Gaius Julius Caesar was son to Gaius Julius Caesar, a Praetor who governed the
province of Asia. His parents held to the Popular ideology of Rome which favored democratization of
government and more rights for the lower class. At the age of sixteen, Caesar’s father died and he
became head of the household. He decided that belonging to the priesthood would most benefit the
family, so he managed to have himself nominated as the new High Priest of Jupiter. Because a priest in
that time had to be married to a patrician, he broke off his marriage to a plebian girl and married the
patrician, Cornelia, daughter of a high profile and influential member of the Populares, Lucius Cinna.
When emperor Sulla came to power, he began a systematic purge of his enemies and particularly of
those who held to the Populare ideology. Caesar, who held to said ideology, was particularly targeted,
and fled Rome. His sentence was lifted through the intercession of his mother’s family, but he was
stripped of his position as priest and his wife’s dowry was confiscated. Left with nothing to support his
family, Caesar had no choice but to join the army.
Proving himself an effective soldier, he won the civic crown for saving a life in battle and was
promoted to the staff of the military legate of Bithynia to secure a fleet of ships. Though he was
very successful in his position in the military, when he had heard Emperor Sulla had passed away he
decided to return to Rome as orator (lawyer)- he proved a success and became well known as an eloquent
speaker, which directly aided to his rise to power.
After the death of his wife Cornelia, Caesar remarried to Pompeia, granddaughter of the late
emperor Sulla, and was elected the position military tribune. Rising in prominence in Rome, Caesar had enough
prestige to effectively support Gnaeus Pompeius for a generalship. During that time, Caesar befriended
Marcus Licinius Crassus, the wealthiest man in Rome. It is believed that Crassus was the one who helped
fund Caesar’s bid for election to the position of Chief Priest, which he won in 63 BCE. In 62 BCE he was
elected praetor, divorced Pompeia after a scandal she was implicated in with another man, and sailed
for Spain in 61 BCE as governor of Spain.
In Spain, Caesar defeated the warring rival tribes, brought stability to the region, and won the
personal allegiance of his troops through his skill on the battlefield. He was awarded a consulship by the
senate. He then returned to Rome with high honors, and entered into a business/political agreement
with Pompey and Crassus in 60 BCE. Then Caesar married Calpurnia, the daughter of a wealthy and
powerful Populare senator, and married his daughter Julia to Pompey to further cement their
partnership. The three men together then effectively ruled Rome, Caesar as consul, by pushing
through measures favored by Pompey or Crassus in the senate. Caesar was deeply in debt, both
financially and politically to Crassus, and needed to raise both money and his prestige. In search of
wealth to settle his debts, Caesar left Rome with his legions and headed to Gaul in 58 BCE. He prospered
in his efforts to rule over Gaul for a time.
While Caesar was away in Gaul, Crassus was killed in battle and his daughter Julia died in
childbirth. With the tie between Caesar and Pompey severed, Pompey was the sole military and political
power in Rome and had the senate declare Caesar’s governorship of Gaul terminated. He then ordered
Caesar to immediately return to Rome as a private citizen, where he would be prosecuted for his actions
from when he was a consul. Instead of following orders, Caesar took his troops across the Rubicon River
to Rome, to go against Pompey and take over. Hearing this, Pompey fled to Egypt where he was
murdered by the Egyptians because they believed the gods favored Caesar.
When Caesar arrived in Egypt looking for Pompey, he discovered what they had done to him,
claimed outrage over Pompey’s death, proclaimed martial law, and took over the royal palace. He
then aligned himself with Cleopatra, igniting a war between his army and the Egyptian. He sent for
reinforcements, and upon their arrival Caesar defeated the Egyptian army. He then returned to Rome,
where he was declared Dictator in 44 BCE. On March 15, 44 BCE, Caesar was assassinated by the
senators in the portico of the basilica of Pompey the Great, henceforth ending the great rule of Gaius
Julius Caesar.
By Harper Burke
Sources
http://www.ancient.eu.com/Julius_Caesar/
http://www.history.com/topics/julius-caesar
http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/caesarevents1/a/102110-Julius-Caesar-Timeline.htm
http://www.examiner.com/article/julius-caesar-s-rise-to-power-80-60-b-chttp://
http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/people/caesar-julius-rise-to-power.html
province of Asia. His parents held to the Popular ideology of Rome which favored democratization of
government and more rights for the lower class. At the age of sixteen, Caesar’s father died and he
became head of the household. He decided that belonging to the priesthood would most benefit the
family, so he managed to have himself nominated as the new High Priest of Jupiter. Because a priest in
that time had to be married to a patrician, he broke off his marriage to a plebian girl and married the
patrician, Cornelia, daughter of a high profile and influential member of the Populares, Lucius Cinna.
When emperor Sulla came to power, he began a systematic purge of his enemies and particularly of
those who held to the Populare ideology. Caesar, who held to said ideology, was particularly targeted,
and fled Rome. His sentence was lifted through the intercession of his mother’s family, but he was
stripped of his position as priest and his wife’s dowry was confiscated. Left with nothing to support his
family, Caesar had no choice but to join the army.
Proving himself an effective soldier, he won the civic crown for saving a life in battle and was
promoted to the staff of the military legate of Bithynia to secure a fleet of ships. Though he was
very successful in his position in the military, when he had heard Emperor Sulla had passed away he
decided to return to Rome as orator (lawyer)- he proved a success and became well known as an eloquent
speaker, which directly aided to his rise to power.
After the death of his wife Cornelia, Caesar remarried to Pompeia, granddaughter of the late
emperor Sulla, and was elected the position military tribune. Rising in prominence in Rome, Caesar had enough
prestige to effectively support Gnaeus Pompeius for a generalship. During that time, Caesar befriended
Marcus Licinius Crassus, the wealthiest man in Rome. It is believed that Crassus was the one who helped
fund Caesar’s bid for election to the position of Chief Priest, which he won in 63 BCE. In 62 BCE he was
elected praetor, divorced Pompeia after a scandal she was implicated in with another man, and sailed
for Spain in 61 BCE as governor of Spain.
In Spain, Caesar defeated the warring rival tribes, brought stability to the region, and won the
personal allegiance of his troops through his skill on the battlefield. He was awarded a consulship by the
senate. He then returned to Rome with high honors, and entered into a business/political agreement
with Pompey and Crassus in 60 BCE. Then Caesar married Calpurnia, the daughter of a wealthy and
powerful Populare senator, and married his daughter Julia to Pompey to further cement their
partnership. The three men together then effectively ruled Rome, Caesar as consul, by pushing
through measures favored by Pompey or Crassus in the senate. Caesar was deeply in debt, both
financially and politically to Crassus, and needed to raise both money and his prestige. In search of
wealth to settle his debts, Caesar left Rome with his legions and headed to Gaul in 58 BCE. He prospered
in his efforts to rule over Gaul for a time.
While Caesar was away in Gaul, Crassus was killed in battle and his daughter Julia died in
childbirth. With the tie between Caesar and Pompey severed, Pompey was the sole military and political
power in Rome and had the senate declare Caesar’s governorship of Gaul terminated. He then ordered
Caesar to immediately return to Rome as a private citizen, where he would be prosecuted for his actions
from when he was a consul. Instead of following orders, Caesar took his troops across the Rubicon River
to Rome, to go against Pompey and take over. Hearing this, Pompey fled to Egypt where he was
murdered by the Egyptians because they believed the gods favored Caesar.
When Caesar arrived in Egypt looking for Pompey, he discovered what they had done to him,
claimed outrage over Pompey’s death, proclaimed martial law, and took over the royal palace. He
then aligned himself with Cleopatra, igniting a war between his army and the Egyptian. He sent for
reinforcements, and upon their arrival Caesar defeated the Egyptian army. He then returned to Rome,
where he was declared Dictator in 44 BCE. On March 15, 44 BCE, Caesar was assassinated by the
senators in the portico of the basilica of Pompey the Great, henceforth ending the great rule of Gaius
Julius Caesar.
By Harper Burke
Sources
http://www.ancient.eu.com/Julius_Caesar/
http://www.history.com/topics/julius-caesar
http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/caesarevents1/a/102110-Julius-Caesar-Timeline.htm
http://www.examiner.com/article/julius-caesar-s-rise-to-power-80-60-b-chttp://
http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/people/caesar-julius-rise-to-power.html