an ancient town of Spain, in the kingdom of Granada, seated on the declivity of a hill, at the bottom of which runs a river. W. Long. 4° 13', N. Lat. 48° 15'.

This city was anciently famous for a victory gained by Caesar over the two sons of Pompey, who had collected an army in Spain after the defeat of their father at Pharsalia. See (History of) Rome.

The Pompeys posted their army advantageously on a rising ground, whereof one side was defended by the city of Munda, and the other by a small river which watered the plain, and by a marsh: so that the enemy could not attack them but in front. Caesar likewise drew up his troops with great art, and having advanced a little way from his camp, ordered them to halt, expecting the enemy would abandon their advantageous post, and come to meet him. But as they did not stir, Caesar made as if he intended to fortify himself in that post; which induced the young general, who looked upon this as a sign of fear, to advance into the plain, and attack the enemy before they could secure themselves with any works. Pompey's army was by far the most numerous: for it consisted of 13 legions, 6000 horse, and an incredible number of auxiliaries, among whom were all the forces of Bocchus king of Mauritania, commanded by his two sons, both youths of great valour and bravery. Caesar had 80 cohorts, three legions, to wit, the third, the fifth, and the tenth, and a body of 8000 horse. As the enemy drew near, Caesar betrayed a great deal of uneasiness and concern, as if he were doubtful of the success, knowing he was to engage men no way inferior in valour and experience to his own, and commanded by officers who had on many occasions given signal proofs of their bravery and conduct. Cnecius, the elder of the two brothers, was generally looked upon as an able commander; and Labienus, who had revolted, esteemed scarce inferior to himself.

However, the dictator, desirous to put an end to the civil war, either by his own death, or that of his rivals, gave the signal for the battle, and fell upon the enemy with his usual vigour and resolution. At the first onset, which was dreadful, the auxiliaries on both sides betook themselves to flight, leaving the Romans to decide their quarrel by themselves. Then the legionaries engaged with a fury hardly to be expressed; Caesar's men being encouraged by the hopes of putting an end to all their labours by this battle; and those of Pompey exerting themselves out of necessity and despair, since most of them expected no quarter, as having been formerly pardoned. Never was victory more obstinately disputed. Caesar's men, who had been always used to conquer, found themselves so vigorously charged by the enemy's legionaries, that they began to give ground; and though they did not turn their backs, yet it was manifest that shame alone kept them in their posts. All authors agree, that Caesar had never been in so great danger; and he himself, when he came back to his camp, told his friends, that he had often fought for victory, but this was the first time he had ever fought for life. Thinking himself abandoned by fortune, which had hitherto favoured him, he had some thoughts of stabbing himself with his own sword, and by a voluntary death preventing the disgrace of a defeat: but returning soon to himself, and concluding it would be more to his reputation to fall by the enemy's hand at the head of his troops, than, in a fit of despair, by his own, he dismounted from his horse, and snatching a buckler from one of his legionaries, he threw himself like a man in despair into the midst of the enemy, crying out to his men, Are you not ashamed to deliver your general into the hands of boys? At these words, the soldiers of the tenth legion, animated by the example of their general, fell upon the enemy with fresh vigour, and made a dreadful havoc of them. But in spite of their utmost efforts, Pompey's men still kept their ground, and, though greatly fatigued, returned to the charge with equal vigour. Then the Carthagenians began to despair of victory; and the dictator, running through the ranks of his disheartened legionaries, had much ado to keep them together. The battle had already lasted from the rising to the setting of the sun, without any considerable advantage on either side.

At length a mere accident decided the dispute in favour of the dictator. Bogud, a petty king of Mauritania, had joined Caesar soon after his arrival in Spain, with some squadrons of Numidian horse; but in the very very beginning of the battle, being terrified at the shouting of the soldiers, intermingled with groans, and the clashing of their arms, he had abandoned his post, and retired with the auxiliaries under his command to a rising ground at a small distance from the enemy's camp. There he continued the whole day an idle spectator of the battle that was fought in the plain. But towards the evening, partly out of shame and partly out of compassion for his friend Caesar, he resolved to fall upon Pompey's camp; and accordingly flew thither with all the forces he had with him. Labienus, apprised of his design, hastened after him to the defence of the camp; which Caesar observing, cried to his legionaries, Courage, fellow soldiers! the victory at length is ours; Labienus flies. This artifice had the desired effect; Caesar's men, believing that Labienus was truly fled, made a last effort, and charged the wing he commanded so briskly, that after a most obstinate dispute they put them to flight.

Though the enemy's left wing was thus entirely defeated, the right wing, where the elder Pompey commanded, still kept their ground for some time. Pompey dismounting from his horse, fought on foot like a private man in the first line, till most of his legionaries being killed, he was forced to save himself by flight from falling into the enemy's hands. Part of his troops fled back to their camp, and part took shelter in the city of Munda. The camp was immediately attacked, and taken sword in hand; and as for the city, Caesar, without loss of time, drew a line of circumvallation round it. This victory was gained on the 16th of the kalends of April, i.e. according to our way of counting, on the 17th day of March, when the Dionysian festival, or the Liberalia, were celebrated at Rome; the very day, as Plutarch observes, in which Pompey the Great, four years before, had set out for the war. In this action Pompey lost 30,000 men; among whom were the famous Labienus, Attius Varus, and 3000 Roman knights. Seventeen officers of distinction were taken, and all the enemy's eagles and ensigns, together with Pompey's fasces, which he had assumed as governor of Spain. On Caesar's side, only 1000 men were killed and 500 wounded.