How a failed siege at Dyrrhachium nearly ended Julius Caesar's civil war ambitions
In 48 BC, Julius Caesar attempted to starve Pompey into submission by encircling his forces at Dyrrhachium. The plan backfired spectacularly. Despite building massive fortified lines, Caesar suffered a rare defeat that forced a desperate retreat, proving that even the most brilliant commanders can be undone by overreach.
The conflict at Dyrrhachium was a pivotal engagement in Caesar's civil war, which began in 49 BC after he crossed the Rubicon. By January 48 BC, Caesar had crossed the Adriatic to confront Pompey, who had established a formidable supply hub at Dyrrhachium. Pompey occupied a rocky outcrop called Petra, using the sea for resupply, while Caesar attempted to trap him by constructing an extensive system of fortifications. Caesar’s lines stretched 17 miles, while Pompey’s interior defenses spanned 15 miles with 24 forts.
The stalemate turned when two of Caesar's cavalry officers, Roucillus and Egus, defected to Pompey. They revealed a critical weakness in the southern sector of Caesar's lines. Pompey launched a three-pronged attack that successfully breached the defenses, routing the Ninth Legion. Although Caesar personally led reserves to stabilize the situation, a subsequent failed attack on an abandoned encampment resulted in the loss of 960 men and over 32 officers. Caesar later remarked that Pompey would have won the war that day had he been commanded by a winner.
Following the defeat, Caesar retreated into Thessaly to find fresh supplies, famously sacking the city of Gomphi to demonstrate his resolve. The victory at Dyrrhachium left the Pompeian camp elated, but it also sowed the seeds of their eventual downfall. Overconfident officers pressured Pompey to abandon his strategy of patience and attrition. Influenced by this pressure, Pompey eventually committed to a decisive, pitched battle at Pharsalus, where he finally faced the consequences of abandoning his successful defensive posture.
Source: Battle of Dyrrhachium (48 BC)
