Julius Caesar hunts for terrorists

Bust of Caesar sculpted during his lifetime

POP1
During Julius Caesar's conquest of Gaul in 58-52 B.C., he divided his army into three parts in preparation for winter and sent them to their respective winter quarters.  One of the three was stationed in the territory of the Eburones whose leader was Ambiorix.  A rebellion occured and Ambiorix offered the Roman forces stationed in his territory free passage through his lands to join up with the rest of the Roman army.  Disregarding Caesar's orders the Roman commander led his troops out of the relative safety of their fortifications.  Ambiorix attacked them and all but a few were massacred.

After he had succeeded in putting down the rebellion Caesar instigated a massive manhunt for Ambiorix.

POP2

The following is a quotation from Caesar's personal writings describing the manhunt (from the Loeb Classical Library translation.):


"And with so large a force of cavalry scattered in every direction, it often came to pass that prisoners when taken were gazing about for Ambiorix, whom they had just seen in flight, and even insisting that he had not quite gone out of sight.  The hope now offered them of catching the fugitive inspired immense exertion, and the thought that they would win the highest favor with Caeser made their zeal almost more than human.  Yet always it seemed that they had failed by a little to win supreme success, while Ambiorix stole away from covert and glade and, hidden by night, made for other districts or territories, with no more escort of horsemen than four troopers, to whom alone he durst entrust his life."

6000 Roman soldiers were massacred, and yet the most powerful army in the world was unable to catch one man.  Shades of the hunt for Bin Laden?

Caesar does not mention Ambiorix again in his Commentaries on the Gallic War.  We can assume that Ambiorix was never captured.  Was he a terrorist or a freedom fighter?

ref: Caesar's Gallic War Book Six