Flying over the Rhine River last week I was struck by its size. It is truly a massive obstacle, one that slowed the Allied advance into Germany only 70 years ago, despite their modern technology. They were forced to be creative in their river-crossing techniques and even had to resort to boat crossings in some places.
Caesar writes that in 55 BC boat crossings were beneath him, so he had his field engineers build a forty foot wide wooden bridge across the Rhine in ten days - including the time to fell the trees! Scholars believe this crossing to have been accomplished somewhere between Andernach and Coblenz where, today, the river is between 250 and 300 metres wide.
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| Author's image of a drawing from Caesar I Gallic War, Loeb Classical Library, 1917. |
The Roman engineers devised a method of re-enforcing the supporting timbers using the strength of the river’s current while topping it with a paved road as well as building defences upstream to deter and defend from waterborne attacks. Caesar doesn’t mention any attacks from the Suebi Tribe - whom he invaded Germania to subdue. In fact, Caesar never engaged them in combat. He conducted punitive raids against their villages and signed treaties with their enemies: demonstrating that the Rhine was not Rome’s northern border. So after 18 days in Germania, Caesar decides his goals have been met, whence, he crosses his bridge back into Gaul and destroys it behind him.
It is this willingness to do the impossible which made Rome great. Whether involved in 360 degree siege/counter-siege warfare - as was the case at Alesia - or imposing their will on rebellious natives; Roman technology, accompanied by Roman courage built the world’s largest empire to date.
Looking at today’s bureaucracy riddled command structures one must wonder what an unencumbered will, like Caesar’s, might impose on a less committed foe.
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