Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar was one of Ancient Rome’s most skilled generals and political leaders.
He was born in 100BC in Subura Rome on either 12 or 13 July. His full name was Gaius Julius Caesar. Gaius was his given name, one of only eight names which could be given to boys. Julius was the family name. The name of Gaius’ branch of the Julius family was “Caesar,” which originally meant “hairy.” He was born to an aristocratic family that could trace their bloodlines back to the founding of Rome. His parents were not rich by Roman standards.
He was educated in Rome and on the Greek Island of Rhodes. He started his education at six years of age. He was an intelligent student and had a private tutor. He learned how to read and write and all about Roman law and public speaking. These were essential skills for a potential leader of Rome.
He was said to have been tall, fair, well-built with a broad face and dark brown eyes. He had good health apart from sudden comas and a tendency to nightmares. He had two epileptic fits. He was a little vain and particularly sensitive about his baldness, combing his thin hair over his bald head. He enjoyed wearing a laurel wreath on his head to cover the thinning hair.
He first married Cornelia who died, then Pompeia whom he divorced, then he married Calpurnia.
For a while he was a military officer in Asia Minor, now known as Turkey.
Later Caesar joined with leaders Crassus and Pompey to rule the lands that Rome controlled. Before these three, the Roman government was a Republic. This was when citizens elect leaders to make and enforce laws. Although these three did not do away with this system, they did control the workings of the government.
In 59BC Caesar was elected a consul, then governor of Gaul for five years. He was in charge of the military there and set out to conquer the rest of Gaul that Rome did not rule. He defeated the local tribes and claimed the land for Rome. Caesar also attacked Britain twice, in 55BC and 54BC.
Later the group of three was starting to fall apart. Pompey became jealous of Caesar’s successes in Gaul and joined his enemies in the senate. The senate ordered Caesar to give up command of the army and he refused. So the two fought over who should control Rome.
In 49BC a civil war began and Caesar and his army left Gaul. They crossed the Rubicon River, the border between Gaul and Italy and defeated Pompey’s forces. Pompey escaped to Egypt and was killed by its leader King Ptolemy who was trying to win Caesar’s support
In Egypt, Caesar became involved in a struggle for leadership. King Ptolemy and his sister Cleopatra both wanted to rule. Caesar became romantically involved with Cleopatra.
After returning from Egypt, Caesar set up a dictatorship in Rome. He made changes like reorganising the calendar and starting colonies. He also gave citizenship to people living in the colonies.
He lengthened the term of his rule to life. He should have given it up after a year. This angered some of the Roman leaders as they felt he was seizing power outside of the law.
A group of over fifty Senators including Gaius Cassius and Marcus Junius Brutus, decided that enough was enough--they were not ready to relinquish control of Rome to one man. They conspired to murder Caesar on March 15, 44 BC. They invited him to be crowned and declared King of Rome. He arrived to find 50 Senators with knives hidden in their togas. They promptly stabbed him to death.
Caesar’s body was cremated in a massive public demonstration in the Forum. A temple is built to Divine Julius was built in that spot. The conspirators were forced to flee. Civil war again breaks out, with Caesar’s right-hand-man, Marc Antony, and his heir, Octavian, conquering the armies of Brutus, Cassius, and the Senators.
He was born in 100BC in Subura Rome on either 12 or 13 July. His full name was Gaius Julius Caesar. Gaius was his given name, one of only eight names which could be given to boys. Julius was the family name. The name of Gaius’ branch of the Julius family was “Caesar,” which originally meant “hairy.” He was born to an aristocratic family that could trace their bloodlines back to the founding of Rome. His parents were not rich by Roman standards.
He was educated in Rome and on the Greek Island of Rhodes. He started his education at six years of age. He was an intelligent student and had a private tutor. He learned how to read and write and all about Roman law and public speaking. These were essential skills for a potential leader of Rome.
He was said to have been tall, fair, well-built with a broad face and dark brown eyes. He had good health apart from sudden comas and a tendency to nightmares. He had two epileptic fits. He was a little vain and particularly sensitive about his baldness, combing his thin hair over his bald head. He enjoyed wearing a laurel wreath on his head to cover the thinning hair.
He first married Cornelia who died, then Pompeia whom he divorced, then he married Calpurnia.
For a while he was a military officer in Asia Minor, now known as Turkey.
Later Caesar joined with leaders Crassus and Pompey to rule the lands that Rome controlled. Before these three, the Roman government was a Republic. This was when citizens elect leaders to make and enforce laws. Although these three did not do away with this system, they did control the workings of the government.
In 59BC Caesar was elected a consul, then governor of Gaul for five years. He was in charge of the military there and set out to conquer the rest of Gaul that Rome did not rule. He defeated the local tribes and claimed the land for Rome. Caesar also attacked Britain twice, in 55BC and 54BC.
Later the group of three was starting to fall apart. Pompey became jealous of Caesar’s successes in Gaul and joined his enemies in the senate. The senate ordered Caesar to give up command of the army and he refused. So the two fought over who should control Rome.
In 49BC a civil war began and Caesar and his army left Gaul. They crossed the Rubicon River, the border between Gaul and Italy and defeated Pompey’s forces. Pompey escaped to Egypt and was killed by its leader King Ptolemy who was trying to win Caesar’s support
In Egypt, Caesar became involved in a struggle for leadership. King Ptolemy and his sister Cleopatra both wanted to rule. Caesar became romantically involved with Cleopatra.
After returning from Egypt, Caesar set up a dictatorship in Rome. He made changes like reorganising the calendar and starting colonies. He also gave citizenship to people living in the colonies.
He lengthened the term of his rule to life. He should have given it up after a year. This angered some of the Roman leaders as they felt he was seizing power outside of the law.
A group of over fifty Senators including Gaius Cassius and Marcus Junius Brutus, decided that enough was enough--they were not ready to relinquish control of Rome to one man. They conspired to murder Caesar on March 15, 44 BC. They invited him to be crowned and declared King of Rome. He arrived to find 50 Senators with knives hidden in their togas. They promptly stabbed him to death.
Caesar’s body was cremated in a massive public demonstration in the Forum. A temple is built to Divine Julius was built in that spot. The conspirators were forced to flee. Civil war again breaks out, with Caesar’s right-hand-man, Marc Antony, and his heir, Octavian, conquering the armies of Brutus, Cassius, and the Senators.