Edward Tomlinson

My research explores the extent to which Julius Caesar’s written account in the Gallic Wars accurately observed Britain during his invasions of 55 and 54 B.C.E. In addition to his primary text, I observe modern secondary sources by experts on Romano-British history and archaeological records to observe the validity of Caesar’s depiction of Britain, both the events that occurred and customs of local tribes. My exploration of this time period also accounts for Caesar’s dynamic aspiration to attain absolute power in Rome as the Roman Republic decayed. Furthermore, my analysis concludes that the narrative Caesar presented established his status as a Roman conqueror to enforce a vision of dominance in Rome by distorting the Roman perspective of the Britons. The propagandistic narrative Caesar told emphasized the military triumphs he won over foreign peoples. However, despite their importance, his invasions of Britain are rarely observed as important factors in his quest for dictatorial authority, ignoring both the events and legacy of such ambition instead for developments in Rome. Events on mainland Europe are thought to be more significant and contributing to Caesar’s ascension to doctoral rule. The contemporary mythical status of Britain and Caesar’s ambition are both just as significant as Roman affairs in continental Europe. As I argue, the depiction of Caesar in his invasions of Britain greatly contributed to his later legacy and influence. Through my historical analysis, Caesar’s perspective of Britain can be emphasized within the larger historical context of this transformative era. This research was presented at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research Conference in 2025 and published in UPenn's Discentes Classics journal.

Project Title: Locating Slavery's Legacies at VMI Description: This project endeavors to uncover, document, and make accessible the historical ties between Virginia Military Institute, the Confederacy, and the Lost Cause. It is a part of the Locating Slavery's Legacies project, based out of the Roberson Center at Sewanee University. The goal of the project is to uncover and document expressions of the Confederacy and the "Lost Cause" intellectual movement at southern universities. We hope that uncovering this history will help facilitate reparative justice at colleges in the South. Virginia Military Institute (VMI) is a senior military college located in Lexington, Virginia in the Shenandoah Valley. VMl was historically linked to the preservation and perpetuation of slavery, the Confederacy, and the Lost Cause. This project involved processing archival material and writing brief histories of selected objects such as Confederate statues at VMI's campus. Students will gain research experience, analytical and writing skills, and an in-depth understanding of the Lost Cause and how it shapes current events. For more information, please see the attached link.