Roman Civil Wars

[Al Amos]

Curiosity question:

 

If a person were making a PC game of tactical land combat of the Roman Civil Wars, what battles would you want to be included?

[Ingsoc]

Pharsalus, Mutina, Philippi, Actium. in short all the important battles.

 

Why are you asking? arr you planning to make such a game?

[M. Porcius Cato]

If a person were making a PC game of tactical land combat of the Roman Civil Wars, what battles would you want to be included?

 

From a gameplay perspective, it's important to have a mix of battle types. Dyrrhachium was interesting because it featured very heavy use of archers and slingers against a fortified position -- typically, Roman armies didn't rely so heavily on archers, and it's interesting to note that hardly a man escaped Dyrrhacium uninjured despite the low number of casualties. Also, Ruspina is interesting because it shows why the Numidian cavalry were rightly famous: under the command of Labienus, Caesar's legions were not just decimated by Labienus, they were cut down by a third. It would be interesting to see if players could improve on Caesar's outcome or (better) improve on that of Labienus'. Finally, the siege of Alexandria is interesting because it features a very small militia successfully defending a fortified position in wait for a huge relief force. Here the challenge to outdo Caesar would be to avoid burning down the library of Alexandria as Caesar did.

[Al Amos]

"Why are you asking? arr you planning to make such a game?" - Inqsoc

 

I am affiliated with a group that is.

[P.Clodius]

Here the challenge to outdo Caesar would be to avoid burning down the library of Alexandria as Caesar did.

Even though the library was still around in Christian times...Damn, a crappy soldier, an even worse politician, and now an exceedingly mediocre arsonist!

[Kosmo]

Here the challenge to outdo Caesar would be to avoid burning down the library of Alexandria as Caesar did.

Even though the library was still around in Christian times...Damn, a crappy soldier, an even worse politician, and now an exceedingly mediocre arsonist!

 

The library could be burned down and still be around later. Rebuilding?

[P.Clodius]

Here the challenge to outdo Caesar would be to avoid burning down the library of Alexandria as Caesar did.

Even though the library was still around in Christian times...Damn, a crappy soldier, an even worse politician, and now an exceedingly mediocre arsonist!

 

The library could be burned down and still be around later. Rebuilding?

 

a quick wiki..

"Therefore, the Royal Alexandrian Library may have been burned after Strabo

[Melvadius]

I'm afraid the extract from the Wiki search results is possibly a bit misleading.

 

From my reading of the article the main issue the various reports of the burning of "The Alexandrian Library" is that

...the Royal Alexandrian Library was not the only library located in the city. There were at least two other libraries in Alexandria: the library of the Serapeum Temple and the library of the Cesarion Temple...

There is a lot of confusion as most, if not all, of the historical accounts are unclear as to precisely which library is being referred to in which account [usually the Royal Alexandrian Library has been assumed in later interpretations almost by default]. Although there is also a suggestion that a collection of books (rather than library] may have been lost during the fire attributed to Caesar's visit rather than a library as such while later spending cuts may have led to individual 'book' or map loses through 'wear and tear' due to documents not being recopied when required.

 

As you pointed out however Wiki goes on to note:

 

The library seems to have been maintained and continued in existence until its contents were largely lost during the taking of the city by the Emperor Aurelian (270

[M. Porcius Cato]

I'm away from my own (unburned) library, but as I recall, Antony made the effort to ransack other libraries in the Hellenistic world in order to replace those caused by Caesar's burn through Alexandria.

 

In any case, it would make for a fun urban campaign in a video game -- even if it would annoy Caesar's apologists.

[P.Clodius]

...even if it would annoy Caesar's apologists.

ROFL

[Galba]

I think that the Battle of Philippi was one of the best Civil battles that the Roman empire had to offer. It had everything Drama Action. Both sides had almost the same army by size and experience.

And for me always stay a mystery Gaius Cassius death, I mean he was relatively talented general and Antony didn't crushed his army only repulsed it.

 

I know most historians claim that because of the retreat and dust and blunder he thought the the cause is lost and committed suicide. But one most doubt that an experienced general had to have much stronger guts. and not to disper at the slightest defeat. Maybe if he didn't die and leave the inexperienced Brutus to handle alone such a massive army the Rebels had a good chance against the second triumvir.