The Life of Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar is one of the most famous individuals of Ancient Rome. He expanded the Roman Republic through a series of battles and declared himself a dictator for life. Julius Caesar is one of the greatest military minds in history and remembered for laying the foundation for Roman Empire. He launched a series of political and social reforms and conquered the half of the known world and still found time for love affairs with Cleopatra. No doubt, he was one of the most powerful and successful leaders in the world.
Julius Caesar was born in 100 BC in Rome in a well-known family. His father, Gaius Caesar, governed the province in Asia, and his mother, Aurelia Cotta, was of noble birth. The young Caesar left Rome for military service in Asia. After the death of a dictator Sulla, he returned and launched his own political and military career. (1) When he travelled to Rhode to study philosophy, he was kidnapped by pirates. He persuaded them to take the ransom, then organized the marine force, captured the pirates and killed them. This interesting fact from his life can partly explain his nature.
Julius Caesar took several positions in the government and was elected a consul in 60 BC. In 59 BC he also became a governor of Gaul and Spain. Caesar discovered a talent of military command he didn’t even know he had. The experience he received in Spain would be significant for his further career. One of the important lessons Caesar learnt at that time was that war could be very profitable financially and politically. After defeating his previous ally, Pompey, Caesar went to Egypt when he was drawn into an affair with Cleopatra. They had a son Caeserion. (2)
In 45 BC Julius Caesar was made a dictator for his life. He was called Pater Patriae which meant Father of his Country. The month Quintilis was even renamed in his honour and is still known as July. Caesar produced a significant amount of political writings that were of high value. Though his ambitions and vanity brought him unpopularity among the fellow senators, he made a number of reforms that gave him more power. Caesar used it to fill the senate with his own people, give them honours and titles. He also increased the number of senators and wanted to make Italy a province. Caesar established order, gave the voting rights to the inhabitants of his former province of the Alps, resettled many Romans in new homes and reformed the calendar which is used till our days. (3)
Many Romans were afraid that Caesar was going to become a king. Their fears only confirmed when Cleopatra with Caesarion were brought to Rome. Citizens of Rome didn’t accept the foreigners, so Cleopatra had to leave. Though Caesar managed to persuade the senate that he wasn’t a dictator for life, he was a king of Rome in all but the title. Julius Caesar changed the nature of the Roman Empire, he set an example of a system that was later used by future European leaders.
Julius Caesar was killed in the Roman Senate in 44 BC by the political rivals, including his adopted son, Brutus. His famous last words “You too, Brutus?” were made famous by Shakespeare. (1) Julius Caesar was popular among the middle and lower classes that became very angry that he was killed by a group of aristocrats. After his death, a struggle began, that led to the end of the Roman Empire. Caesar’s military campaigns are known in details from The Commentaries he wrote by himself. Many details of his life were recorded by historians, such as Plutarch, Cassius Dio and Suetonius. On the 1st of January 42 BC, Julius Caesar became the first Roman to be glorified. He was granted the title “the divine Julius” by the Senate.