VAE VICTIS: TO THE VICTORS GO THE SPOILS AND WOE TO THE VANQUISHED

by Tom Higham

Vae Victis in Latin means "Woe to the Vanquished". The entire quote is, "To the victors go the spoils, and woe to the vanquished." Set in first century B.C. Rome and Gaul during Julius Caesar's eight year war on Gaul, this book was painstakingly researched by the author in both Latin and French as well as English, to gain an intimate view into the thoughts, feelings, and perspectives of the armies and peoples on both sides of the conflict. The story is told largely through the eyes of a Roman centurion, who describes in stark detail his experiences during those brutal times both in Rome and at war in Gaul. The tale begins with him watching a famed gladiator fight for his freedom in the arena. Later, as the war in Gaul unfolds, he describes the fighting in detail, up close and personal. The reader sees the battles through his eyes, hears the sounds of the battles through his ears, feels the weapons in his hands, smells the blood soaking the ground. The reader is taken along into the battles alongside of the combatants, first with the Roman soldiers, and later with the valiant warriors of Gaul. A slave girl, for her beauty and grace taken under the protection of a young Roman officer who falls in love with her, finds that her heart is torn between the Roman officer and Gaul, her native land, and the freed gladiator who returns there to fight alongside his countrymen. In the end all the tribes of Gaul are united under Vercingetorix, who is still a hero of France today, over two thousand years later. Vercingetorix had a surprise for Caesar, and the final struggle between Rome and Gaul was perhaps the greatest drama of military history. All historical events in this book are accurate. Every effort was made to keep the major historical persons in this book true to history and true to character. The battles, strategies, fortifications, and weapons used are historically accurate. The outcomes of the battles and the war are likewise historically accurate. The Roman centurion, the Roman officer, the gladiator, and the slave girl were made up by the author. If you are looking for a book that will grip you and stir your emotions, while providing interesting insight into the history, peoples, and mores of the era, this book is for you.

354 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 4, 2016

About the author

Thomas Higham is an archaeological scientist and radiocarbon dating specialist. He is Professor of Archaeological Science at the University of Oxford, UK, best known for his work in dating the Neanderthal extinction and the arrival of modern humans in Europe.