Quote Originally Posted by Frostwulf
......As you have said other peoples have used mercenaries as did Caesar. As you know there were plenty of Romans to fill in the ranks, so why did they use Celts,Numidians,Germans etc.? I have read from a few authors that they think the Gauls had used German mercenaries before, and Gallic alliances are constantly shifting. I have pointed out that the Po Valley Celts called upon the Gaesatae of 30,000 men, so this might not be so unusual. Also during this time the Belgic tribes used Germanic mercenaries.
....

nonononononononono....close... but not there... maybe I need to clarify myself some more:

I am not talking about the sovereign hiring large numbers of mercenaries and leading them to battle like Hannibal did.

I am talking about the sovereign calling on a large number of foreign troops, which are led by a foreigner. And that foreign leader and his troops are not under control of the sovereign.

To use the Po Valley Celts as an example:
-The Po Valley Celts hired/called on the Gaesatae (btw that organization was no longer in existence by the time Ceasar and Arventicus showed up ) because they could not take on the Romans themselves. But still, the Po Valley Celts had a good deal of control or say on the movements, and battle position of the Gaesatae. HOWEVER, in the case of Caesar, he was not working in close conjunction, or under the direction of any Gallic tribe. There was no telling him where to move his troops inside Gaul, let alone telling him where to put his troops in battle. Same issue with the Suebi king.