Battle of Munda The Battle of Munda took place on March 17 , 45 BC in the plains of Munda , modern southern Spain . This was the last battle of Julius Caesar ' s civil war against the republican armies of the Optimate leaders . After this victory , and the deaths of Titus Labienus and Gnaeus Pompeius ( Pompey ' s oldest son ) , Caesar was free to return to Rome and govern as " dictator " . His subsequent assassination began the process that eventually led to the end of the Roman Republic with the reign of his great - nephew and adopted heir , Augustus ( Octavius ) , as the first Roman Emperor . Prelude . The conservative republicans had initially been led by Pompey , until the Battle of Pharsalus in 48 BC and Pompey ' s death soon afterwards . However , in April 46 BC , Caesar ' s forces destroyed the Pompeian army at the Battle of Thapsus . After this , military opposition to Caesar was confined to Hispania ( the Iberian Peninsula , comprising modern Spain and Portugal ) . During the Spring of 46 BC , two legions in Hispania Ulterior , largely formed by former Pompeian veterans enrolled in Caesar ’ s army , had declared themselves for Gnaeus Pompeius ( son of Pompey the Great ) and driven out Caesar ’ s proconsul . Soon they were joined by the remains of the Pompeian army . These forces were commanded by the brothers Gnaeus Pompeius and Sextus ( sons of Pompey ) and by the talented general Titus Labienus , who had been one of the most trusted of Caesar ’ s generals during the Gallic wars . Using the resources of the province they were able to raise an army of three legions . These were the two original veteran legions , and one additional legion recruited from Roman citizens and local inhabitants in Hispania . They took control of almost all Hispania Ulterior , including the important Roman colonies of Italica and Corduba ( the capital of the province ) . Caesar ’ s generals Quintus Fabius Maximus and Quintus Pedius did not risk a battle and remained encamped at Oculbo , about east of Corduba , requesting help from Caesar . Thus , Caesar was forced to move from Rome to Hispania to deal with the Pompeius brothers . He brought two trusted veteran legions ( X " Equestris " and V " Alaudae " ) and some newer legions ( including III " Gallica " and VI " Ferrata " ) , but in the main was forced to rely on the recruits already present in Hispania . Caesar covered the from Rome to Obulco in less than one month , arriving in early December ( he immediately wrote a short poem , " Iter " , describing this journey ) . Caesar had called for his great - nephew Octavian to join him , but due to his health Octavian was only able to reach him after the conclusion of the campaign . Capitalizing on his surprise arrival Caesar was able to relieve the stronghold of Ulipia ( a town which had remained loyal to him and had been unsuccessfully besieged by Gnaeus Pompeius ) but was unable to take Corduba , which was defended by Sextus Pompeius . Under Labienus ’ advice , Gnaeus Pompeius decided to avoid an open battle , and Caesar was forced to wage a winter campaign , while procuring food and shelter for his army . After a short siege , Caesar took the fortified city of Ategua ; this was an important blow to the Pompeian confidence and morale , and some of the native allies started to desert to Caesar . Another skirmish near Soricaria on March 7 went in Caesar ' s favor ; many Romans in the Pompeian camp began planning to defect and Gnaeus Pompeius was forced to abandon his delaying tactics and offer battle . Battle . The two armies met in the plains of Munda in southern Spain . The Pompeian army was situated on a gentle hill , less than one mile ( 1 . 6 km ) from the walls of Munda , in a defensible position . Caesar led a total of eight legions ( 80 cohorts ) , with 8 , 000 horsemen , while Pompeius commanded thirteen legions , 6 , 000 light - infantrymen and about 6 , 000 horsemen . Many of the Republican soldiers had already surrendered to Caesar in previous campaigns and had then deserted his army to rejoin Pompeius : they would fight with desperation , fearing that they would not be pardoned a second time ( indeed Caesar had executed prisoners at his last major victory , at Thapsus ) . After an unsuccessful ploy designed to lure the Pompeians down the hill , Caesar ordered a frontal attack ( with the watchword " Venus " , the goddess reputed to be his ancestor ) . The fighting lasted for some time without a clear advantage for either side , causing the generals to leave their commanding positions and join the ranks . As Caesar himself later said he had fought many times for victory , but at Munda he had to fight for his life . Caesar took command of his right wing , where his favorite Legio X Equestris was involved in heavy fighting . With Caesar ’ s inspiration the tenth legion began to push back Pompeius ' forces . Aware of the danger , Gnaeus Pompeius removed a legion from his own right wing to reinforce the threatened left wing . However , as soon as the Pompeian right wing was thus weakened , Caesar ' s cavalry launched a decisive attack which turned the course of the battle . King Bogud of Mauritania and his cavalry , Caesar ' s allies , attacked the rear of the Pompeian camp . Titus Labienus , commander of the Pompeian cavalry , saw this maneuver and moved to intercept them . Unfortunately for Pompeius , his legionaries misinterpreted the situation . Already under heavy pressure on both the left ( from Legio X ) and right wings ( the cavalry charge ) , they thought Labienus was retreating . The Pompeian legions broke their lines and fled in disorder . Although some were able to find refuge within the walls of Munda , many more were killed in the rout . At the end of the battle there were about 30 , 000 Pompeians dead on the field ; losses on Caesar ’ s side were much lighter , only about 1 , 000 . All thirteen standards of the Pompeian legions were captured , a sign of complete disbandment . Titus Labienus died on the field and was granted a burial by Caesar , while Gnaeus and Sextus Pompeius managed to escape from the battlefield . What is clear is that the Munda conflict was no mop - up operation . Tens of thousands of Romans died at Munda , where Caesar fought for his life among the ranks . About one month after defeat , Gnaeus was captured and executed . His brother Sextus survived to initiate another rebellion , on Sicily , where he was finally defeated by Marcus Agrippa and executed in Asia in 35 BC by Mark Antony , ten years after Munda . Aftermath . Caesar left his legate Quintus Fabius Maximus to besiege Munda and moved to pacify the province . Corduba surrendered : men in arms present in the town ( mostly armed slaves ) were executed and the city was forced to pay a heavy indemnity . The city of Munda held out for some time , but , after an unsuccessful attempt to break the siege , surrendered , with 14 , 000 prisoners taken . Gaius Didius , a naval commander loyal to Caesar , hunted down most of the Pompeian ships . Gnaeus Pompeius looked for refuge on land , but was soon taken and executed . Although Sextus Pompeius remained at large , after Munda there were no more conservative armies challenging Caesar ’ s dominion . Upon his return to Rome , according to Plutarch , the " triumph which he celebrated for this victory displeased the Romans beyond any thing . For he had not defeated foreign generals , or barbarian kings , but had destroyed the children and family of one of the greatest men of Rome . " Caesar was made dictator for life , though his success was short - lived ; Caesar was murdered on March 15 of the following year ( 44 BC ) by the next generation of statesmen , led by Brutus and Cassius . Localization . The exact location of Munda has remained a mystery for a long time . Some Spanish historians asserted that Munda was the Roman name for modern - day Ronda , where the battle of Munda may have been fought . Other early researchers localized the battle in various other places , e . g . near Monda or Montilla , the latter having been proposed on the basis of on an earlier localization attempt that was only meant to honor a member of the French royal house , who was born in Montilla . Other experts asserted that Munda was fought just outside of Osuna , in the province of Seville . This was corroborated by ancient slingshot bullets from the battle that were excavated near La Lantejuela , halfway between Osuna and Écija . The theory is further supported by ancient inscriptions found in Écija and Osuna that honor the town of Astigi ( Écija ) for standing firmly on Caesar ' s side during the battle . Therefore the Battle of Munda probably took place on the " Cerro de las Balas " and the " Llanos del Aguila " near La Lantejuela . However , the exact location of the battle still remains controversial among archaeologists .