What the Ancient Romans Can Teach Us About Strategic Business Alliances

Having them protects your money, reduces risks, and speeds up the entire process.

Image by Elf-Moondance for Pixabay

Caius Julius Cesar was one of history’s most skilled military leaders. The Roman consul, leader of all legions, and conqueror of Gaul will give us a lesson today.

A lesson that can benefit YOUR business and career.

Gaul was in the contemporary area that includes France, Luxembourg, Belgium, the majority of Switzerland, and parts of Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands.

Caesar started a war to capture the whole region in 58 BC, and he was successful in only 8 years. It was Rome’s largest territory acquisition to date, and it remains one of the greatest military victories in history.

However, diplomacy and local alliances played a key role in Caesar’s triumphs. Gaul was home to a multitude of tribes. Some had expansionist goals, while others are peaceful and focused on agricultural pursuits. Several tribes banded together to establish the Helvetii, a confederacy headquartered in what is now Switzerland.

These Helvetii turned out to be one of Rome’s fiercest adversaries.

Caesar’s military acumen, cutting-edge Roman tactics, and legionnaire discipline would not have sufficed if not for the local allies. Allies such as the Ambarri and Allobroges, adversaries of the Helvetii.

During the war, Gallic tribes allied with Rome played critical tactical roles in assisting the empire’s territorial expansion.

The Romans were not shocked by the enemy attacks because the Ambarri notified them that the Helvetii were advancing through their country. The Allobroges marched alongside Julius Caesar’s army to battle against the enemy, and he regarded them as warriors of exceptional bravery.

Later, Caesar’s relationships proved advantageous to other Roman leaders, when the friendly tribes helped Cicero to escape from a conspiracy plot.

The same Alllobroges appeared in this strange episode. During the Catilinarian Conspiracy, Roman aristocrats attempted to pay non-Romans residing in the empire in order to incite public disturbance against the…