Marius Mules 2 : The Belgae by SJA Turney

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Based on Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars the first book followed his campaign against the Helvetii and other tribes of southern Gaul.   Now, desparate for another victorious campaign to silence his political enemies in Rome he turns his attention to the Belgae, a federation of tribes along the Rhine.

Caesar returns to Gaul as the Legions leave their winter quarters and prepare for the campaigning season.   Most of the senior officer corps of the first novel appear again headed, of course, by Fronto.   The first tribe they move against, the Remi, promptly surrender and are granted generous terms by Caesar to encourage others to follow their example.   Unfortunately most of the others are determined to put up some resistance if only for prides sake and the body count on both sides mounts up.   As in the first book it is up to Fronto to try to alleviate the callousness with which Caesar views the expenditure of human life when weighed against his ambition.   A typical example is his treatment of his own Camp Prefect.   The father-in-law of this officer has fallen into debt to Publius Clodius Pulcher, a blue blooded gangster whose squad of thugs have a reputation for violence to chill the blood.   Clodius has political ambitions and has become an enemy of Caesar and is using pressure on his wife' s familly to make Paetus, the Camp Prefect, send information back to Rome.   This plot is discovered  and Caesar is ready to crucify Paetus when Fronto suggests that instead he should be used to send Clodius misleading information.   Paetus agrees to this when Caesar says he will use his familly bodyguards in Rome to protect his wife and children, however, he does no such thing and they are murdered on the orders of Clodius.

This incident is all too typical of Caeasar's attitude to the lives of others, his own men included, and only their background of military discipline and concern for their own famillies keep Fronto and his band of horny handed veterans loyal to their General.

This has been another enjoyable trip through Roman history with brilliant action scenes and well drawn believable characters.   Roll on book three.