The Gallic war was not just one major event, but a series of wars that lasted from 58 to 50 BC. These took place in Gaul, which is not Luxembourg, Switzerland, Belgium, and France in the present day. The result of these wars was eventually a victor for the Romans, and several territorial changes. The Roman Republic (not an Empire yet) annexed Gaul and expanded their hold over the whole land through their own tributaries placed in power. 

There is a lot to learn from the Gallic Wars and other military campaigns similar to them. While the Gallic military was almost as strong as that of the Romans, they weren’t able to unite and fight together until it was too late. Caesar tried to pass off the invasion as a defensive move, though historians usually agree that these Wars were mainly to boost his own political sway along with looting enough to cover his debts. 

Near the end of the Gallic Wars in 50 BC, the Roman troops were simply cleaning up and not meeting much resistance. However, Gaul would not officially become a province of Rome until 27 BC. There would also be pockets of resistance from the locals all the way until 70 AD. With all the successes in these wars, the legendary status of Julius Caesar was sealed; they also became a major factor in his success with the Civil War and eventual declaration as dictator, making for a Roman Empire instead of a Republic.  If we want to properly understand the Roman Caesars and their impact on the world, reading up on the Gallic Wars and their after effects is a worthy exercise. The infographic below should be enough to get started:

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