CAESAR

CAESAR

Gaius Julius Caesar was an extremely powerful politician and a brilliant

general. He also gained the respect as a good leader and was appointed

dictator of Rome. Caesar helped Rome and the present day world become

what it is today by his great leadership qualities.

Caesar was born on July 13, 100 BC. Legend has it that Caesar was born

threw an incision in his mothers stomach, that is how the term Caesarean

Section originated (Isenberg, pg 11). Caesars father was also named Gaius

Julius Caesar as was his father. Caesar mother name was Aurelia which was

connected with the prominent Aurelii family (Ward, pg 1). Caesar had three

names because he was the eldest son. His personal name is Gaius, his second

name is the name of his family's clan (Julius), and his third name is the

family name (Caesar), which means "hairy."

Caesar was introduced into politics at a very young age. Almost

everyone in Caesars family had a position in the senate or held a political

office. When Caesar was twelve, he went to the Curia which is the Senate

House to listen to speeches and debates and watch the statesmen at work.

Caesar was also often found at the Regia which is the offices of the High

Priest because his uncle, Cuius Cotta held an important position in the

College of Priests.

Caesar learned a lot from his uncle, Gaius Marius (Grant, pg 34). Marius

was involved in politics at a very young age, just as Caesar was. It was very

difficult being a young man involved in a career that mostly adults were in

charge of, but Marius won the loyalty of the common people and was elected

into consul in 108 BC. Marius was also a brilliant general who won a lot of

battles for Rome and its people.

Caesar was also in the military and held a rank as general. Caesar led his

troops to many battles and was rarely defeated. During this time, his military

was one of the strongest in all of Europe. Caesar learned a lot of his military

strategies from his uncle, Marius who was probably one of the greatest

military leaders to ever live.

Caesars political success had a lot to do with getting on the common

peoples side and helping to meet their needs. By doing this, people gladly

elected him into higher positions. Caesar was also a strong supporter of the

military and wanted to keep it as strong as it could be. While in the military,

Caesar was an aedile which is a person in charge of games. When he was

doing this, he went into debt. In 61 BC., Caesar became governor of Further

Spain. While in Spain, his military action restored his finances. In 60 BC.,

Caesar was elected to the consulate with the support of Crassus and Pompey.

Caesar, Crassus, and Pompey formed the first Triumvirate which is a form of

government. After forming the Triumvirate, Caesar obtained a reduction of

the Asian tax contracts for Crassus, land for Pompeys veterans, and Caesar

received the governorships of Illyricum, Cisalpine Gaul, and Transalpine

Gaul. Caesar was also given control of a large army, which he used to take

over Gaul. He gained a lot of strength from the Gallic Wars, which lasted

from 58 to 51 BC.

Caesar had a couple of wives. His first was Pompeia who he married in

68 BC. Pompeia was the granddaughter of Sulla and a relative of Pompey.

After 6 years, Caesar divorced Pompeia after assuming she was with another

man. Caesars next wife was Calpurnia, who he married in 58 BC. Caesar had

one child, Julia and another adopted son, Octavian, who later takes over

Rome.

In 59 BC., Julia married Pompey. Strain encouraged by Crassus,

developed between Caesar and Pompey. The "Triumvirate" was renegotiated

in 56 BC., but the death of Julia in 54 BC. and Crassus in 53 BC. and the

great success of Caesar in Gaul eventually destroyed Caesars relationship

with Pompey. On January 10, 49 BC., Caesar crossed the Italy border which

started civil war. Caesars stronger army defeated Pompeys army and forced

Pompey to withdraw to Greece.

In 49 BC., Caesar was appointed dictator of Rome and in 44 BC. he was

appointed dictator for life. While dictator, Caesar introduced many reforms,

such as limiting the distribution of free grain, founding citizen colonies,

introducing the Julian calendar on January 1, 45 BC., and enlarging the

senate. And at the same time he reduced debts, revised the tax structure, and

extended Roman citizenship to non-Italians. On March 15, 44 BC., two of

Caesars partners, Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus stabbed

Caesar to death at a meeting of the senate in Pompeys theater. After Caesars

death, his adopted son Octavian took his place as dictator. Besides being a

great leader, he was also an accomplished orator and writer. His two

surviving works On the Gallic War and On the Civil War introduced personal

war commentaries into our literature.

To sum things up, Gaius Julius Caesar was a powerful leader in our

history. Caesar struggled to make Rome a good place and he did a fine job at

doing it. Julius Caesar will always be remembered as not just a man, but as a

great leader.