In 49 BC, as Julius Caesar marched to confront Pompey’s legions in Spain, he encountered a dangerous obstacle: the powerful and defiant city of Massilia (modern-day Marseille). Despite Caesar’s advance, the city declared for Pompey and closed its gates, commanded by the seasoned legate Domitius Ahenobarbus.
Caesar couldn’t afford to leave such a strategic port behind—so he launched a massive and meticulously planned siege that combined Roman engineering, naval warfare, and brutal infantry combat.This episode tells the full gripping story of the Siege of Massilia, one of the most dramatic and underappreciated episodes of Caesar’s Civil War.
We follow Caesar’s initial assault and the construction of siege works, the violent naval battles led by Decimus Brutus, the clever tactics of Massilia’s defenders, and the fierce back-and-forth as both sides used deception, ingenuity, and sheer force of will to gain the upper hand.
Listen as the Romans deploy massive siege towers, covered galleries, and powerful ballistae against Massilia’s high walls. Witness how the Massiliots, supported by Pompey’s naval reinforcements under Lucius Nasidius, fought back with daring raids and incendiary missiles. See how Caesar’s legions, even in his absence, maintained relentless pressure—eventually breaching the walls, only to be outwitted by a cunning nighttime counterattack.
In this episode, we explore:
- Caesar’s strategic decision to besiege Massilia- The defensive preparations inside the city
- Construction of warships and naval bases by Caesar’s forces
- The first major naval battle between Brutus and Domitius
- Pompey’s reinforcements and the second sea battle off Tauroentum
- Roman siege engineering: lead-plated towers and tunneling operations
- The Massiliots’ surprise raid and Trebonius’s massive setback
- The city’s final surrender and Domitius Ahenobarbus’s narrow escape
Based on Caesar’s Commentarii de Bello Civili and supported by the latest historical and archaeological scholarship, this episode delivers a vivid, action-packed, and historically accurate account of a siege that shaped the course of the Roman Civil War.
If you're a fan of Roman military history, siege warfare, or Caesar’s epic campaigns, this is a must-listen.
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🎤 Voiceover by: Nick Banas
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