It is worthy of remark how much the Romans were superior to the barbarians, by discipline, tactics, and the art of sieges; with what facility they raised terraces, made dykes, or promptly cut down a forest to clear themselves a passage through it. Truly, it is to the genius of Cæsar that the glory of all these brilliant successes belongs; but we must also acknowledge that he had under his orders the best army in the world, and the men most experienced in the military profession. Among these were the chiefs placed over the machines and siege operations, named _præfecti fabrorum_. They rendered him the most signal services. Mention is made of L. Cornelius Balbus,[298] who prepared the material of his army during his consulate, and Mamurra,[299] who, in spite of the bad character Catullus gives him in his satires, gave proof of his genius during the wars in Gaul.
INCURSIONS OF THE USIPETES AND THE TENCTERI--FIRST PASSAGE OF THE RHINE--FIRST DESCENT IN BRITAIN--CHASTISEMENT OF THE MORINI AND THE MENAPII.
[Sidenote: Cæsar's March against the Usipetes and the Tencteri.]
I. The Usipetes and the Tencteri, German peoples driven out of their place by the Suevi, had wandered during three years in different countries of Germany, when, during the winter of 698 to 699, they resolved to pass the Rhine. They invaded the territory of the Menapii (established on the two banks), surprised them, massacred them, crossed the river not far from its mouth (towards Cleves[300] and Xanten) (_see Plate 14_), and, after taking possession of the whole country, lived the rest of the winter on the provisions they found there.
Cæsar saw the necessity of being on his guard against the impression which this invasion would produce on the minds of the Gauls. It was to be feared they would be tempted to revolt, with the assistance of the Germans who had just crossed the Rhine.
To meet this danger, Cæsar crossed the mountains earlier than usual (_maturius quam consuerat_), and joined the army in the countries of the Aulerci and the Lexovii, between the Loire and the Seine, where it had wintered. His apprehensions were but too well founded. Several peoples of Gaul had invited the Germans to leave the banks of the Rhine and penetrate farther into the interior. Eager to respond to this appeal, the latter soon spread themselves far over the country, and already some of them had arrived at the countries of the Eburones and the Condrusi, the latter clients of the Treviri. On receiving news of this, Cæsar called together the Gaulish chiefs who had invited the Germans, feigned ignorance of their conduct, addressed kind words to them, obtained cavalry from them, and, after securing his provisions, began his march against this new irruption of barbarians. He foresaw a formidable war, for the number of the Tencteri and Usipetes amounted to no less than 430,000 individuals--men, women, and children. If we admit that among these peoples the proportion of the number of men capable of bearing arms was the same as in the emigration of the Helvetii, that is, one-fourth of the total population, we see that the Romans had to combat more than 100,000 enemies.[301]