Page "Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus" Paragraph 8

Finishing his governorship, he returned to the west in 49 BC, to find that civil war had erupted between Caesar and Pompey.

Joining up with Pompey, he was placed in charge of Pompey ’ s fleet in the Adriatic, to ensure that Caesar and his troops could not cross from Brundisium in Italy to Epirus.

Letting his guard down because winter was approaching and assuming that Caesar would not cross any time soon, Bibulus was caught by surprise when on the evening of November 6, 49 BC, Caesar and his fleet successfully crossed the Adriatic, landing at Palaeste.

Although Bibulus was stationed near Corcyra, some 50 miles south of Palaeste, he had not sent out scouts and his ships were not ready to be put out to sea to intercept Caesar ’ s transports.

When he finally heard of Caesar ’ s crossing, he ordered his rowers to return to their ships, and sailed northward, hoping to capture the ships carrying Caesar ’ s reinforcements from Brundisium.

Again too slow, he managed to get there for their return journey to Italy, capturing and burning 30 of Caesar ’ s transports.

He then managed to prevent any further ships crossing to reinforce Caesar, but only succeeded in capturing one transport, which was charted by some private individuals and had refused to obey Bibulus ’ s orders.

Enraged, he ordered the killing of the entire crew of the transport.