Latin 1A Magistra Kelleher
Historical Figure #8: Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was born in 100 BC to the old patrician family the Julii. The
Julian family claimed that they could trace their lineage back to the Roman hero Aeneas and through him to the goddess Venus. Although they were an old and rich family, they had not been very politically active throughout the century. The most well-known member of the family at the time of Caesar’s birth was his uncle (by marriage), Gaius
Marius. In 85 BC at the age of 16, Caesar’s father died leaving him as the head of the family. At that time Caesar became a high priest of Jupiter and married the daughter of another wealthy patrician family, Cornelia. Cornelia bore Caesar his only child, a daughter Julia, in 83 BC. Upon Sulla’s defeat of Marius in 82BC, Caesar faced proscription. His father-in-law was killed and Caesar was stripped of his inheritance, his wife’s dowry, his priesthood, but he was allowed to go into exile rather than be killed. Caesar spent the next 5 years serving in the Roman army in the eastern provinces.
Upon Sulla’s death, Caesar was finally able to return to Rome; however he still had lost his inheritance and had to work as a lawyer to rebuild his fortunes. Caesar entered political life in the late 70s BC and began to steadily work his way up the political ranks. During this time Caesar’s first wife Cornelia died and in 67 BC he married his second wife Pompeia (the granddaughter of Sulla), who he divorced 4 years later after she was accused of having an affair. In 62 BC Caesar was appointed governor of Hispania, but in order to go he needed to pay off his substantial debts.
Caesar found financial support in Marcus Crassus, the richest man in Rome, but he had to repay Crassus by supporting him politically. Caesar returned from Spain in 60 BC and prepared to run for consul. Over twenty years after his exile at Sulla’s hands,
Caesar had finally worked his way back into the top rank of men. Caesar won the election and was made consul for the year 59 BC. Looking to further elevate himself, he also forged an important political alliance known as the “First Triumvirate”. This alliance of three men, joined the wealthy Crassus, the politically savvy Caesar, and the great military leader Pompey, and made them the most powerful men in Rome. The alliance was cemented by Pompey marrying Caesar’s daughter Julia. Caesar himself also married his third wife named Calpurnia. Caesar used his power as consul to pass a law giving land to Pompey’s soldiers. Pompey helped Caesar by giving him his armies so that he could serve as governor of Cisalpine Gaul after his consulship ended.
In 58 BC Caesar departed for Gaul and would not return to Rome for nearly 10 years. During his time in Gaul, Caesar extended the boarders of the Roman Empire and conquered most of modern day France. He also wrote of his exploits in Gaul in his
Commentaries on the Gallic War. While Caesar was away in Gaul important things happened back in Rome and the triumvirate began to splinter. In 54 BC Caesar’s daughter and Pompey’s wife, Julia, died in childbirth. Without the bond of family,
Pompey and Caesar’s alliance began to deteriorate. In 53 BC Crassus died on a military campaign, leaving Pompey as the most powerful man in Rome. Because of so many years spent apart, Caesar and Pompey grew jealous and distrustful of one another.
Caesar and Pompey’s relationship splintered for good when Caesar returned to Rome in
49 BC.

After ten years of campaigning in Gaul, Caesar intended to return to Rome and run for election as consul, again. However, Pompey and the senate worked to forbid
Caesar from running in absentia and insisted that he disband his army and return to
Rome where they intended to bring charges of abuse of power against him. In January,
49 BC Caesar made a bold and history-changing decision to cross the Rubicon River with his army and march on Rome. This was an act of civil war. Rather than remain in
Rome, Pompey and his allies fled to join armies loyal to Pompey in farther reaches of the
Empire. Over the next two years Pompey and Caesar fought a civil war throughout various parts of the Roman Empire. Although Caesar’s forces were smaller, he continued to defeat the great commander Pompey. In 47 BC Pompey sailed to
Alexandria, Egypt (still and independent state) hoping to gain support. However, the
Egyptians decided they would appease Caesar and Pompey was murdered. Caesar arrived in Egypt and helped install Cleopatra as ruler of Egypt. Caesar fell in love with
Cleopatra and had an affair with her. She had a son whom she named Caesarion, but whether or not Caesar was the father has never been proved.
After spending time in Egypt, Caesar returned to Rome where he took up the title of dictator. Caesar also wrote his will which named his grand-nephew Octavian his heir. If Octavian died before Caesar, Caesar named his right hand man Marc
Antony his heir. In 44 BC Caesar was planning a military campaign to conquer Parthia in the east. However, Rome was not as settled as Caesar believed. Unbeknownst to him a group of senators, wanting to restore the government to the true Republic, plotted a way to eliminate Caesar. One of the leaders of this conspiracy was Lucius Junius
Brutus, a young man Caesar had been friendly with for years. On the Ides of March 44
BC, Caesar entered the senate house and began to read a petition. During his reading he was surrounded by senators who all began to stab him. Historians estimate up to 60 men participated in the assassination. Caesar was unable to escape and died that day.
Julius Caesar is one of the most well known figures in Roman history. His life and assassination has been the topic of authors for centuries, including William
Shakespeare. He is often thought of as the first emperor of Rome, but he was not.
Caesar never held an office higher than dictator, but he paved the way for the first emperor, his heir Octavian, to take full control of Rome