ROM0256 – The siege of Dyrrachium, I cent. BC

The Siege of Dyrrachium, I Century BC: Caesar’s Near-Disaster

48 BC. The civil war between Julius Caesar and Pompey the Great has moved to Greece. Caesar, having crossed the Adriatic with an army smaller than Pompey’s, has besieged Pompey’s main camp at Dyrrachium (modern Durrës in Albania) — one of the most audacious strategic moves of the ancient world. Caesar is outnumbered, his supply lines are tenuous, and he is besieging a commander who has superior forces and access to the sea. By all military logic, the siege of Dyrrachium should have ended in Caesar’s defeat.

The Battle Caesar Almost Lost

Caesar’s circumvallation of Dyrrachium — a line of fortifications 24 kilometers long surrounding Pompey’s camp — was an engineering marvel achieved under constant pressure. Pompey’s response was equally creative: he constructed his own counter-fortification line, creating a double wall situation where both sides were simultaneously besieging and besieged. The fighting along these lines was continuous and costly for months.

The crisis came in July 48 BC when Pompey launched a coordinated attack on Caesar’s fortification lines, aided by intelligence from two Gallic deserters who had revealed weak points in Caesar’s perimeter. The attack succeeded: Caesar’s lines were breached, his forces were routed, and he suffered significant casualties. Pompey had won the battle of Dyrrachium decisively. It was perhaps the only significant tactical defeat of Caesar’s career.

Caesar’s response was characteristic: he retreated in good order, refused to allow the defeat to become a rout, and preserved his army. When Pompey — cautious as always at the moment of exploitation — failed to pursue aggressively, Caesar regrouped and led his army to Pharsalus, where he destroyed Pompey’s forces and ended the civil war.

The Original Artwork by Giuseppe Rava

This original Roman military art print by Giuseppe Rava — historical illustrator for Osprey Publishing since 2007 — captures the epic siege of Dyrrachium with the meticulous accuracy that defines every work by the Maestro. Caesar’s and Pompey’s forces, the siege lines, the drama of Caesar’s greatest military crisis rendered in oil on canvas.

The print is produced as a limited edition, individually numbered and hand-signed by Giuseppe Rava, SRA3 format (45×32 cm / 17.7×12.6 in), on premium fine art paper. Available worldwide with international shipping.