"One Word"

"One Word"

by Haseeb Sahi Sahi

"Is it true that Julius Caesar allegedly ended a revolt of his soldiers by saying one word? The single word that Julius Caesar used successfully quelled a rebellion is a well-recognized historical fact. The word from Julius Caesar served to halt a mutiny in which his soldiers were going against him.

The Year 47 BCE: Caesar’s Crisis: Caesar achieved numerous battle victories since he defeated Pompey before supporting Cleopatra as she ascended the Egyptian throne while ending Pharnaces of Pontus role as a ruler. But his war wasn’t over. Supporters of Pompey assembled an immense armed force in Africa ahead of planned combat activities. The victory required Caesar to have his Italian-based four best legions. The situation proved severely problematic since they revealed their great anger.

The Soldiers’ Revolt: Battle readiness became their years-long experience in combat. The soldiers showed exhaustion while also not receiving any payment. This combination left them in an angry state. The discharges and their full pay remained their principal concerns. The soldiers began a revolt because Caesar returned home late. Mark Antony lost his influence as the soldiers ran beyond his control while some troops began looting private properties. Winning in Africa required Caesar to have their support. Since he lacked sufficient funds he was unable to compensate them financially.

Caesar Faces His Army: Caesar conducted the meeting with the soldiers south of the city of Rome. The previous rebellious soldiers silented down after he stood facing them. The legions chose to honor his position so much that they did not scream at him even during their rebellious state. The disorderly troops wanted to understand his reaction to their rebellion. The soldiers refused to admit their need for money so they requested to be released from military service instead.

Caesar’s Response: One Word: The soldiers before Caesar only received one reply from him: “Quirites.” “Citizens.”

By using this single word Caesar took away their military status thus rendering them civilians. He delivered this message to them as an order instead of entreaty to indicate their service no longer needed their presence. He clarified everything further by sharing the following words. They were officially discharged immediately. He acknowledged their unpaid wages. The payment of their salaries was scheduled for following his African campaign alongside other legions.

The Soldiers’ Will Breaks" Caesar’s army consisted of his most devoted soldiers among the ranks:

Legio VIII – Veterans of Gaul

Legio IX Hispanica – Fighters from Spain

Legio XII Fulminata – The Thunderbolt Legion

Legio X Equestris – Caesar’s favorite legion, his first

He could not stand to miss experiencing his greatest triumph in life. All the soldiers scrambled toward him while they asked for forgiveness before requesting permission to resume their duty. Caesar acted doubtful before slowly consenting to their request. After returning his main legions Caesar fought and defeated his enemies in the Battle of Thapsus.

The Power of One Word: A single word converted the military rebellion into devoted service for Caesar. Through his words Caesar enforced that serving in his army stood as a privileged position his forces did not plan to abandon. That word? “Quirites.” “Citizens.”

- https://www.quora.com/