Decimus Laelius

Family: Pompeian · Role: commander · First appears: The Civil War, Book III, 1–8

In Book III of The Civil War, Cneius, Pompey's son took Decimus Laelius away from command of the Asiatic fleet and left him to prevent provisions reaching Oricum from Biblis and Amantia. Laelius had earlier given Lucretius Vespillo and Minutius Rufus charge of eighteen Asiatic ships, while Marcus Bibulus commanded the maritime department.

“About this time,” Laelius arrived with his fleet at Brundisium and occupied an island opposite its harbour. Valimus captured one galley and two smaller vessels from his fleet, but Laelius held the port and islands until he received news of the battle in Thessaly.

Relationship record

Life events

• Cneius left Decimus Laelius to prevent provisions reaching Oricum.(The Civil War, Book III, 36–42)
  • With: Cneius, Pompey's son
  • “After despatching this business, he left Decimus Laelius, whom he had taken away from the command of the Asiatic fleet, to hinder provisions from being brought into the town from Biblis and Amantia,”
• Decimus Laelius arrived with his fleet and occupied an island opposite Brundisium’s harbour.(The Civil War, Book III, 93–100 · 📍 Brundisium)
  • “About this time, Decimus Laelius arrived with his fleet at Brundisium and in the same manner as Libo had done before, possessed himself of an island opposite the harbour of Brundisium.”
• Valimus captured one galley and two smaller vessels from Laelius’s fleet.(The Civil War, Book III, 93–100 · 📍 Brundisium)
  • With: Valimus
  • “took one five-benched galley and two smaller vessels that had ventured farther than the rest into a narrow part of the harbour”
• Laelius held the port and islands until he received news of the battle in Thessaly.(The Civil War, Book III, 93–100 · 📍 Brundisium)
  • “and till he had received advice of the battle in Thessaly, he could not be forced either by the disgrace of losing his ships, or by the want of necessaries, to quit the port and islands.”

The Civil War, Book III, 1–8

• subordinate: Lucretius Vespillo “Lucretius Vespillo and Minutius Rufus were at Oricum, with eighteen Asiatic ships, which were given into their charge by the orders of Decimus Laelius:”
• subordinate: Minutius Rufus “Lucretius Vespillo and Minutius Rufus were at Oricum, with eighteen Asiatic ships, which were given into their charge by the orders of Decimus Laelius:”
• commander: Marcus Bibulus “But Marcus Bibulus was appointed commander-in-chief of the whole maritime department, and regulated every matter.”

The Civil War, Book III, 36–42

• commander: Cneius, Pompey's son (Cneius assigned Laelius the task of hindering provisions.) “After despatching this business, he left Decimus Laelius, whom he had taken away from the command of the Asiatic fleet, to hinder provisions from being brought into the town from Biblis and Amantia,”

The Civil War, Book III, 93–100

• enemies with Valimus “Valimus, who was then governor of Brundisium, with a few decked barques, endeavoured to entice Laelius's fleet, and took one five-benched galley and two smaller vessels that had ventured farther than the rest into a narrow part of the harbour”

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Extracted from the original text of Caesar's Commentaries — The Gallic War and The Civil War. Made with Rho MD.