Editing Gallic Wars (section)

=== 57&nbsp;BC: Campaigns in the east ===
Caesar's stunning victories in 58&nbsp;BC had unsettled the Gallic tribes. Many rightly predicted Caesar would seek to conquer all of Gaul, and some sought alliance with Rome. As the campaigning season of 57&nbsp;BC dawned, both sides were busy recruiting new soldiers. Caesar set off with two more legions than the year before, with 32,000 to 40,000 men, along with a contingent of auxiliaries. The exact number of men the Gauls raised is unknown, but Caesar claims he would fight 200,000.{{Sfn|Gilliver|2003|pp=36–40}}

Intervening again in an intra-Gallic conflict, Caesar marched against the [[Belgae]] tribal confederation, who inhabited the area roughly bounded by modern-day [[Belgium]]. They had recently attacked a tribe allied with Rome and before marching with his army to meet them, Caesar ordered the [[Remi]] and other neighboring Gauls to investigate the Belgae's actions.{{sfn|Ezov|1996|p=66}} The Belgae and the Romans encountered each other near [[Bibrax]]. The Belgae attempted to take the fortified ''[[oppidum]]'' (main settlement) from the Remi but were unsuccessful and chose instead to raid the nearby countryside. Each side tried to avoid battle, as both were short on supplies (a continuing theme for Caesar, who gambled and left his baggage train behind several times). Caesar ordered fortifications built, which the Belgae understood would give them a disadvantage. Instead of making battle, the Belgic army simply disbanded, as it could be re-assembled easily.{{Sfn|Gilliver|2003|pp=36–40}}

Caesar realized an opportunity was presenting itself: if he could beat the men from the army home, he could take their lands with ease. His armies' travel speed proved to be a crucial aspect of his ensuing victories. He rushed to the Belgic [[Suessiones]]' ''oppidum'' at what is now [[Villeneuve-Saint-Germain]] and laid siege to it. The Belgic army nullified Caesar's advantage by sneaking back into the city under cover of darkness. The Roman siege preparations proved to be the decisive factor: grand Roman-style siege warfare was unknown to the Gauls, and the might of the Romans' preparations drove the Gauls to surrender promptly. This had a ripple effect: the nearby [[Bellovaci]] and [[Ambiani|Ambiones]] surrendered immediately afterward, realizing the Romans had defeated a powerful army without any combat. Not all the tribes were so cowed though. The [[Nervii]] allied with the [[Atrebates]] and [[Viromandui]], and planned to ambush the Romans. The ensuing [[battle of the Sabis]] was nearly a humiliating defeat for Caesar, and the Roman victory was very hard-won.{{Sfn|Gilliver|2003|pp=36–40}}

====Nervii ambush: the battle of the Sabis====
[[File:Gallia Cesare 57 aC.png|alt=A map of modern-day Europe centered on France. Compared to the prior map, southeastern France is now shaded red.|thumb|Campaign map of 57 BC. Territory conquered the previous year is shaded red.]]
The Nervii set up an ambush along the river [[Sambre]], lying in wait for the Romans who arrived and started setting up camp. The Romans detected the Nervii, and the battle began with the Romans sending a light cavalry and infantry force across the river to keep the Nervii at bay while the main force fortified its camp. The Nervii easily repulsed the attack. In an uncharacteristic move for Caesar, he made a serious tactical error by not setting up an infantry screen to protect the entrenching force. The Nervii took ample advantage of this, and their entire force crossed the river quickly and caught the Romans off-guard and unprepared. As the battle began, two legions had not even arrived, whereas the Nervii had at least 60,000 fighters.{{Sfn|Gilliver|2003|pp=36–40}} The reserve legions were stuck at the end of the column, {{Convert|15|km|mi|abbr=on}} back, with the 8,000 animals of the baggage train. However, because the soldiers could operate independently of the train, the forwards legions were still ready for battle.{{Sfn|Matthew|2009|p=43}}

The Romans' superior discipline and experience came in use and they quickly formed lines of battle. Their center and left wings were successful and chased the Atrebates across the river. To the tribes' advantage, this exposed the half-built camp, and they took it easily. To make matters worse for the Romans, the right wing was in serious trouble. It had been outflanked, its line of battle had become too tight to swing a sword, and multiple officers were dead. The situation was so critical Caesar took up his shield and joined the front line of the legion. His mere presence greatly increased morale, and he ordered his men to form a defensive square to open the ranks and protect them from all sides. What turned the tide of battle was Caesar's reinforcements, the X&nbsp;legion which returned from chasing the Atrebates, and the two straggler legions that finally arrived. The strong stand by the X&nbsp;legion and the timely arrival of reinforcements enabled Caesar to regroup, redeploy and eventually repulse the Nervii once the Atrebates and Viromandui were put to flight.{{Sfn|Gilliver|2003|pp=36–40}}

Caesar's cockiness had nearly ended in defeat, but the legions' experience combined with his personal role in combat turned a disaster into an incredible victory. The Belgae were broken, and most of the Germanic tribes offered submission to Rome. The end of the campaigning season saw Caesar conquer tribes along the Atlantic coast, and deal with the [[Atuatuci]], who were allies of the Nervii but had broken the terms of surrender. Caesar punished the Atuatuci by selling 53,000 of them into slavery. By law, the profits were Caesar's alone. He saw a minor setback towards winter as he sent [[Servius Sulpicius Galba (praetor 54 BC)|one of his officers]] to the [[Great St Bernard Pass]], where local tribes fought back fiercely; he abandoned the campaign. But overall, Caesar had seen monumental success in 57&nbsp;BC. He had accumulated great wealth to pay off his debts and increased his stature to heroic levels. Upon his return, the senate granted him a 15-day thanksgiving (''[[supplicatio]]''), longer than any before. His political reputation was now formidable. Again, he returned to Transalpine Gaul for the winter to see to the civil affairs of the province. He wintered his troops in northern Gaul, where the tribes were forced to house and feed them.{{Sfn|Gilliver|2003|pp=36–40}}