Damn, Caesar crossed THAT?
>>18284442we're not even sure that's the right river, anyway the crossing of the english channel with an army was what was actually considered an impressive feat by the romans. Crossing the rubicon with an army was only significant because it was illegal and entitled the senate to justifiably declare Caesar an enemy of the people.
>>18284442>Americans don’t understand it’s a symbolic feat and not a literal geographical feat
>>18284442Well remember humans were shorter on average back then so it would have been more of an accomplishment. It might have taken a few hours or even minutes for Caesar and his army to cross
>>18284484how do you know OP is American?
>>18284526you just know
>>18284530No, no you don't.
>>18284448>crossing of the english channel with an army was what was actually considered an impressive feat by the romansWhy? It's not like the RAF or royal navy existed.
>>18284664I honestly don't know. But in the primary sources they talk about it like it was the moon landing.
>>18284664Caesar basically talks it up like its a turning point in human history, because its the first time a roman army has crossed an "ocean" and he plays up the mysteriousness of the Britons as totally unknown people at the edge human understanding.It's pretty funny honestly. Idk how this was received in Rome.
In the ancient Roman world, crossing that stream was highly illegal. Bassically treason. Nobody could pass that stream with swords, rocks, shields, spears, soldiers, anything that could be a threat to the city of rome. That's why crossing it was a big deal.
>>18284664They had only just subdued Gaul, so their supply lines back to their own side of the Alps were tenuous.Their shipbuilders were good at building ships for the predictable Mediterranean, but the North Sea and the North Atlantic were very different and subject to far more rain and high winds.They had to embark in the north of Gaul, close to unconquered territories on the other side of the Rhine; in terms of remoteness, alien landscapes and danger, they might as well have been in Persia.
>>18284442the bridge wasn't there back then making it more impressive.
>>18284442He did, with the XIIII hope he thanked uncle Sulla for giving him the inspiration
>>18284442I remember as a kid I saw art and it showed this MASSIVE fucking river in a canyon and I thought holy shit, it's still cool today, but for other reasons
>>18284530You jealousy is so transparent. And Trans.
>>18284664no, the men of the RAF and RN existed, they just got BTFO by literal river barges of italians.
>>18284664Romans were not very confident sailors in the Republican era. They did eventually master the quirks and weather patterns of the Mediterranean Sea, but the choppy waters of the English Channel and its frequent, unpredictable storms proved challenging for Caesar and the first few emperors. As with the Mediterranean though, the Romans simply kept at it and eventually learned how to manage the weather better.
>>18285998It's true. I was there
