Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar was born in 100B.C. When he was a young man he was captured by

Pirates of the eastern Mediterranean sea. He was held for a ransom of 50 talents for his

life. He told the pirates that someday he would hang them. However, he never got to hang

them because they were captured a couple week later and put to death.

In 82B.C. Caesar had refused to obey Sulla and he left Rome in 81B.C. When

Sulla died in 78B.C., Caesar returned. He helped Pompey increase his power. Before

70B.C. he was made military tribune. Caesar had help Pompey to obtain the supreme

command for the war in the East. In 66B.C. he became overseer of public games. He

increased popularity by preparing extraordinary spectacles in the Circus Maximus for the

Roman public at the cost of himself. Caesar and Sosigenes helped reform the calendar,

which is one of the greatest contributions to history.

In 61B.C. he served in Father Spain as proconsul, he returned to Rome in 60B.C.

with the intent for the consulate. Against senatorial contention he organized a coalition,

known as the First Triumvirate. It was made up of Pompey, commander in chief of the

army, Marcus Licinius Crassus, the wealthiest man in Rome, and himself. From 58 to

49B.C. he established his reputation in the Gallic Wars. Caesar made explorations in

Britain in 55 and 54B.C. he defeated the Britons, which was led by Cassivllaunus. Caesar

met his most serious opposition in Gaul from Vercingetorix, whom he defeated in Alesia

in 52B.C. at the end of the wars Caesar had reduced all Gaul to Roman control. These

campaigns showed him as one of the greatest military commanders of all time. The

campaigns also developed the personal devotion of the legions to Caesar. The First

Triumvirate ended when Crassus died in 53B.C. at Parthia.

After the First Triumvirate ended, the senate supported Pompey, he then became

sole consul in 52B.C. Meanwhile, Caesar had become a military hero as well as a

champion of the people. The senate feared Caesar and demanded that he disband his

army. Two tribunes faithful to Caesar, Marc Antony and Quintus Cassius Longinus

vetoed the bill and were quickly expelled from the senate. They then fled to Caesar, who

assembled his army and asked for support of the soldiers to fight against the senate. Then

on January 19, 49B.C., Caesar and his army crossed the Rubicon, to enter Italy. Civil war

then broke out.

Near Pharsalus, Caesar camped in a very strategic location. Pompey, who had a

larger army, attacked Caesar but was defeated and fled to Egypt, where he was then

killed. Caesar stayed in Egypt for some time and stayed with Cleopatra and established

her on the Egyptian throne. After leaving Egypt he went to Asia Minor. There he

defeated Phanaces II in 47B.C.

After Caesar's victories he returned to Rome. In 44B.C. he was made dictator for

life. His dictatorial powers had, however, aroused great resentment, and he was bitterly

criticized by his enemies. A conspiracy was formed against him. It was made up by his

friends and proteges. Some of them were Cimber, Casca, Cassius, and Marcus Brutus. On

March 15, 44B.C., he was stabbed to death in the senate house. He left everything to his

18-year-old grandnephew Octavian.

Sources

1- online. The Concise Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Third Edition Copyright 1994. Columbia University Press

2- online. Compton's Encyclopedia Online v2.0 copyright 1997. The Learning Company, Inc.