Julius Caesars Civil War Battle of Pharsalus

Julius Caesars Civil War Battle of Pharsalus The Battle of Pharsalus took place on August 9, 48 BC and was the decisive engagement of Caesars Civil War (49-45 BC). Some sources indicate that battle may have taken place on June 6/7 or June 29. Overview With the war with Julius Caesar raging, Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (Pompey) ordered the Roman Senate to flee to Greece while he raised an army in the region. With the immediate threat of Pompey removed, Caesar quickly consolidated his position in the western parts of the Republic. Defeating Pompeys forces in Spain, he shifted east and began preparing for a campaign in Greece. These efforts were hampered as Pompeys forces controlled the Republics navy. Finally forcing a crossing that winter, Caesar was soon joined by additional troops under Mark Antony. Despite being reinforced, Caesar was still outnumbered by Pompeys army, though his men were veterans and the enemy largely new recruits. Through the summer, the two armies maneuvered against each other, with Caesar attempting to besiege Pompey at Dyrrhachium. The resulting battle saw Pompey win a victory and Caesar was forced to back away. Wary of fighting Caesar, Pompey failed to follow up this triumph, preferring instead to starve his opponents army into submission. He was soon swayed from this course by his generals, various senators, and other influential Romans who wished him to give battle. Advancing through Thessaly, Pompey encamped his army on the slopes of Mount Dogantzes in the Enipeus Valley, approximately three and a half miles from Caesars army. For several days the armies formed for battle each morning, however, Caesar was unwilling to attack up the slopes of the mountain. By August 8, with his food supplies low, Caesar began debating withdrawing east. Under pressure to fight, Pompey planned to give battle the next morning. Moving down into the valley, Pompey anchored his right flank on the Enipeus River and deployed his men in the traditional formation of three lines, each ten men deep. Knowing that he had a larger and better-trained cavalry force, he concentrated his horse on the left. His plan called for the infantry to remain in place, forcing Caesars men to charge a long distance and tiring them before contact. As the infantry engaged, his cavalry would sweep Caesars from the field before pivoting and attacking into the enemys flank and rear. Seeing Pompey move off the mountain on August 9, Caesar deployed his smaller army to meet the threat. Anchoring his left, led by Mark Antony  along the river, he too formed three lines though they were not as deep as Pompeys. Also, he held his third line in reserve. Understanding Pompeys advantage in cavalry, Caesar pulled 3,000 men from his third line and arrayed them in a diagonal line behind his cavalry to protect the armys flank. Ordering the charge, Caesars men began advancing. Surging forward, it soon became clear that Pompeys army was standing their ground. Realizing Pompeys goal, Caesar halted his army approximately 150 yards from the enemy to rest and reform the lines. Resuming their advance, they slammed into Pompeys lines. On the flank, Titus Labienus led Pompeys cavalry forward and made progress against their counterparts. Falling back, Caesars cavalry led Labienus horsemen into the line of supporting infantry. Using their javelins to thrust at the enemy cavalry, Caesars men halted the attack. Uniting with their own cavalry, they charged and drove Labienus troops from the field. Wheeling left, this combined force of infantry and cavalry struck into Pompeys left flank. Though Caesars first two lines were under heavy pressure from Pompeys larger army, this attack, coupled with the entry of his reserve line, swung the battle. With their flank crumbling and fresh troops assaulting their front, Pompeys men began to give way. As his army collapsed, Pompey fled the field. Seeking to deliver the deciding blow of the war, Caesar pursued Pompeys retreating army and compelled four legions to surrender the following day. Aftermath The Battle of Pharsalus cost Caesar between 200 and 1,200 casualties while Pompey suffered between 6,000 and 15,000. Additionally, Caesar reported capturing 24,000, including Marcus Junius Brutus, and showed great clemency in pardoning many the Optimate leaders. His army destroyed, Pompey fled to Egypt seeking aid from King Ptolemy XIII. Shortly after arriving at Alexandria, he was murdered by the Egyptians. Pursuing his enemy to Egypt, Caesar was horrified when Ptolemy presented him with Pompeys severed head. Though Pompey had been defeated and killed, the war continued on as Optimate supporters, including the generals two sons, raised new forces in Africa and Spain. For the next few years, Caesar conducted various campaigns to eliminate this resistance. The war effectively ended in 45 BC after his victory at the Battle of Munda. Selected Sources HistoryNet: Battle of PharsalusRoman Empire: Battle of PharsalusLivius: Battle of Pharsalus

Why Coffee Doesnt Taste as Good as It Smells

Why Coffee Doesn't Taste as Good as It Smells Who doesnt love the smell of freshly brewed coffee? Even if you cant stand the flavor, the aroma is tantalizing. Why doesnt coffee taste as good as it smells? Chemistry has the answer. Saliva Destroys Coffee Flavor Molecules Part of the reason coffee flavor doesnt live up to the olfactory hype is because saliva destroys nearly half of the molecules responsible for the aroma. Scientists have found 300 of the 631 chemicals involved in forming the complex coffee scent are changed or digested by saliva, which contains the enzyme amylase. Bitterness Plays a Role Bitterness is a flavor the brain associates with potentially poisonous compounds. Its a sort of biochemical warning flag that discourages indulgence, at least the first time you try a new food. Most people initially dislike coffee, dark chocolate, red wine, and tea because they contain potentially toxic alcohol and  alkaloids. However, these foods also contain many healthy flavonoids and  other antioxidants, so palates learn to enjoy them. Many people who dislike black coffee enjoy it when its mixed with sugar or cream or made with a tiny amount of salt, which  removes the bitterness. Two Senses of Smell Professor Barry Smith of the Centre for the Study of the Senses at the University of London explains the primary reason coffee doesnt taste like it smells is because the brain interprets the aroma differently, depending on whether the sense is registered as coming from the mouth or from the nose. When you inhale a scent, it goes through the nose and across a sheet of chemoreceptor cells, which signal the odor to the brain. When you eat or drink food, the aroma of the food travels up the throat and across the nasoreceptor cells, but in the other direction. Scientists have learned the brain interprets the scent sensory information differently, depending on the orientation of the interaction. In other words, nose scent and mouth scent are not the same. Since flavor is largely associated with scent, coffee is bound to disappoint. You can blame your brain. Chocolate Beats Coffee While that first sip of coffee may be a bit of a letdown, there are two aromas that are interpreted the same way, whether you smell them or taste them. The first is lavender, which retains its floral scent in the mouth, yet also has a mildly soapy flavor. The other is chocolate, which tastes as good as it smells.