Rome Under Caesar
Emmy Satterfield, Hannah Mattes, Allyson
Echols, Christen Brouillette, Liz Pikul
First, a Little Bit about Caesar…
• Lived July 12th, 100
BCE- March 15th, 44
BCE
• Parents- Gaius and
Aurelia Caesar
• Married first to Cornelia
(and had daughter, Julia),
then Pompeia, then
Calpurnia
• Born into an old
aristocratic family (not
rich however)
• Guest-starred on He-Man
(This is a joke. Please do not deduct points.)
Background Information on Rome at
the Time…
• Chaotic and
dysfunctional partially
in due to imperialism
• Central government
powerless and
regionalism in practice
among independent
principalities
• Corrupt
aristocracy/politics
Major Social and Cultural Changes and
Events
Family and Marriage
• Legislation to support family life– Men could no longer mistreat children (their
property)- discipline through encouragement
reason
• Legislation to support marriage– Adultery outlawed
– Marriage legally documented
Agriculture
• State –subsidized
grain
• Distribution of land
to veterans and
veteran colony
establishments
Calendar
• Adopted the 365 days a
year with leap year
every 4 as the Pontifex
Maximus (later
modified into modern
calendar by Pope
Gregory XIII)
Major Political Changes and Events
The Introduction of a New
Constitution
• Introduced new constitution to:
– Suppress all armed resistance out in the provinces
to bring order back to the republic
– To create a strong central government in Rome
– To unite the entire republic into one peaceful unit
Alliance with Crassus and Pompey
• Pompey eventually betrayed Caesar
• Allowed their political dominance of Rome
• Opposed by Roman Senate and conservative
elite
– Supporters of Cicero
– Cato the Younger
Conquests and Major Battles
• 58 BC- took Gaul, Battle of the Arar (Saone), Battle of
Bibracte
• 57 BC- Battle of the Axona (Aisne) and Battle of Sabis
(Sambre)
• 55 BC- first Roman invasion of Britain
• 52 BC- Acaricum, Battle of Alesia
• 51 BC- Battle of Uxellodunum
• 48 BC- Battle of Dyrrhachium, Battle of Pharsalus
• 47 BC- Battle of the Nile, Battle of Zela
• 46 BC- Battle of Thapsus
• 45 BC- Battle of Munda
Senate
• Opened to non-Romans
• Autocracy that made the Senate essentially his
servants
• Appointed own senate
• Could veto senate
• Raised depleted senate to 900 memebers after
return to Rome (47 BC)
Major Economic Changes and Events
Taxation, Debt, and Public Reductions
• 5% Rome’s gross product (25% per person)
• Complex direct and indirect
taxation
• To maintain the military
• Passed taxes on foreign ships
on Roman harbors
• Debt restructuring laweliminated ¼ of all debts owed
• Reduced number of citizens on
free grain dole from 300,000 to
180,000
The Great Caesar practicing amazing
modesty by putting his face on currency.
Caesar as the Governor of Gaul
• Served 58 BC – 54 BC
• 58 BC: raised 10
legions (5,000 men, 1020,000 allies) and
defeated Halvetii,
shattered German
invasion and
slaughtered them
• 57 BC: attacked Nervii
and won despite poor
strategy
• 56 BC: established
second term
Caesar as the Governor of Gaul
Continued
• 55 BC: invaded Britain for propaganda, threat
of German invasion present
• 54 BC- Revolt began in Belgae
• 52 BC- Arverni chief Vercingetorix eventually
defeated Caesar
• Arrived because need of profitable war (spent
too much money on politics)
• Became governor after fled Rome to avoid
being killed
Becoming the Dictator of Rome
• Appointed dictator Feb. 14th, 44 BC and
appointed for life 47 BC (served 10 years)
• How:
– Gained power through alliances (Pompey and
Crassus)
– No serious public opposition
– Granted triumphs by senate for victories in war
– Numerous political/social/economic reforms
The First Triumvirate
The political alliance of Gaius Julius Caesar,
Marcus Licinius Crassus, and Gnaeus Pompeius
Magnus (Pompey)
- 60-53 BC
• Crassus and Pompey didn’t get along, but
Caesar brought them together
• Caesar was off at war, Pompey was jealous of
his Crassus’s success and was leaning towards
a senatorial party
First Triumvirate Continued
• Crassus was
killed (53
BC), leading
Pompey and
Caesar to a
power
struggle
• Pompey was
assassinated
(48 BC) and
Caesar took
over Rome
Cleopatra
• Julius Caesar helped
Cleopatra and her
brother take over Egypt
in 47 BC
• They had a son named
Ptolemy XV
(Caesarion)
• They were married
despite Casesar’s
current marriage to
Calpurnia
• Last pharaoh of Egypt
Assassination
• Assassinated by
Roman senators
because they feared
he would become a
tyrant
• Stabbed 23 times on
the Ides of March
(March 15), 44 BC
• Led to Liberators’
Civil War and
Principate period of
the Roman Empire
“Any salad is a caesar salad if you stab it enough…”
Fun Facts!
• When he invaded Egypt for Cleopatra,
Ptolemy sent him 2 female prostitutes. He
sent them back because he was getting
married to Cleopatra and Ptolemy sent 2
guys back.
• At 22 he was kidnapped by pirates. When
they set his ransom he demanded that it be
higher. When the ransom was paid, he
chased down the pirates and cut each of
their throats.
• His second wife was the niece of his first
wife.
• Julius Caesar was accused of being the
lover of King Nicomedes.
• He was almost a priest
• He named the month of July after himself
• Father died when he was 15
The Funnies
Sources (Information)
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitutional_reforms_of_Julius_Caesar
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitutional_reforms_of_Julius_Caesar
Sources (Pictures)
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metravelguide5.jpg
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http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ca/Gaul,_1st_century_BC.gif
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http://media-cacheec0.pinimg.com/236x/97/4c/14/974c14e731f51ef080af6a18a9463850.jpg
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