Gaul, 57 BCE. The Belgae form a powerful coalition against Roman expansion, forcing Caesar to drive his legions into the north before resistance can become general. Fronto and the Tenth face river crossings, fortified settlements and enemies whose numbers and determination make this the most dangerous campaign of the invasion so far.
Military pressure is accompanied by intrigue within Caesar’s command and opposition in Rome. Fronto must judge officers whose ambitions may matter more to them than victory, while keeping exhausted soldiers together through a sequence of brutal engagements. The campaign shows how Caesar turns battlefield success into political capital and how each conquest creates the conditions for another war.