Julius Caesar
History
His Name
►Gaius
►
His given name was one of only eight names given to boys
►Julius
►
His family name
►Caesar
►
►
Name of Gaius’ branch of the Julius family (originally mean “hairy”)
HAIR
Upbringing
► Poor
patricians who lived among the
plebians
► Good name with the upper class
► Mingled with both classes
► Good mother (Aurelia)
► Father died when Caesar was 15
Caesar Builds Prominence
► Uncle
Marius: Six-time consul
► As a teenager, Caesar named Flamen Dialis




High Priest of Jupiter, for life
Extreme prestige
Wealth
However, not allowed to
► Touch
metal
► Ride horses
► See corpses
► So Caesar left Rome
Caesar Enters Dangerous Times
► Uncle
Marius is reelected a 7th time, but dies
soon after
► Marius’ ally, Cinna, takes over
► Caesar marries Cinna’s daughter, Cornelia
► Without his uncle’s power to protect him,
Caesar must be careful to protect himself
against his uncle’s longtime enemy, Sulla
Caesar Enters Dangerous Times
► Cinna
Dies
► The enemy Sulla takes over Rome and all
leftover Marius supporters with the help of
Crassus and Pompey
► Sulla names himself dictator
► He demands Caesar divorce Cornelia and
takes away his Flamen Dialis title
Caesar Regroups
► Caesar’s
family beg for his life and he is
pardoned
► Although not exiled, he leaves Italy anyway
► He joins the Army in Asia Minor and
achieves title of corona civica, another
extremely high honor
► Returns to Rome and builds up his
reputation again
A Roman Government Refresher
► Patricians:
Full citizens
► Plebian: Partial citizens
► Slaves: No rights as citizens
A Roman Government Refresher
► Consuls:
Heads of state, usually 2 elected
by Senate
► Senate: Legislature elected to represent the
citizens
► Plebiscite: Legislature elected to represent
the Plebians (advisory only)
► Tribunes: Local reps of plebians within
specific Roman districts
60 BC
► Caesar
 Gaul, Southern
France, Britain,
Germany
► Crassius
 Southern Italy
► Pompey
 Greece, Asia Minor,
etc.
51 BC
► Crassus
Dies
► Pompey &
Senate scheme
for total control
of Rome; order
Caesar to
disband armies
51 BC
► Caesar
Refuses and
attacks Rome.
► He wins and sends
Pompey to exile
where he dies in
Egypt
Caesar’s Reign
► 48
BC: Named dictator by the senate
► 46 BC: Named dictator for 10 years
► 45 BC: Named dictator for life
► 45 BC: Caesar defeats Pompey’s sons in
Munda, Spain
► 44 BC: Caesar seeks to be named king