Caesar's movements, 49-48 BCE

[vaznetti]

c_iulius, you'll want to correct my mistakes (of which there certainly are some -- I've never understood what happened at Dyrrachium).

This is an attempt to get the sequence of events straight in my own mind, but I thought some other people might be interested as well.

1st January 49: Marc Antony, plebeian tribune, flees Rome (along with Curio, Caelius)

Jan 10th or 11th: Caesar crosses the Rubicon

January 18th: Pompey, consuls and many senators flee from Rome

February 21st: fall of Corfinium to Caesar

March 17th: Pompey abandons Italy, accompanied by c. 200 senators.

Pompey heads east to raise legions from his veterans and supporters; Caesar goes first to Rome, then head to Spain to suppress Pompey's armies there (Pompey is proconsular governor of Spain).

Early June, 49: Cicero leaves Italy to follow Pompey to Greece.

Late 49 or early 48 BCE: Caesar returns to Rome and is appointed dictator for the purpose of holding elections. He and Servilius Isauricus are elected consuls (or appointed?) for 48, after which Caesar lays down the dictatorship and crosses to Greece ASAP.

April 46: Caesar and Pompey try to outmaneuver each other at Dyrrachium; Pompey wins the battle and holds the advantage, but Caesar manages to elude him.

August 9th: Caesar and Pompey meet at Pharsalus in Thessaly. Pompey's troops outnumber Caesar's, but Caesar wins the day and Pompey flees.