Quintus Tullius Cicero

Biography

Quintus Tullius Cicero — younger brother of the famous orator Marcus Tullius Cicero — served as one of Caesar's legates in Gaul and is remembered for one of the most dramatic episodes of the entire campaign: the defense of his winter camp against the revolt of Ambiorix in 54 BC. After the annihilation of Sabinus and Cotta's force at Atuatuca, Ambiorix turned immediately on Quintus Cicero's camp nearby. Cicero refused to negotiate despite repeated Gallic envoys offering safe conduct out of the territory, insisting that it was not Roman custom to accept terms from an armed enemy. The camp was besieged by a Gallic force that, crucially, had learned from Gallic nobles who had served in Roman armies how to build earthworks, towers, and testudo formations — Romans besieging a Roman camp using Roman techniques. For approximately five weeks, Cicero's exhausted garrison of one full legion held the camp against continuous assault. Every man was wounded; the huts burned; the earthworks had to be rebuilt each morning. Cicero himself was ill but refused to leave the walls. He sent desperate messages to Caesar by Gallic runners (who had to fight through the besieging army) until one finally got through. Caesar force-marched 25 miles in one day and used a tactical deception to draw off the Gallic army before relieving the camp. Caesar later praised Quintus Cicero's defense in terms he used for almost no one else.

Key Battles