Explanation: The Roman military leader Julius Caesar, of conqueror and dictator fame, had a taste for extensive and innovative use of the Roman Legions' massive capacity for engineering and manual labor. This led to many instances in his career of employment of earthworks even in field battles.

However, most famously and most relevant to the meme, during his civil war, a period of building fortifications and counter-fortifications occurred against Pompey at Dyrrahachium, wherein the combatants (both Roman) extended defensive trenches and established fortified strongpoints against each other, both sides making it a race of engineering to deny resources and supply lines to the other. Several months of continuous skirmishes between the lines occurred, with each side caught in an effective stalemate wherever trenches had been dug and fortifications erected.

RIP Caesar (and Pompey), you were ahead of your time!