The Roman Republic:
Understanding Julius Caesar
Creating the republic: 509 Bce
 Romans establish a republic
 Latin res publica, meaning "public affairs"
 Two consuls
 1 year terms, 10 year gap between offices
 Veto power over each
 The Senate advised the consuls
 300 members
 Set military & foreign affairs
The Roman Republic
 Intentionally divided power
 checks and balances Designed to prevent one-man
rule
 Intense competition between powerful Romans
for elected office
 Elections very expensive
 Feasts for voters, chariot races, gladiators, etc.
 Bribery fairly common
 The Roman mob: unemployed Roman citizens
 A potential threat kept happy with "bread and
circuses“
 Act I, scene I
Life after the consulship
 need to become a
governor of a
province or get
a military
command
 Caesar gets
governorship of
Gaul & control
of a Roman army

A chance to get
rich through
taxes or war
caesar in “retirement”
 59 BCE formed triumverate
with Pompey & Crassus

Pompey marries Caesar's
daughter Julia
 58-54 BCE governorships in
Gaul & Dalmatia
 58-52 BCE The Gallic Wars:
Caesar v. Germans in Gaul
 49 BCE Senate ordered
Caesar to turn his army
over to a new governor
and return to Rome

Pompey sides w/Senate
caesar in a bind…
 If he returned to
Rome, he could
be put on trial
or exiled
 If he refused to
hand over army,
he would be an
outlaw

Senate could pass
death sentence
 Caesar decided
to:


Go to Rome
Bring his army
along
 "Crossing the
Rubicon"

"Alea jacta est."

"The die is cast."
Civil War: Caesar v. Pompey
 Caesar wins
 Returns to Rome

Where Julius Caesar
begins
 Lenient toward
political enemies
 Appointed
dictator for life
 Assassination plot


"The Ides of March"
March 15, 44 BCE
Bust of Pompeius Magnus
Renewed civil war:
 2nd Triumverate



Octavius
Mark Antony
Marcus Lepidus
 Brutus, Cassius
defeated
 End of
Caesar
Julius
Why Caesar?
 Play was first written and
performed in 1599
 Elizabeth I was elderly, had not
named a successor

Serious concern about the outbreak of
civil war if no heir named
 Play set in distant past, made
conversation more comfortable

History everyone knew
 Play deals with concepts of honor,
friendship, and betrayal