Editing Titus Labienus (section)

==Biography==

===Early career===
As his [[praetor]]ship was in 60 or 59 BC, Titus Labienus most likely was born around 100 BC.<ref name="Tyrrell3">Tyrrell (3)</ref> Many sources suggest that he came from the town of [[Cingoli|Cingulum]] in [[Picenum]]. His family was of [[equestrian (Roman)|equestrian]] status. He most likely had early ties with [[Pompey]] during his time as a patron for [[Picenum]] and his desire to rise in military rank.<ref name="Tyrrell3"/> His early service was c. 78–75 BC in [[Cilicia]] under [[Publius Servilius Vatia Isauricus (consul 79 BC)|Publius Servilius Vatia Isauricus]] fighting pirates and the Isaurian hill tribes.<ref>Tyrrell (4)</ref>

===Tribune of the Plebs, Trial of Gaius Rabirius===
In 63 BC, Titus Labienus was a [[tribune of the Plebs]] with close ties to Pompey. Gaius Julius Caesar was also working closely with Pompey and therefore he and Labienus occasionally cooperated.  These interactions were the seed that eventually developed into a friendship between Labienus and Caesar.

At Caesar's instigation, Labienus accused [[Gaius Rabirius (senator)|Gaius Rabirius]] of high treason ([[perduellio]]) for the murder of the [[tribune]] [[Lucius Appuleius Saturninus]] and of his uncle Titus Labienus in 100 BC. The purpose of this trial was to discredit the so-called "final decree of the Senate" ([[senatus consultum ultimum]]), an emergency measure of the senate commonly used against the [[Populares]] and the [[Roman assemblies]]. Labienus used the antiquated procedure of the [[duumviri]], used in the early republic, against Rabirius. The procedure bypassed normal criminal law and Rabirius would be tried without defense. Since tribunes were [[:wiktionary:sacrosanct|sacrosanct]], it was seen as an act against the gods to kill one. Thus punishment of the culprit was seen as more of a cleansing to appease the gods. The killing was seen as a pollution so profound that a normal criminal trial was unnecessary and immediate cleansing was necessary to avoid the wrath of the gods. The duumviri were assigned to accuse under the pretense of obvious guilt and cleanse the culprit through [[scourging]].

Rabirius appealed to the [[Centuriate Assembly]] and [[Cicero]] spoke in his defense. However, before the assembly could vote, [[Quintus Caecilius Metellus Celer (consul)|Metellus Celer]] used his powers as an [[augur]] to claim the sightings of bad omens and take down the flag in [[Janiculum]]. That postponed the trial. Rabirius was ultimately sentenced to exile, as he was unable to pay an unreasonable fine.<ref>Tyrrell (9)</ref>

In the same year, Labienus carried a [[plebiscite]] returning the elections of the [[pontifices]] to the people. That indirectly secured for Caesar the dignity of [[pontifex Maximus]], by his act of supporting Labienus in this cause (Dio Cassius xxxvii. 37).{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}}

Labienus was more a soldier than politician and primarily used his office as a gateway to secure himself positions of high military command. After his term as tribune, Labienus served as Caesar's [[legatus|legate]] (second-in-command) in [[Gaul]] and so he took Caesar's place whenever he was out of Gaul.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}}

===Lieutenant under Caesar in Gaul===
As Caesar's senior legate during his campaign in Gaul, Labienus was the only legate mentioned by name in Caesar's writings about his first campaign.<ref>Tyrrell (19)</ref> He was a skilled cavalry commander.

Labienus commanded the winter quarters in [[Vesontio]] in 58 BC. He also had full command of the legions in Gaul during Caesar's absence, as his ''[[legatus pro praetore]]''.<ref>Dio (41.4.3)</ref> He had this privilege when Caesar was administering justice in [[Cisalpine Gaul]] as well as during Caesar's second campaign in Britain (in 54 BC).<ref>Bellum Gallicum (5.8)</ref>

In 57 BC, during the Belgian campaign, in a battle against the [[Atrebates]] and [[Nervii]] near [[Battle of the Sabis|Sabis]], Labienus, commanding the 9th and 10th legions, defeated the opposing Atrebates force and proceeded to take the enemy camp.<ref>BG (2.23)</ref> From there he sent the 10th Legion against the rear of the Nervii line while they were engaged with the rest of Caesar's army, single-handedly turning the tide of battle and securing Caesar the victory.<ref>BG (2.26)</ref>

Labienus is also credited with the defeat of the [[Treviri]] under [[Indutiomarus]]. Labienus spent days with his army fortified in their camp, while Indutiomarus harassed him daily in an attempt at intimidation and demoralization. Labienus waited for the right moment, when Indutiomarus and his forces were returning to their camp disorganized, to send out his cavalry through two gates. He gave them the orders to first kill Indutiomarus, then his trailing forces on their return.  Labienus's men were successful, and with the death of their leader, the Treviri army scattered.<ref>BG (5.57)</ref> The Treviri forces later regrouped under relatives of Indutiomarus and moved upon Labienus, setting up camp across the river from his legions, waiting for reinforcements from the Germans. Labienus feigned a withdrawal, enticing the Treviri to cross the river, after which he turned around and had his men attack. Being in such a disadvantageous position, the Treviri forces were shattered. After hearing this, the German reinforcements turned around.<ref>BG (6.8)</ref>

Labienus's victory over the [[Parisii (France)|Parisii]] at [[Lutetia]] in the [[Battle of Lutetia]] is another example of his tactical genius. Sending five [[Cohort (military unit)|cohort]]s back towards [[Agedincum]], and himself crossing the [[Sequana]] River with three legions, he tricked the enemy into thinking that he had divided his army and was crossing the river in three places.<ref>BG (7.61)</ref> The enemy army split into thirds and pursued Labienus. The main body met Labienus which he subsequently surrounded with the rest of his legions. He then annihilated the reinforcements with his cavalry.<ref>BG (7.62)</ref>

In September, 51 BC, Caesar made Labienus governor of Cisalpine Gaul.<ref>BG (8.52)</ref>

===Defection from Caesar, command under Pompey in Civil War===
After Caesar crossed the Rubicon, Labienus left his post in Cisalpine Gaul and joined Pompey.<ref>M. Tullius Cicero (Fam, 16.12)</ref> He was rapturously welcomed on the Pompeian side,{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}} bringing some Gallic and German cavalry with him. He also brought an account on Caesar's military strength.<ref>John Leach, ''Pompey the Great'', p. 176.</ref>

Pompey made Labienus commander of the cavalry (magister equitum). Labienus attempted to persuade Pompey to face Caesar in Italy and not retreat to [[Hispania]] ([[Iberian Peninsula]], comprising modern [[Spain]] and [[Portugal]]) to regroup, insisting that Caesar's army was thin and weakened after his campaign in Gaul.<ref>Tyrrell (31)</ref>

But Labienus's ill fortune under Pompey was as marked as his success had been under Caesar. From the defeat at the [[Battle of Pharsalus]], where he commanded the cavalry, he fled to [[Corfu|Corcyra]], and after hearing of the death of Pompey then proceeded to Africa.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}} He created confidence in the followers of Pompey by lying to them, claiming that Caesar had received a mortal wound at the Battle of Pharsalus.<ref>Sextus Julius Frontinius: Stratagems Book II</ref> He was able through sheer force of numbers to inflict a slight check upon Caesar at the [[Battle of Ruspina]] in 46 BC.<ref>''[[Bellum Africum]]'' Book 41</ref> By arranging his troops into dense formations, he tricked Caesar into thinking he had only foot soldiers, and was able to rout Caesar's cavalry and surround his army. However, Labienus was unable to defeat Caesar's forces, and was compelled to leave the field. After the defeat at the [[Battle of Thapsus]], he joined the younger [[Gnaeus Pompeius (son of Pompey the Great)|Gnaeus Pompeius]] in [[Hispania]].{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}}

Death came to Labienus in the [[Battle of Munda]], an evenly matched conflict between the armies of Caesar and the sons of Pompey. [[Bogud|King Bogud]], an ally of Caesar, approached the Pompeians with his army from the rear. Labienus was commanding the Pompeians' cavalry unit at the time, and seeing this, took the cavalry from the front lines to meet him. The Pompeian legions misinterpreted this as a retreat, became disheartened and began to break.<ref>Dio (43.38)</ref> Pompeians suffered massive casualties during the rout, in which Labenius himself was killed. This defeat ended [[Caesar's Civil War]]. According to Appian, (BC2.105), his head was brought to Caesar, who then dispatched men to locate the body of his old friend, and buried him with full honours.