Now Caesar is in very rough circumstances. Outnumbered, surrounded, blockaded, and beginning to starve with his 7 legions. What does he do? Well he marched on Apollonia. He had tried to send word to Pompey that he didn't want war. But the courier, Vibullius Rufus, told Pompey that Caesar was marching to fight him. Pompey marched his men though Macedonia towards Apollonia. Caesar was able to attain the support of the citizens of Apollonia. Caesar wanted Dyrrachium as well, but Pompey marched his men night and day to get there first. Caesar was unable to beat him there. Meanwhile, Caesar's men in Italy tried to sail across but Caesar sent a letter telling them not to since all ports were now blocked. One ship disobeyed and was captured. All aboard were put to death, even children. In Pompey's army, there was terrible fear that Caesar was approaching. Pompey's men were disorganized and led by squabbling, greedy noble men who unlikely would have joined in a common cause under other circumstances. So Caesar was able to more easily organize whatever he had. This is one reason why Cicero wasn't in the fighting. He had gone to Greece in June of 49 while Caesar was in Spain. He quickly realized the hopelessness of the situation and left, with bad remarks. But others did join Pompey. Titius Labienus swore to support him and got the rest of the army to do so as well. Caesar must have despised him now more than ever. Not only had he betrayed Caesar, he ruined any chance of Pompey's army scaring themselves out of fighting. So Caesar had to wait for spring and wintered his men in tents. Both armies camped near Dyrrachium on the sides of the Apsus river.

At sea the republican commander, Bibulus, had his own problem. Caesar had managed to keep his former co-consul from using Pompey's presence to his advantage. The towns near the coast had sheltered groups of Caesar's men and Bibulus couldn't resupply his ships. His men caught dew drops in the morning to drink. Eventually he asked to meet Caesar. He had a bone to pick with Caesar for some time. Caesar himself was hunting for food in Buthrotum (Butrint). Caesar wouldn't let Bibulus get resupplied as long as he blockaded him. Bibulus himself wasn't at the meeting. He was now sick and was resolved to stay on his ship and serve his duty to Pompey until the very end. He died in late February or early March of 48. Later, Caesar's men at the river Apsus were talking with Pompey's men. The soldiers didn't hate each other, just the leaders did. Attempts at "peace" were made, but ended up being a javelin throwing contest. Men were wounded and Titus Labienus said:

"Forbear, then, to speak any more about an accommodation, for we can have no peace unless we carry Caesar's head back with us."

In early April of 48, Caesar instructed Antony to get over to him with the remaining forces by any means possible. After escaping the enemy, he got 4 legions across and 700 cavalry by about April 10. He sent the ships back for the rest. The winds had carried Antony right past Caesar and Pompey at Dyrrachium, so both knew that the fight was upon them. Antony had transports ready incase Pompey tried to escape to Italy. Caesar wanted to meet Antony as soon as possible, Pompey wanted to block his approach. To do so Pompey didn't have to cross the river, Caesar would. But Pompey could then be pinned by two armies. Pompey moved his forces away slightly and camped in Dyrrachium territory. Meanwhile, Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius Scipio, Pompey's father-in-law, had been extorting the rich cities of Asia minor. As he was about to plunder the temple of Diana in Ephesus, he got word from Pompey that Caesar had landed his forces. Scipio headed with the Syrian legions to Macedonia in a few days. In Italy, the debt crisis was causing major problems. Milo had even come back from exile. But he died in a skirmish. This problem of debt would plague Caesar for some time. After Caesar had joined Antony, he sent legions under Caius Calvisius Sabinus into Aetolia, Gnaeus Domitius Calvinus to Macedonia, and Lucius Cassius Longinus into Thessaly for support and food. Aetolia was cleansed of Pompey's garrisons, in Calydon and Naupactus. Thessaly was politically split, but Macedonia was in trouble. Pius Scipio was marching into Macedonia and turned to Thessaly. Scipio tried to catch Cassius but Domitius saved him in time. Later Domitius captured Scipio's cavalry and some light infantry.

Beginning in late April, Caesar followed Pompey closely. Caesar actually managed to steal the city of Dyrrachium from him by cutting him off from the city. Caesar offered battle but Pompey wouldn't give in. Pompey moved and camped on a hill called Petra where he could be supplied by the sea. Pompey plundered the nearby tribes to keep them from aiding Caesar. But Pompey on the hill, put himself in much the same way as Vercingetorix had done at Alesia. Caesar began to build forts around him and close him off. More importantly, it limited his greater cavalry numbers, and also made him look weak among his allies. Pompey went out and began to built his own forts to counter Caesar's work. Pompey's greater numbers forced a kind of stalemate. Pompey gained enough land for forage. Caesar's ninth legion was engaged in a fight for a hill. Retreat was tough for both sides since the terrain had been so altered. But still Pompey's army could be supplied and Caesar soon ran out of food. His men now made a kind of bread from mixing chara root with milk. Making loaves of this, they would throw them at Pompey's lines to show them that nothing could stop Caesar's legions. When Pompey learned of this, he kept word of it from his troops. He equated this to fighting wild beasts. Both sides fought in many skirmishes. 3 cohorts of Caesar held off an entire legion of Pompey. Fights also happened outside Dyrrachium, 6 in one day. The small battles were brutal. Caesar didn't lose more than 20 men of his men by his count, questionable, but many men were badly wounded. 4 Centurions in one cohort lost their eyes. Caesar's men knew how to hold off these men. They were used to this radical fighting. One Centurion had 230 holes in his shield, from the 30,000 darts that were hurled at Caesar's fort. This Centurion named Gaius Scaeva, was awarded 200,000 copper coins and promoted to first Centurion. Caesar says that his men killed 2000 of Pompey's, most likely. Pompey was able to move his men around more than Caesar would have wanted. Eventually Caesar was able to maneuver into favorable ground to offer Pompey battle. Pompey saved honor by drawing his men out of camp in battle order but kept within range of arrows fired from the walls of his camp. Caesar's men in Greece were able to gain more support from important cities. Scipio was now in Macedonia and Pompey was now running out of food himself. It was now July and he was forced to strip leaves from trees to feed his cavalry horses, which were useless here. Pompey now had to try something decisive.

And, according to Caesar, Pompey got his chance. Two Gauls had tried to gain much plunder for themselves and the men in Caesar's legions becoming aware of this began to shun them. These two men became the first to defect from Caesar. Taking some supplies to Pompey, they also gave him the intelligence he needed. Caesar was now in a 17 mile fortification. Near the sea Caesar hadn't completed the works, which was a double rampart to defend from a sea attack. Pompey, around the 9th of July, made an attack. The ninth legion was simply overpowered and fled. The eagle bearer managed to get the eagle standard away with the cavalry. Letulus Marcellinus, commander of the ninth was unable to hold, but Mark Antony arrived just in time to stop Pompey's advance. Caesar was quite some distance away, attacking Dyrrachium, and seems not to have arrived until the fighting was over. Pompey now had camped in Caesar's area and Caesar camped his men right beside them. Of course Caesar had to check this soon and he with 33 cohorts would try to sneak attack Pompey's legion that was there. Caesar's men were initially successful, but in the attack his wings got too far separated and Pompey marched up with the fifth legion and Caesar's men fled in terror. It seems that Caesar saw this with his own eyes and was on site. Pompey now had Caesar in his worst ever spot, he lost 1000 men but Pompey made a critical mistake.

Pompey was an old man for the times, almost 58, and his indecisiveness proved to be his downfall. Both Caesar and Plutarch realized that Pompey mad the mistake that cost him the war. Caesar remarked that "Today the victory had been the enemy's had there been any one among them to gain it." Pompey would have another chance against Caesar, but never a certain one like this. If Pompey had advanced Caesar's forts this day, he certainly would have beat Caesar. He outnumbered them after all. Pompey immediately sent word of his success over Caesar far and wide throughout the world. Caesar called all his men together and told them not to lose heart. His legions had done many great things and that one setback wasn't the end. At three o'clock in the morning on the coming night he sent out his men from the camp, he was the last out. Caesar had his baggage sent earlier that night to Apollonia. Caesar and Pompey both marched into Macedonia. Pompey tried to catch Caesar but couldn't keep up with him. Pompey then took a different route. Meanwhile Scipio and Domitius had left their camps and Domitius learned from the very Gauls who betrayed Caesar, that Caesar was retreating and Pompey was soon to arrive. They also told him of what happened at Dyrrachium, spreading the word to the locals no doubt. Domitius got word from Caesar, evaded Pompey, and joined his force with Caesar at Aeginium. From there Caesar marched to Gomphi.

Word of Caesar's setback was spread fast. Gomphi was on the road from Epirus and would have heard the news quick. When Caesar first arrived in the Balkans in January, Gomphi had offered complete support to Caesar. The likely exaggerated account of the events at Dyrrachium changed their attitude. Androsthenes, the praetor of Thessaly decided to side with Pompey. He had the gates of Gomphi closed to Caesar and sent for Scipio and Pompey to come and relieve him. Caesar quickly camped and prepared for an assault. Gomphi was a rich city and taking it was a good decision for his army, bad one for the inhabitants. Caesar arrived in the morning and attacked at 3 in the afternoon. Before sunset the town was taken and given to the soldiers, for plunder and slaves. The town was full of wine and the soldiers had a hell of a party. Caesar marched off the next day to Metropolis which opened its gates immediately. All cities in Thessaly went to Caesar except Larrisa which is where Scipio was. Scipio soon joined Pompey and marched towards Caesar. Now Caesar was outnumbered now over 2 to 1 in infantry (45,000 to 22,000) and 7 to 1 in cavalry (7,000 to 1,000). But now Pompey's problems became more important. Remember that all the senators who fled Rome to Pompey were with him and they thought that they knew what to do. The leaders began to squabble how to divide the spoils of the coming victory. The men were now overconfident. In the beginning of August Pompey camped his men on a hill called Mount Dogantzes at the plain of Pharsalus. Caesar was there on the plain waiting for him.

Starting about August 1, Caesar taunted Pompey. He placed strong young men in the ranks of his cavalry to fight Pompey's cavalry. Caesar for several days marched his army out to fight and marched right up to the enemy. When they didn't react Caesar's men got a huge moral boost. In the ensuing cavalry skirmishes Caesar's cavalry actually drove back the enemy. One of the Gauls who betrayed Caesar at Dyrrachium was killed. Caesar moved his camp around Pompey's in ways to better supply himself and to taunt Pompey even more. Pompey reacted by moving his camp and finally formed up on level ground with Caesar. Caesar was planning to move his camp again to Scotussa but scouts reported that Pompey's men were preparing to fight. Caesar had been up early walking around his camp. Caesar spoke to his troops as they prepared to march out onto the field:

"Our march at present, and set our thoughts on battle, which has been our constant wish; let us then meet the foe with resolute souls. We shall not hereafter easily find such an opportunity."

On Caesar's right side, Pompey's left wing, was the 2 legions that Caesar had to give Pompey in the autumn of 50 BC, the 1st and 3rd, under the command of Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus. Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius Scipio commanded Pompey's center with the Syrian legions and African troops. On Pompey's right wing was Cornelius Lentulus with the Cilician legion with Spanish auxiliaries. Where Pompey was is confusing. Plutarch says he commanded his right wing in person, opposite Antony, most likely. Caesar says he was on the left wing. Caesar says that he took up position opposite of Pompey, or right across from him. Also on Caesar's right side behind Pompey's left wing was all of his cavalry, archers, and stone slingers under Caesar's old lieutenant Titius Labienus. By doing this Pompey made a big mistake. His plan all along was to use his huge cavalry advantage to route one of Caesar's wings and route the smaller army without much bloodshed. So by putting all his horse on this side Caesar obviously knew what his plan was. Pompey's forces amounted to 110 complete cohorts (410 men in each). 7 cohorts of Thracians guarded Pompey's camp. Pompey would command from the left wing where the decisive action would be. Caesar brought up his men. 80 cohorts of 275 men on average on the field, 2 cohorts to guard his camp. The left wing of Caesar's army was under the command of Mark Antony with the 8th legion and remains of the 9th legion. The center was under the command of Gnaeus Domitius Calvinus, the right wing under Publius Sulla. Caesar was on his right wing with his cavalry, Gauls and Germans, and his beloved 10th legion. Pompey's lines were deep and Caesar's more thin to stretch it enough to avoid being outflanked. Caesar had 3 lines, with his best troops in the rear one. Of these he picked one cohort from each legion to form a 4th line. Caesar had enough troops for 8 smaller cohorts but formed 6 full ones, 3000 men. His other cohorts were smaller than Pompey's, but not these.

With both sides set, Caesar's soldiers anxiously waited for the trumpets to signal the charge. On this field no one had a terrain advantage. The former first Centurion of the 10th legion led the charge. The men carried javelins in hand and ran towards the enemy. When Pompey's side didn't move, Caesar ordered them to halt midway, stand, throw their javelins and draw the Gladius short sword, then engage. Pompey's men took the fall of javelins, held their ground, and drew their swords. Caesar's first 2 lines clashed with Pompey's and kept up the fight. Both sides had the same training, so Roman troops trying to kill each other would have been very difficult. At this moment Pompey's cavalry charges from his left wing in open order to outflank Caesar's right and the 10th legion. His archers and slingers ran after the horse to get in position. Caesar says that his cavalry couldn't stand up to this and gave ground. He actually made a full retreat sound good. Now Pompey's horse made it to the infantry and began to turn Caesar's flank. At just the right moment, Caesar ordered the crack 4th line troops forward. Using their javelins as pikes, they thrusted them up at the riders faces. This completely unexpected move eliminated the horse advantage. Of course the horse are charging and 3000 men getting at least one shot at a rider will take the horse out quite quickly. The rest panicked and headed for the hills. Now Caesar's men continued on Pompey's archers and slingers and cut them to pieces then marched on Pompey's unprotected left flank from behind. Caesar now ordered his 3rd line forward. The first two lines had held up greatly and now Pompey's men began to break. Caesar's troops forced Pompey's left wing to break and run and Pompey, who I think was more towards the center of his army, saw his remaining troops lose cohesion. Pompey hadn't engaged his right wing of the army fully and seems to have lost his mind for a moment and seeing his remaining horse fleeing in panic and his left flank surrounded and being destroyed, he gave up. Fleeing from the field on horseback, upon reaching his camp he ordered those at the gates to guard it with their lives while he, Pompey the Great, retired to his tent to await his fate.

But unlike a noble Roman, Pompey didn't commit suicide. One would think he would. He had lost a fight he should have won. This defeat effectively ended the Roman Republic. Now the hope of defeating Caesar disappeared. So why didn't Pompey kill himself to save him the personal disgrace? Would Caesar have paraded Pompey through Rome in chains? That is a question for the ages. Then Caesar's legions were now attacking Pompey's camp. "What, into the very camp itself", muttered the once great general. So with that Pompey dressed in a manner befitting his situation and fled secretly from his camp. Meanwhile on the field the Republican army was being slaughtered. Pompey fled the camp sometime before 10 AM and the leaderless army had no hope at all. It was a hot day and Caesar's men were getting tired so Caesar directed an assault on the camp of Pompey. The Thracian auxiliaries who guarded tried to hold but wisely withdrew. From the look of the camp, Pompey's senatorial comrades expected victory. In the mid afternoon the remnants of Pompey's army had got away (4 legions) and made it to a large hill nearby. But there was still thousands of dead fellow Romans lying in a trail to Pompey's camp. This effected Caesar. Here he said:

"This they would have; they brought me to this necessity. I, Gaius Caesar, after succeeding in so many wars, had been condemned had I dismissed my army." ,,, "Hoc voluerunt. Tantis rebus gestis Caius Caesar condemnatus essem nisi ab exercitu auxilium petissem."

So where was Pompey now? Fleeing for his life towards Larissa, the only Thessalian town not on Caesar's side. Pompey had an escort of only 30 horse. By the night of August 9, he was through the Tempe pass and spent the night in a fisherman's cottage. The next day at the mouth of the Tempe river, he got on a river boat; freed his slaves who were with him, telling to go boldly to Caesar. He saw a merchant ship under the command of a Roman named Peticius. This man, in Plutarch's account, says he dreamed of seeing Pompey in a depressed manner. When he recognized Pompey trying to come aboard his ship, he was joking with the crew about it. Imagine the dumbfoundedness. Peticius could tell Pompey was in a bad way from his dress. This could be true. Dreams of such circumstances are not uncommon. In any event Pompey sailed to Amphipolis.

Meanwhile on August 10 at Pharsalus, Caesar had sent some of his men to watch Pompey's old camp, his own, and he himself at dawn led 4 legions to capture the remaining enemy on the mountain. Caesar cut them off from the river so they'd have no water on this hot day, and asked them to surrender. Pompey's men came down and knelt before Caesar, begging for mercy. That must have been a sight to see. But not among these men was Cato's nephew (and son-in law), Quintus Servilius Caepio Brutus, who we today know as Marcus Junius Brutus, who Caesar would now in 4 years. Caesar pardoned all these men, ordered them not to be harmed or any possession confiscated. One man who didn't get this was Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus. The day before Caesar's horse had chased him as he tried to flee on foot and cut him down. Brutus had fled to Larissa and wrote back to Caesar. Caesar was very glad to know he was safe, and pardoned him immediately when he returned. Brutus told Caesar that Pompey likely went to Larissa too, since it was the only Pompey-friendly city in the area. Caesar let his 4 legions rest and had his camp guards come to relieve them, Caesar himself taking Brutus' advice, went off towards Larissa with his horse to catch Pompey and ordered one legion to follow him more slowly. Caesar would spend the next 50 days chasing Pompey across the eastern Mediterranean.

In Amphipolis, Pompey tried to stir up trouble by getting young men to take the military oath. Nothing came of this. He gathered money and sailed to Mytilene on the island of Lesbos. His wife Cornelia and son were in the city and Pompey was going to take them with him. Cornelia was overwhelmed when she found out what happened. Pompey and his small fleet spent 2 days here and sailed for the city of Attalia, in Pamphylia (south Turkey). Here Pompey was joined by other senators (50+ in all) and wanted to carry on the war. His navy was still superior and North Africa was still his, even though Gaius Cassius Longinus failed at Sicily. Pompey even considered allying with Parthia! But a man named Theophanes convinced Pompey that he mustn't leave Egypt out of the picture, since the young king Ptolemy XIII owed Pompey 60,000,000 sesterces for restoring Ptolemy XII to his throne years before. Here Pompey made his choice, Parthia or Egypt? He chose Egypt. This decision was made likely in Cyprus on September 24, when Pompey learned that Antioch had shut its gates to him. With Syria out of the picture, and the former consul Lucius Cornelius Lentulus Crus was shut out of Rhodes, he decided to sail for 3 days to Egypt. The reason so many ignored Pompey was the fact that the current consul, Gaius Julius Caesar, was approaching.

Caesar likely sailed from somewhere in Thessaly, whose people he freed from certain obligations, to Cnidus, an island city north of Rhodes. He arrived there in late September and saved again, the money stored in temple of Diana at Ephesus. Caesar was here for a few days and heard that Pompey was in Cyprus. Caesar correctly guessed that Pompey was going to sail for Egypt, and he called to aid him 2 legions, one in Thessaly, the other from further south. These were not full legions, it amounted to only 3200 men. He had also 800 cavalry and less than 20 warships (10 from Rhodes). Although a small force, Caesar believed his current reputation would be able to secure him anywhere. He decided to follow Pompey to Egypt.

On September 28, 48 BC, Pompey arrived at Egypt off of Pelusium. His approach was known to the Egyptians, whose army was in the area. Pompey hoped to join this army to his cause. Ptolemy XIII was a child and his eunuch; Pothinus was the leader of the ruling counsel. Others in it were Achillas, captain of the guards, and Theodotus of Chois. They decided earlier that backing Pompey would only drag Egypt into this civil war. Why do that when they are fighting one themselves? So they agreed that Pompey should be killed. When Pompey arrived he noticed that the Egyptians were not setting up a formal welcome, but that Achillas and an old acquaintance of Pompey, Septimus, go out to meet him in a small boat. Also a centurion named Salvius went along. At most 7 were in the boat. The men on Pompey's ship knew what this meant. They thought they should back away from the shore, but the Egyptians were boarding their ships. Septimus saluted Pompey in Latin with his title "Imperator". Achillas saluted in Greek, and asked him to come aboard the small boat to avoid the sand bars. Pompey had no choice and bade goodbye to Cornelia, who was already crying. Before he stepped onto the small boat he turned to his wife, son, and last companions and said:

"He that once enters at a tyrant's door, becomes a slave, though he were free before."