Siege of Salona

Caesar's Civil War had begun in 49 BC due to the escalating tensions over the previous decade between Gaius Julius Caesar and the Roman Senate, who turned to his old ally Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus ("Pompey the Great"). Caesar famously crossed the Rubicon river in January, being labeled as "enemy of the people" by the senate. Caesar would go on to conquer Italy, Spain, Sardinia, and Sicily. Caesar would immediately make preparations for an invasion of Greece, to confront Pompey directly.

Meanwhile Gaius Antonius, the brother of Mark Anthony and one of Caesar's legates had been assigned to defend illyria with a few legions, with 15 Cohorts, being stationed on the island of Curicta while Publius Cornelius Dolabella would command 40 ships to defend the coasts and to aid Antonius.[1] A Pompeian fleet arrived near Curicta, led by Lucius Scribonius Libo (consul 34 BC) and Marcus Octavius. In the resulting siege, the Pompeians achieved one of their largest victories in the war and both Antonius and Dolabella were captured. Caesar himself describing it as one of the "worsts setbacks of the war".[2]

The Town of Salona is positioned on the southern coast of Illyria on a naturally defensive position on a hill. The town has a harbor which is connected to the town directly. The town encompasses the central forum and theatre, which has an entrance, the Porta Caesarea, to the north east.[3] The city is shaped trapezoidal at this time and would acquire and adopt much of Roman culture and architecture. Salona and the surrounding area was very valuable do to having many mines of mint and silver.

Casear meanwhile was blockaded by a Pompeian fleet led by his old rival, Bibulus. However Caesar had managed to cross none the less, and shortly after Bibulus died leaving the fleet leaderless. The Pompeians then recalled Libo to take charge, leaving Octavius to take full command in Illyria, who then began traveling up into Dalmatia with his fleet. As his fleet traversed the coast, the town of Issa defected to Pompey shortly after, and Octavius had hoped Salona would do the same, but he was deceived as the townsfolk immediately began preparing their defenses. They built a number of wooden towers to better prepare and reinforce their position just as Octavius arrived at the town.

Octavius's first objective was blockading the harbor of Salona, which was done with ease as the townsfolk had no real navy to speak of. He then landed his force on the shore and began an attack on the town and despite the fierce resistance it appeared as though Octavius's professional soldiers would take the town, but then the townsfolk granted freedom and liberty to all slaves old enough and willing to fight and according to Caesar himself, they cut off the hair of woman to use as rope and with these factors in effect, the civilians managed to push Octavius out of Salona

After this failure, Octavius decided upon not risking another all out assault and set to blockade the town, establishing 5 camps around the town, to blockade them. This was not too affective however, as the Caesarians were able to get grain from Caesar after sending out messengers. The blockade and siege appears to of carried on for some more time. With no reinforcements coming any time soon, the Caesarians realized that time was not on their side, and made a risky play, risking everything by launching a sudden sortie against the Pompeian's camp, leaving woman and children on the walls to give the delusion that the walls were still manned. The attack caught Octavius completely by surprise, and they took each camp one by one, killing many Pompeian's and forcing the rest to retreat to their ships, Octavius among them. The Pompeians defeated fled, joining Pompey at Dyrrachium.

Following the defeat at Salona, Caesar would manage to crush the Pompeians at the Battle of Pharsalus, subduing the east. the Pompeians would not return to Illyria until Octavius returned yet again to start a pro-Pompeian rebellion, only to be yet again defeated at Tauris. He would then fight Caesar in Africa, before either vanishing from history or being killed at the Battle of Actium.