The Great Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar was clearly one of the most important figures to grace the pages of history. Best known as a political and military leader, Julius Caesar was arguably the most influential character in classical history. It was largely through his efforts that Rome was transformed from a republic into the Roman Empire and this event would have far-reaching implications upon history throughout the whole world for many centuries to come.
Politically, Julius Caesar was a member of the populares faction as well as being one third of the triumvirate that included Marcus Licinius Crassus and Pompey the Great. This trio was the dominant force on the Roman political landscape for many years and counted as one of their most ardent opponents the faction of optimates led by Cato the Younger.
Julius Caesar's most noteworthy conquests include the capture of Gaul, which effectively increased the geographical scope of Rome all the way to the Atlantic Ocean. The Roman invasion of Britain, which occurred in 55 B.C., was also largely the handiwork of Julius Caesar, although its progress was halted by the dissolution of the triumvirate and the subsequent conflict between Caesar on one side and Pompey and the Roman Senate on the other.
The Roman Civil War of 49 B.C., which was started by the march of Caesar's armies across the Rubicon, further solidified his role as the most powerful single force over the entire Roman territory. This event would later pave the way for Caesar's eventual takeover of the government upon which time he would institute widespread reforms on societal and governmental policies.
He also took measures to centralise the bureaucracy of the Roman Republic and this, along with his assuming of the role of dictator for life would make him many enemies and would lead to his eventual downfall.
The overthrowing of Caesar was actually led by a close friend of his named Marcus Junius Brutus, who along with a group of Roman senators plotted to assassinate Caesar on March 15th, 44 B.C. This date came to be known as the Ides of March and with this plot the conspirators hoped to restore Rome to its former state before Caesar instituted widespread changes.
The death of Julius Caesar however brought about a second civil war in Rome and this event later led to the development of an autocratic Roman Empire that was headed by an adopted heir of Caesar named Augustus. Roman history would forever record Julius Caesar as one of it's deities with the sanctification passed by the Roman Senate in 42 B.C., a mere two years after his death by assassination.
Many of the details surrounding Caesar's life are drawn from his own writings. He wrote many extensive journals detailing his military campaigns in volumes entitled Commentaries. The rest of the picture encompassing what we know about Julius Caesar today is filled in by the writings of his contemporaries.
His greatest political rival for instance, Cicero wrote many letters and speeches that are a great wealth of information. Sallust and Catullus are also useful sources, Sallust for his historical writings and Catallus for his poetry. Later historians, among them Appian, Suetonius, Plutarch, Cassius Dio and Strabo, also contributed a large share to this body of information.
Julius Caesar was born on either July 12th, or July 13th, in the year 100 B.C. This is the most commonly accepted year of his birth although some reports place it in 302 B.C. Although born to a patrician family and tracing his lineage to the Trojan prince Aeneas, they lived quite modestly in a lower class section of Rome.
Nevertheless he was appointed the high priest of Jupiter with the title of Flamen Dialis and married into a wealthy family. A war between Sulla and Marius, with whom Caesar was associated, caused him to lose his inheritance along with his wife's dowry and more importantly his title as priest. This would have a significant impact in his later life, as his departure from the priesthood would cause him to join the army under the command of Marcus Minucius Thermus. He would only return to Rome in 78 B.C. when he heard of the death of Sulla.
Upon his return to Rome, Caesar quickly made a name for himself with his outstanding oratorical skills, often delivered in his distinctive tenor and filled with heartfelt gestures.
The year 63 B.C. was a turning point in Caesar's political career and was marked by his spectacular growth of power and influence within the Roman political sphere.
He would embark on an alliance with Labienus that would last throughout the decade. By 59 B.C., Caesar was elected to the position of consul and although his tenure was marked with controversy and irregularities, he did manage to reconcile the previously feuding Pompey and Crassus. The three made up what is now known as the first triumvirate and between the three of them had enough financial weight and political influence to control the business affairs of the public.
When Caesar's consulship ended, he found himself heavily in debt and sought means to extract himself from this situation. The answer for him was to embark on a period of military adventurism and the vulnerable Gaul presented itself as an easy target. The resulting campaign proved to be spectacularly successful and remains to this day one of Caesar's most illustrious military achievements.
In spite of Julius Caesar's victorious military exploits and the resulting rewards they brought to Rome, he was entangled in a conflict with his peers in the Roman government who were wary of his dictatorial policies. The conflict gradually came to a head until the strong-willed Caesar crossed the Rubicon and thereby heralded the beginning of a civil war in Rome.
The end of the civil war only found Julius Caesar wealthier and more powerful than ever and although he instituted a great many reforms that would prove beneficial to the country as a whole, his enemies continued their resistance against his ambition to be crowned king. Julius Caesar finally met his end in the Ides of March assassination attempt on March 15th, 44 B.C.
Original Authors: Doods Pangburn
Edit Update Authors: M.A.Harris
Updated On: 22/07/2008
