The AP Latin Selections from Caesar's Gallic Wars

Caesar confronts Germanic invasions during the 55 campaign, defeats the tribes in Gaul, crosses the Rhine into Germany, and raids Britain, despite weather and transport setbacks.

Study Caesar's Gallic Wars book 4 chapter 31, a Latin selection required by the AP syllabus.

Analyze the ablative absolute in Caesar's narrative to show how Caesar detects threat, orders cohorts to march out, and arms legions against barbarians during foraging.

Describe a sudden attack on the Roman winter camp by former allies, as Romans defend the ramparts in a brief equestrian clash, then propose a meeting to discuss common interests.

This lecture excerpt describes a conspiracy against Caesar, detailing a plan to attack winter camps simultaneously as German forces cross the Rhine and deciding between Cicero or Lobienus for retreat.

Caesar orders an investigation into why the winter camp was abandoned, using reports and evidence to assess an unwise action and its indirect statement.

Analyze the Gauls' debate over timing and risk as they fear Caesar has left for Italy and weigh whether to abandon the camp or endure a looming siege.

Two wings of the army hide in the woods as they ambush the Romans leaving camp, pressing from behind into a deep valley and blocking egress.

Caesar's battle unfolds as a long column is unable to gauge the situation; the troops form a circle, abandon baggage, and scramble as discipline breaks to guard loot.

Romans form a circle as discipline falters and baggage spoils tempt barbarians; Romans counterattack, regroup at battle standards, and pursue, trained for this type of skirmishing against lightly armed foes.

Caesar depicts a Roman cohort surrounded by Gauls, who retreat and harass with javelins as the tightly packed ranks hold and absorb many wounds while struggling to regroup.

Explore Caesar's Gallic War 5.36 and study Latin grammar in context, including the supine after verbs of motion, indirect commands, indirect statements, and future passive infinitives.

After Caesar suffers a devastating garlic war loss, including a lost legion, he carries out a scorched-earth war while enemies seek liberation and revenge against the Romans.

Explore siege engineering in Caesar's context, as Romans dig ditches, raise ramparts, deploy mobile towers, and use turtle shields to breach fortifications.

Caesar's siege begins as attackers hurl flaming clay balls and heated missiles at the Roman camp. Siege towers and ladders breach walls while defenders struggle amid flames.

This lecture reproduces a famous moment from Caesar's Gallic Wars 5.44, showing two rival centurions driving a daring assault, then uniting to rescue a comrade amid furious hand-to-hand combat.

Caesar orders Crassus to join his legion and directs Fabius to secure the road to the Nativity, dispersing his winter camp into four camps to feed the army.

Caesar coordinates a response with lieutenants, arrives with six thousand troops and Gallic auxiliaries, and signals through a javelin-delivered letter read by Cicero as smoke rises.

Caesar feigns weakness with a small camp to lure the navy, sallies out to defeat them, praises Cicero's valor, and notes Sabinus's legion fell to leadership failings amid Gaulish conspiracies.

Caesar mobilizes legions and levies troops in Gaul, coordinates with Pompey near Rome, and weighs threats from Germans and Gauls to secure the republic.

Walk through Caesar's Gallic Wars portrayal of the wealthy class, the Druids, and the use of private and public human sacrifices to appease the gods, including wicker figures.

Explains Roman religious beliefs and practices, including worship of Mercury, Apollo, Minerva, Mars, and Jupiter, with Apollo healing diseases, Minerva guiding crafts, Mars ruling war, and spoils dedicated to Mars.

Explore druidic timekeeping, where days begin at sunset and are defined by nights rather than daylight. Note rules about boys not appearing in public until they can bear military weapons.

Caesar disperses his legions to guard baggage and forage, sending detachments to hunt dispersed enemies in the woods, then contends with a sudden German assault on the camp.

Caesar finishes the campaign, citing terror and fortune’s twists. He punishes the instigator of a gaulish revolt by exile and secures winter camp provisions.

Illustrate how book 7 ostensibly pacifies Gaul but erupts into a revolt led by Vex and Jetta, as Caesar relies on skill and strategy to defeat the rebellion at Alesia.

Caesar crosses the Alps into transalpine Gaul in winter, marches day and night with Brutus, secures allies, and weighs keeping supply lines against risking morale and unity.

Caesar campaigns in Gaul, besieges cities, confiscates cattle, and takes hostages to secure supply lines. He employs a tactic of burning villages and fortifications to deny resources, aided by cavalry and legions.

Caesar confronts a fractious city split by rival magistrates, enforces the laws, and covertly deploys twelve thousand troops to reconstruct a bridge, cross the river, and advance on the enemy.

Caesar coordinates gaulish allies around a fortified mountain city, secures supply lines, and uses daily cavalry skirmishes to test courage and keep his army cohesive ahead of siege.

Caesar's troops scale the hill and breach the six-foot wall, seize the three camps, and Caesar orders a retreat as the Gauls flee.

Caesar’s Tenth and Thirteenth Legions hold a defensive position against the Gauls near the citadel, tallying heavy losses, while Caesar praises soldierly courage but rebukes licentiousness.

Caesar weighs leaving for the province or pressing north, delays, and shifts plans as Gaul revolts; he crosses the river with legions, ferries cavalry, and prepares to attack Paris island.