JuliusCaesar:AHistorical Introduction
Politics
Optimates “the best people:” wished to extend the power of the
senate which was viewed as being more dedicated to the interests
of aristocrats who were in positions of power
-Populares “connected to the people:” relied on peoples assemblies
and tribunes to gain political power
-Tribunes: elected officials of the Roman Republic who acted as a
“president” for the plebeians. They had the power to veto laws and
become representatives for the plebeians.
Roman Republic
-The period of the ancient Roman civilization characterized by a republican form of government. It
began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, c. 509 BC, and lasted 482 years until its subversion,
through a series of civil wars.
-This Republic celebrated military quests which expanded Rome’s power through to Spain, Greece,
Egypt, North Africa, and France
-Governed by a constitution which was heavily influenced by the struggling battle between aristocracy
(wealthy/powerful) and plebeians (commoners/farmers).
-Although Rome was run similarly to a democracy, the elections were usually won by those from elite
families
.Tensions grew as the plebeians left to fight to expand Rome’s power and returned home with little say
in the Roman government.
Example of the Struggle:
Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus- an aristocratic leader proposed a land reform legislation
which would take land owned by the elite and redistribute it to the poor.
With the permissions of the Republic’s Senate, Tiberius was killed, along with 300 of his
supporters, but a group of Optimates Senators.
Ten years later, his brother Gaius began legislation to provide less costly food to the
poor, making profits less for the wealthy merchants.
He was declared an outlaw by the Senate and was murdered along with 3,000 of his
followers.
-Rising tensions between the Optimates and Populares created civil war within Rome.
-The Roman Dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla perpetuate this tension and was seen as “devoted to the
work of butchery. The city was filled with murder and there was no counting the executions or setting a
limit to them”
-Sulla was set out to take revenge upon those any and all who supported the Populares.
-Sulla remained dictator until 79 B.C. when he retired.
-This showed that political stability lay not in the hands of the Roman government, but in the hands of
the army. Control of Rome was available to whomever could promise land and money to the masses in
exchange for loyalty.
Caesar: The Beginning
-Born 100 B.C. into an aristocratic family who sided with the Populares.
-Lived during Sulla’s reign and was forced to flee Rome for his association with the Populares.
-Returned to Rome once Sulla retired and began his own political career.
-During the time of Sulla’s retirement, eager politicians were ready to fill his place; Gnaeus Pompey,
Marcus Licinius Crassus and Julius Caesar
-Caesar was the least likely of the three to take control, as he was the one with the least military
experience
The First Triumvirate
-In 60 B.C., power came into the hands of what is called the “First Triumvirate,” a group of
three men -- Pompey, Caesar, and Crassus -- who together controlled the government of Rome.
-They were elected high officials in sequence and agreed not to attack each other but instead fight
together against the enemies of the Roman Republic.
-Pompey became governor of Spain but remained in Rome; Caesar continued his conquest of Gaul
(France); and Crassus was sent to fight the Parthians in the East.
-Crassus died fighting the Parthians. With Crassus out of
the way, Caesar and Pompey attacked each other. Civil war broke out in 49/8 B.C.
-In 49, the Senate ordered Caesar to disband his army. Caesar feared Pompey would attack him if he
surrendered his army and returned to Rome.
-Caesar defied the Senate and illegally crossed over moving south from Gaul into Italy.
-As he marched toward Rome, Caesar gathered troops and support. Because he adopted a
policy of mercy toward former oppositions, and because he did not confiscate
Lands, he won support from many in Italy.
-Pompey eventually fled from Rome, so that Caesar entered the capital unopposed. After removing
supporters of Pompey in Spain and Gaul, Caesar turned East and fought Pompey at Pharsalus (Greece)
on August 9, 48 B.C., winning a decisive victory despite being greatly outnumbered.
-Pompey fled to Egypt, where he was killed. Caesar pursued him to Egypt and defeated Pompey’s sons,
thereby securing his position as sole ruler of the Roman Republic.
Caesar as Dictator
-On his return to Rome, Caesar was named Dictator for the next ten years.
-He rewarded his citizen veterans with a small sum of money and farm land across Greece, North Africa,
Gaul and Northern Italy. He also allowed 80,000 families to colonize these areas as well. This ensured
his control over the more distant areas of his reign.
-Caesar lowered interest rates and cancelled one fourth of all public debt.
-He expanded Roman citizenship into Gaul, Spain and North Africa, creating a more peaceful toward
those lands. He eventually created laws governing these new towns and became the civic and local
administration for the next 500 years.
-He built libraries, temples, major roads and a new port harbor
-Some members of Senate feared that Caesar would resign power back to the Republic, others still
remained in support of Pompey and some had personal conflicts with Caesar
Works Cited
Barter, James. Julius Caesar: and Ancient Rome in World History. Berkeley Heights: Enslow, 2001.
McManus, Barbara F. "Julius Caesar: Historical Background." Shakespeare vs. History: A Julius Caesar
Web-quest. Aug. 2009. Web. 27 Dec. 2010.
<http://www.edu.pe.ca/threeoaks/english/webquests/caesar/webques.htm#conclusion>.