Editing Gallic Wars (section)

=== Julius Caesar ===
[[File:Retrato de Julio César (26724093101) (cropped).jpg|alt=Marble bust of a balding man|thumb|The [[Tusculum portrait]] of Julius Caesar|left]]
Rising politician and general [[Julius Caesar]] was the Roman commander and agonist of the war. As a result of the financial burdens of being [[consul]] (the highest office in the Roman Republic) in 59&nbsp;BC, Caesar had incurred significant debts. To strengthen Rome's position among the Gauls, he had paid substantial money to [[Ariovistus]], king of the Suebi, to cement an alliance.{{Sfn|von Ungern-Sternberg|2014|p=91}}{{Sfn|Gilliver|2003|pp=16–17}} Through his influence as part of the [[First Triumvirate]] (the political alliance which comprised [[Marcus Licinius Crassus]], [[Pompey]], and himself) during his consulship, Caesar had secured his assignment as [[proconsul]] (governor) to two provinces, [[Cisalpine Gaul]] and [[Illyricum (Roman province)|Illyricum]], by passage of the ''[[Lex Vatinia]]''.{{Sfn|von Ungern-Sternberg|2014|p=91}} When the governor of [[Transalpine Gaul]], [[Quintus Caecilius Metellus Celer|Metellus Celer]], died unexpectedly, the province was also awarded to Caesar at the suggestion of Pompey and Caesar's father-in-law, [[Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus (consul 58 BC)|Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus]]. In the law granting him command of the provinces, Caesar was given a five-year term as proconsul.{{sfn|Chrissanthos|2019|p=73}} This was longer than the traditional one-year term that consuls received, enabling him to engage in a military campaign without fear of command turnover.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Province {{!}} ancient Roman government|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/province-ancient-Roman-government|access-date=2021-09-02|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en}}</ref>{{sfn|Lord|2012a|pp=23–24}}

Caesar had four veteran legions under his direct command initially: [[Legio VII Claudia|Legio&nbsp;VII]], [[Legio VIII Augusta|Legio&nbsp;VIII]], [[Legio&nbsp;IX Hispana]], and [[Legio X Equestris|Legio&nbsp;X]]. As he had been governor of [[Hispania Ulterior]] in 61&nbsp;BC and had campaigned successfully with them against the [[Lusitanians]], Caesar knew most, perhaps even all, of the legions personally. He also had the legal authority to levy additional legions and [[auxiliaries (Roman military)|auxiliary units]] as he saw fit. The assignment of the province that comprises what is now [[Northern Italy]] was helpful to his ambitions: the [[Po Valley]] and the adjoining regions had large numbers of Roman citizens, who could be enticed to sign up for legionary service.{{sfn|Chrissanthos|2019|p=73}}

His ambition was to conquer and plunder some territories to get himself out of debt. It is possible that Gaul was not his initial target; he may have been planning a campaign against the Kingdom of [[Dacia]] in the [[Balkans]] instead.{{sfn|Caesar|1982|pp=7–16}} However, a mass migration of Gallic tribes in 58&nbsp;BC provided a convenient ''[[casus belli]]'', and Caesar prepared for war.{{Sfn|Gilliver|2003|pp=16–17}}