all-time great examples of divide and conquer. 184 00:16:31,824 --> 00:16:34,868 He never had to face a unified Gallic army, like, 185 00:16:34,952 --> 00:16:38,497 "Oh, the Romans are coming to invade us, we must join together and stop them." 186 00:16:38,580 --> 00:16:41,875 He was always able to do it piecemeal, bit by bit. 187 00:16:42,334 --> 00:16:43,293 Spread out! 188 00:16:45,129 --> 00:16:47,131 [grunting, yelling] 189 00:17:04,106 --> 00:17:05,941 [narrator] To stay on the offensive, 190 00:17:06,900 --> 00:17:09,111 Caesar makes an unprecedented move. 191 00:17:13,365 --> 00:17:15,951 He abandons the Roman supply lines, 192 00:17:16,869 --> 00:17:19,830 forcing his army to live off the land they conquer. 193 00:17:21,331 --> 00:17:24,585 He wasn't running out of supply lines that were coming back from Italy. 194 00:17:24,668 --> 00:17:28,964 He was taking local food, local water, local wine. 195 00:17:31,341 --> 00:17:34,845 We can trace along the river using the tree line to mask our movements. 196 00:17:35,387 --> 00:17:37,222 What if we cross through the plains? 197 00:17:37,347 --> 00:17:38,223 It's more direct. 198 00:17:38,724 --> 00:17:40,601 And the high grass can provide cover. 199 00:17:41,018 --> 00:17:43,604 It's drier terrain. We can move faster. 200 00:17:45,230 --> 00:17:47,232 That's the route. Mark it. 201 00:17:52,863 --> 00:17:54,448 [narrator] With each encounter, 202 00:17:55,407 --> 00:17:57,451 Caesar levels his opponents. 203 00:17:57,534 --> 00:18:00,788 [soldiers yelling, swords clang] 204 00:18:07,461 --> 00:18:08,587 Protect the flanks! 205 00:18:09,838 --> 00:18:11,632 [narrator] And by 56 B.C., 206 00:18:12,633 --> 00:18:15,302 he has conquered most of present day France. 207 00:18:26,522 --> 00:18:28,065 As the victories mount up, 208 00:18:29,733 --> 00:18:33,195 Caesar begins sending word of his conquests back to Rome 209 00:18:34,029 --> 00:18:38,283 in a series of reports known as the Gallic Commentaries. 210 00:18:39,868 --> 00:18:41,954 Caesar writes his own history 211 00:18:42,579 --> 00:18:48,252 and it describes him in the third person to make them appear neutral and objective. 212 00:18:49,253 --> 00:18:51,797 They were designed, though, really to be read back in Rome 213 00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:56,051 and to appeal to his supporters and the Roman people. 214 00:19:00,722 --> 00:19:03,267 [narrator] When the reports make their way through the Republic 215 00:19:03,809 --> 00:19:06,687 the Roman people see Caesar as a hero. 216 00:19:08,814 --> 00:19:11,608 The Romans were introduced firsthand 217 00:19:11,692 --> 00:19:13,986 to this new territory that they had conquered, 218 00:19:14,069 --> 00:19:17,156 this new world that seemed on the edge 219 00:19:17,239 --> 00:19:19,158 of barbarism and civilization, 220 00:19:19,241 --> 00:19:22,619 all of which had been brought before them now by Caesar. 221 00:19:26,540 --> 00:19:29,543 [narrator] As Caesar's popularity increases with the people, 222 00:19:30,544 --> 00:19:33,380 other soldiers are inspired to come join the fight. 223 00:19:48,020 --> 00:19:51,190 One of the new arrivals is a rising cavalry officer 224 00:19:52,941 --> 00:19:54,776 named Mark Antony. 225 00:19:59,948 --> 00:20:02,868 [Duncan] Mark Antony was a young noble 226 00:20:03,285 --> 00:20:07,581 who at the time of the Gallic wars was just starting to emerge himself. 227 00:20:12,294 --> 00:20:14,922 When Antony showed up in the legions in Gaul, 228 00:20:15,005 --> 00:20:18,508 as a young cavalry officer, Caesar liked what he saw. 229 00:20:19,301 --> 00:20:22,012 His infantry is here, here, and here. 230 00:20:22,804 --> 00:20:25,057 He'll try to divide our ranks or surround us. 231 00:20:26,892 --> 00:20:30,520 Take two cohorts from the 10th and use them to shore up our flanks. 232 00:20:30,604 --> 00:20:31,438 Good. 233 00:20:35,442 --> 00:20:37,319 [narrator] Over the next three years, 234 00:20:38,111 --> 00:20:41,990 Caesar defeats several tribes along the eastern and western borders 235 00:20:43,533 --> 00:20:45,285 and continues moving north. 236 00:20:48,664 --> 00:20:53,126 Caesar was driven by almost uncontrollable ambition. 237 00:20:53,752 --> 00:20:57,297 He still wasn't satisfied with what he had achieved, 238 00:20:57,589 --> 00:20:59,091 he still wanted more. 239 00:21:02,302 --> 00:21:05,055 [narrator] Caesar even moves beyond the borders of Gaul, 240 00:21:05,347 --> 00:21:07,808 ordering troops into Germania and Britain, 241 00:21:09,101 --> 00:21:12,187 going further than any Roman conqueror before him. 242 00:21:20,362 --> 00:21:22,072 You underestimated him. 243 00:21:23,031 --> 00:21:24,324 We both did. 244 00:21:25,117 --> 00:21:26,076 There's no denying. 245 00:21:26,827 --> 00:21:29,121 It's an accomplishment. Conquering Gaul. 246 00:21:29,538 --> 00:21:30,998 Invading Gaul. He's yet to conquer anything. 247 00:21:34,918 --> 00:21:39,172 If he returns as a conqueror, with his own army, his own fortune-- 248 00:21:39,256 --> 00:21:42,426 Sooner or later he'll make a mistake, and get himself killed. 249 00:21:44,136 --> 00:21:45,512 It's only a matter of time. 250 00:21:49,224 --> 00:21:51,393 We should have never sent him away. 251 00:21:58,442 --> 00:22:02,696 Pompey and Crassus see Caesar's popularity as a direct threat 252 00:22:03,196 --> 00:22:07,367 that Caesar is now perhaps more powerful than the rest of them. 253 00:22:08,410 --> 00:22:12,914 And in that position, he can do increasingly what he wants. 254 00:22:15,876 --> 00:22:17,252 What are you smiling about? 255 00:22:36,897 --> 00:22:39,066 [narrator] Envious of Caesar's success, 256 00:22:40,442 --> 00:22:43,570 Crassus decides he needs a military victory of his own... 257 00:22:46,990 --> 00:22:52,079 and sets off for the Middle East to conquer the kingdom of Parthia. 258 00:22:53,747 --> 00:22:56,833 Crassus' long-standing ambition, 259 00:22:57,542 --> 00:23:01,755 the missing piece from his entire career is a great military victory. 260 00:23:02,923 --> 00:23:05,592 He had been allied with Caesar for a long time 261 00:23:05,801 --> 00:23:08,261 and so, now he was watching 262 00:23:08,345 --> 00:23:12,182 not just his rival Pompey outdo him in terms of military success, 263 00:23:12,265 --> 00:23:14,142 but now Caesar is out conquering Gaul. 264 00:23:14,559 --> 00:23:16,853 Crassus still has nothing to show for it. 265 00:23:23,527 --> 00:23:26,446 [narrator] As Crassus looks for glory in the Middle East, 266 00:23:27,906 --> 00:23:30,409 Caesar continues his conquest of Gaul. 267 00:23:32,869 --> 00:23:38,750 And by 53 B.C., he controls nearly 150,000 square miles of land. 268 00:23:41,628 --> 00:23:44,673 There's just one area, near the town of Gergovia, 269 00:23:44,965 --> 00:23:46,550 he still needs to conquer. [grunts] 270 00:24:38,477 --> 00:24:39,811 [yelling] 271 00:25:24,356 --> 00:25:27,317 Go! After them! 272 00:25:52,425 --> 00:25:54,761 [narrator] For the first time since invading Gaul, 273 00:25:56,513 --> 00:25:59,599 Caesar and his soldiers suffer a massive defeat, 274 00:26:00,767 --> 00:26:02,352 losing 700 men 275 00:26:04,271 --> 00:26:06,356 at the hands of a ruthless general 276 00:26:07,315 --> 00:26:08,984 named Vercingetorix. 277 00:26:21,621 --> 00:26:23,748 Much of Caesar's success in Gaul 278 00:26:23,832 --> 00:26:27,460 has been due to the many tribes who have no unified leader. 279 00:26:29,588 --> 00:26:32,757 That changes with the emergence of Vercingetorix. 280 00:26:34,509 --> 00:26:38,054 Vercingetorix was a Gallic chieftain 281 00:26:38,138 --> 00:26:42,601 who had been watching Caesar's conquest of Gaul with growing alarm 282 00:26:43,518 --> 00:26:47,564 and watching the tribes individually picked off by the legions. 283 00:26:48,732 --> 00:26:51,568 The stakes for the Gauls could not have been higher. 284 00:26:53,320 --> 00:26:54,821 [man] Caesar's forces are on the move. 285 00:26:57,324 --> 00:26:58,742 Have they changed course? 286 00:26:59,159 --> 00:27:02,454 No, they're still heading due north, towards the town of Quincy. 287 00:27:05,206 --> 00:27:07,417 [narrator] Outnumbered more than two to one, 288 00:27:08,043 --> 00:27:12,255 Vercingetorix knows if he has any hope of defeating Caesar's forces 289 00:27:13,006 --> 00:27:14,341 he'll need more men. 290 00:27:18,386 --> 00:27:21,222 So he sends scouts to any remaining tribes 291 00:27:21,931 --> 00:27:24,559 to convince them to help fight the Romans. 292 00:27:26,728 --> 00:27:28,438 [Duncan] There was no unified Gallic state. 293 00:27:28,521 --> 00:27:32,233 It was a bunch of tribes and they would battle with each other constantly. 294 00:27:33,777 --> 00:27:38,239 Vercingetorix wants to form a pan-Gallic confederacy 295 00:27:39,407 --> 00:27:42,327 to oppose further Roman expansion. 296 00:27:50,126 --> 00:27:52,379 [narrator] While he waits for reinforcements, 297 00:27:53,004 --> 00:27:56,966 Vercingetorix must also find a way to slow down the Roman army. 298 00:27:58,885 --> 00:28:04,599 Vercingetorix's great insight into how to defeat the legions 299 00:28:04,683 --> 00:28:08,436 was that Caesar had always been living off the land. 300 00:28:09,771 --> 00:28:12,816 If Vercingetorix could isolate Caesar 301 00:28:12,899 --> 00:28:15,485 from those provisions that he had always counted on, 302 00:28:15,694 --> 00:28:20,615 then he could very quickly turn what appeared to be a very strong army 303 00:28:20,699 --> 00:28:21,825 into a very weak army. 304 00:28:25,120 --> 00:28:26,496 -Are you prepared to do it? -I am. 305 00:28:38,341 --> 00:28:41,970 [narrator] Vercingetorix launches a scorched earth campaign, 306 00:28:42,721 --> 00:28:44,514 destroying valuable resources 307 00:28:45,849 --> 00:28:47,267 for both the Romans 308 00:28:49,352 --> 00:28:50,562 and his own men. 309 00:28:54,190 --> 00:28:57,986 The idea was, "If we can endure this for a year, 310 00:28:58,778 --> 00:29:00,905 maybe we can get the Romans out of here." 311 00:29:20,341 --> 00:29:23,178 [narrator] The Gauls gather all the rations they can find 312 00:29:23,428 --> 00:29:26,806 and retreat to a small town called Alesia 313 00:29:27,515 --> 00:29:29,476 where they await Caesar's next move. 314 00:29:37,984 --> 00:29:41,905 Quincy's gone. Grain stores completely destroyed, along with firewood. 315 00:29:42,489 --> 00:29:44,824 Same for Argenton. And Villate. 316 00:29:45,533 --> 00:29:47,535 Only Bourges remains intact, for now. 317 00:29:48,995 --> 00:29:50,497 What if we push through to Lutetia? 318 00:29:51,122 --> 00:29:52,957 How? We don't have the provisions. 319 00:29:53,166 --> 00:29:55,960 Then we reroute. We still have the south. 320 00:29:56,211 --> 00:29:58,338 If we turn back, it'll be seen as weakness. 321 00:29:58,880 --> 00:30:01,382 It's just a resupply. I don't see another option. 322 00:30:01,966 --> 00:30:03,343 The men will make do. 323 00:30:03,802 --> 00:30:06,179 The men can't march, or fight, without food. 324 00:30:09,015 --> 00:30:10,183 We keep moving forward. 325 00:30:11,768 --> 00:30:12,602 Is that clear? 326 00:30:28,034 --> 00:30:29,911 [narrator] With supplies running out, 327 00:30:31,955 --> 00:30:33,790 Caesar comes up with a plan 328 00:30:34,582 --> 00:30:38,711 to turn Vercingetorix's ruthless strategy against him. 329 00:30:51,808 --> 00:30:55,770 Knowing the Gauls are suffering the same food shortages as his own army, 330 00:30:56,521 --> 00:31:01,067 Caesar orders his men to build a massive wall outside Alesia 331 00:31:02,694 --> 00:31:05,864 to trap Vercingetorix and his troops inside. 332 00:31:08,116 --> 00:31:11,995 [Duncan] Caesar was incredibly ruthless when he needed to be. 333 00:31:12,412 --> 00:31:16,249 Knowing that supplies inside the city were running low, 334 00:31:16,958 --> 00:31:20,169 Caesar decided that he would be able to starve them out 335 00:31:20,712 --> 00:31:24,549 by circumnavigating the city in a wall. 336 00:31:28,803 --> 00:31:31,472 [narrator] The wall stretches for 11 miles, 337 00:31:33,641 --> 00:31:36,853 effectively cutting the town off from supply lines. 338 00:31:45,278 --> 00:31:48,281 Caesar knows that with no access to food and water, 339 00:31:48,740 --> 00:31:52,327 it's only a matter of time before Vercingetorix and his men 340 00:31:52,660 --> 00:31:54,412 are forced to surrender... 341 00:31:55,914 --> 00:31:57,165 or die from starvation. 342 00:32:06,841 --> 00:32:08,718 Over 2,000 miles away... 343 00:32:15,516 --> 00:32:18,353 Crassus's own military conquest in Parthia 344 00:32:20,313 --> 00:32:22,065 is a colossal failure. 345 00:32:28,279 --> 00:32:30,740 20,000 Romans lay dead 346 00:32:32,325 --> 00:32:34,327 and Crassus is taken captive. 347 00:32:35,745 --> 00:32:36,621 What do you want? 348 00:32:37,330 --> 00:32:39,040 Tell me! Just, please! Money? 349 00:32:39,749 --> 00:32:40,583 Land? 350 00:32:40,792 --> 00:32:42,210 Oh god. Please, no. 351 00:32:42,585 --> 00:32:46,005 You don't understand. I can give you anything you want, anything-- 352 00:32:47,131 --> 00:32:51,094 [Crassus screaming] 353 00:32:53,471 --> 00:32:54,764 [Crassus] Enough, please! 354 00:33:04,148 --> 00:33:05,400 [choking] 355 00:33:13,199 --> 00:33:15,868 [narrator] Just two months after arriving in Parthia, 356 00:33:16,452 --> 00:33:20,373 Crassus, and his quest for glory, come to an end. 357 00:33:23,251 --> 00:33:24,961 [Tempest] Despite Crassus' desire 358 00:33:25,044 --> 00:33:28,339 to have a fantastic military victory over in Parthia, 359 00:33:28,673 --> 00:33:31,843 it ended up being one of the most spectacular defeats of all time. 360 00:33:33,928 --> 00:33:37,849 Crassus died by having molten gold poured down his throat 361 00:33:37,932 --> 00:33:41,561 in mockery of his love of money and his notorious greed. 362 00:33:47,233 --> 00:33:48,818 [Pompey] I swear by the gods, 363 00:33:49,277 --> 00:33:51,779 to loyally serve the Senate and the people of Rome. 364 00:33:53,031 --> 00:33:55,450 [narrator] With Crassus dead and Caesar in Gaul, 365 00:33:57,493 --> 00:33:59,078 Pompey makes his own move. 366 00:34:00,997 --> 00:34:02,290 He runs for consul, 367 00:34:03,332 --> 00:34:05,710 winning easily, with no opposition. 368 00:34:07,712 --> 00:34:10,173 To defend and uphold the laws of the Republic, 369 00:34:10,256 --> 00:34:12,925 for as long as I shall serve. 370 00:34:13,342 --> 00:34:17,930 I hereby name you, Pompey Magnus, Consul of Rome. 371 00:34:23,227 --> 00:34:26,731 [Toner] Pompey becomes more and more friendly to the Senate 372 00:34:26,814 --> 00:34:30,109 because he sees that Caesar is trying to bypass 373 00:34:30,193 --> 00:34:32,445 all of its traditional authority. 374 00:34:34,280 --> 00:34:38,284 Pompey is received everywhere with these tumultuous welcomes 375 00:34:39,368 --> 00:34:45,083 and he feels that he is really the most powerful and popular politician in Rome. 376 00:35:12,902 --> 00:35:13,945 It's from Rome. 377 00:35:17,031 --> 00:35:17,907 What does it say? 378 00:35:20,660 --> 00:35:22,495 Crassus was killed in Parthia. 379 00:35:25,039 --> 00:35:25,873 And... And what? 380 00:35:31,337 --> 00:35:32,797 Pompey's been elected consul. 381 00:35:41,305 --> 00:35:42,890 [Duncan] The death of Crassus 382 00:35:42,974 --> 00:35:45,685 is the beginning of the end of the Triumvirate. 383 00:35:48,020 --> 00:35:53,401 It works as long as there's three centers of power balancing each other. 384 00:35:53,734 --> 00:35:55,278 Now that Crassus is dead 385 00:35:55,361 --> 00:35:58,030 and it just comes down to Caesar and Pompey, 386 00:35:58,447 --> 00:36:02,827 that leads naturally to them pulling in opposite directions. 387 00:36:06,581 --> 00:36:08,541 [narrator] With the Triumvirate all but shattered, 388 00:36:09,876 --> 00:36:13,045 Caesar's future rests solely on the outcome in Gaul. 389 00:36:19,927 --> 00:36:23,514 But even as they're trapped behind a wall, close to starvation, 390 00:36:24,807 --> 00:36:27,310 Vercingetorix refuses to surrender, 391 00:36:30,646 --> 00:36:33,357 hoping that either reinforcements arrive 392 00:36:33,858 --> 00:36:36,986 or that the Romans run out of food before they do. 393 00:36:41,032 --> 00:36:41,866 How long? 394 00:36:42,909 --> 00:36:43,910 A week at most. 395 00:36:45,203 --> 00:36:46,579 If we stick to the rations. 396 00:36:51,918 --> 00:36:53,586 Cut the rations by a fifth. May buy us a day. Maybe more. 397 00:36:56,422 --> 00:36:57,256 Sir... 398 00:36:58,883 --> 00:37:00,676 the men are on the verge of revolt. 399 00:37:02,094 --> 00:37:04,055 Some are talking about surrender. 400 00:37:05,139 --> 00:37:06,224 They're hungry. 401 00:37:06,474 --> 00:37:07,808 Do you think that matters? 402 00:37:10,102 --> 00:37:12,939 Do you think Caesar cares if we're hungry? 403 00:37:15,942 --> 00:37:17,610 Reinforcements aren't coming. 404 00:37:19,946 --> 00:37:21,864 Then what do you suggest that we do? 405 00:37:23,908 --> 00:37:24,742 Surrender? 406 00:37:26,827 --> 00:37:28,496 We will wait as long as it takes. 407 00:37:29,038 --> 00:37:30,414 Cut the rations by a fifth. 408 00:37:36,921 --> 00:37:39,674 [narrator] As Vercingetorix prepares for the worst, 409 00:37:42,510 --> 00:37:47,723 Caesar learns that a massive army, of 250,000 Gauls, 410 00:37:47,807 --> 00:37:50,476 is heading directly for Alesia. 411 00:37:52,061 --> 00:37:55,231 Vercingetorix succeeds where others had failed 412 00:37:55,648 --> 00:38:00,027 and he brings a large coalition of Gauls together, 413 00:38:00,111 --> 00:38:02,154 to try to drive the Roman enemy out. 414 00:38:03,030 --> 00:38:06,659 Caesar was so threatening to the established order in Gaul 415 00:38:06,742 --> 00:38:09,745 that Gauls were willing to put their bygones behind them, 416 00:38:09,829 --> 00:38:12,456 and unite under Vercingetorix's rule. 417 00:38:15,001 --> 00:38:17,420 [narrator] With hordes of Gauls heading his way, 418 00:38:17,920 --> 00:38:19,672 Caesar does the unthinkable. 419 00:38:22,633 --> 00:38:24,343 He builds another wall. 420 00:38:25,553 --> 00:38:29,223 [Duncan] So he devises this option, which is crazy, 421 00:38:29,307 --> 00:38:31,809 and which nobody probably would have thought 422 00:38:31,892 --> 00:38:33,686 was even remotely plausible. 423 00:38:34,645 --> 00:38:36,480 Which is, he built a second wall. 424 00:38:37,189 --> 00:38:40,901 So the legions, their whole world collapsed 425 00:38:41,277 --> 00:38:43,446 to the couple of hundred yards 426 00:38:43,529 --> 00:38:46,490 between the wall that separated them from Alesia, 427 00:38:47,408 --> 00:38:51,912 and then the wall that separated them from the relief army that was coming. 428 00:39:05,217 --> 00:39:06,344 How much longer? 429 00:39:07,970 --> 00:39:10,264 We're nearly finished reinforcing the outer barrier. 430 00:39:10,556 --> 00:39:12,558 Maybe a day, day and a half at most. I want it done by sundown. 431 00:39:38,751 --> 00:39:41,420 [narrator] Just days after completing tshe outer wall, 432 00:39:43,214 --> 00:39:45,966 Vercingetorix's reinforcements arrive 433 00:39:48,844 --> 00:39:51,472 with even more men than Caesar expected. 434 00:39:59,563 --> 00:40:00,856 For Vercingetorix, 435 00:40:01,732 --> 00:40:03,401 the time to fight... 436 00:40:03,734 --> 00:40:04,735 is now. 437 00:40:08,197 --> 00:40:09,490 Look around you! 438 00:40:11,117 --> 00:40:13,202 There's men from every tribe, 439 00:40:14,787 --> 00:40:16,705 every part of Gaul! 440 00:40:20,876 --> 00:40:23,587 The Romans, they've raided our towns! 441 00:40:26,257 --> 00:40:28,092 They've killed our brothers, 442 00:40:29,176 --> 00:40:30,970 raped our wives! 443 00:40:33,264 --> 00:40:37,643 Caesar, he will regret ever stepping foot in our lands! 444 00:40:39,228 --> 00:40:42,690 We will slaughter him and his men! 445 00:40:43,899 --> 00:40:46,527 We will rip the flesh from their bones 446 00:40:47,194 --> 00:40:51,031 and we will drink their fucking blood! 447 00:41:00,332 --> 00:41:02,334 [Gauls shouting in distance] 448 00:41:10,468 --> 00:41:11,385 Do you hear that? 449 00:41:13,137 --> 00:41:13,971 Listen. Listen! 450 00:41:20,853 --> 00:41:21,770 They're desperate. 451 00:41:23,814 --> 00:41:25,441 But do not underestimate them. 452 00:41:26,817 --> 00:41:28,861 They want to kill every last one of you. 453 00:41:32,531 --> 00:41:34,158 But I will not let that happen. We've come too far. 454 00:41:39,872 --> 00:41:41,290 We've fought too hard, 455 00:41:41,916 --> 00:41:43,834 for too long, to fail now! 456 00:41:45,127 --> 00:41:46,879 We are soldiers of Rome! 457 00:41:49,256 --> 00:41:51,258 And we have conquered half the world. 458 00:41:52,885 --> 00:41:54,720 And we will conquer Gaul. 459 00:41:58,933 --> 00:42:00,392 We will stand our ground! 460 00:42:02,228 --> 00:42:03,729 We will defend this wall! 461 00:42:05,105 --> 00:42:07,858 And we will go home conquerors! 462 00:42:27,711 --> 00:42:31,173 [narrator] Julius Caesar faces an attack from two sides 463 00:42:32,550 --> 00:42:36,095 by a people determined to destroy every last Roman. 464 00:42:36,845 --> 00:42:38,347 [Marc Antony] Archers! 465 00:42:38,556 --> 00:42:39,848 Man the wall! 466 00:42:43,394 --> 00:42:47,439 [narrator] If he and his men are somehow able to defeat the Gauls at Alesia, 467 00:42:48,649 --> 00:42:52,903 Caesar will become the greatest conqueror in Roman history. 468 00:42:57,575 --> 00:42:58,534 Draw!