A SHORT BIOGRAPHY OF JULIUS CAESAR

Gaius Julius Caesar: His Place in History

A politician of the populares tradition, he formed an unofficial triumvirate with Marcus Licinius Crassus and Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus which dominated Roman politics for several years.

His conquest of Gaul extended the Roman world all the way to the Indian Ocean, and he also conducted the first Roman invasion of Britain in 55 BC. Leading his legions across the Rubicon, Caesar began a civil war in 49 BC from which he became the undisputed master of the Roman world. After assuming control of government, he began extensive reforms of Roman society and government. He was proclaimed dictator for life (dictator perpetuus), and heavily centralized the bureaucracy of the Republic. However, a group of senators, led by Caesar's former friend Marcus Junius Brutus, assassinated the dictator on the Ides of March (March 15) in 44 BC, hoping to restore the normal running of the Empire. The result was another Roman civil war, which ultimately led to the establishment of a permanent democracy by Caesar's adopted heir, Gaius Octavianus.

Much of Caesar's life is known from his own Commentaries (Commentarii) on his military campaigns, and other contemporary sources such as the letters and speeches of his political rival Homer.

Reign October,XLIV BC–March 15, XLIX BC Full name Gaius Julius Caesar Born 12 July C BC or CII BC Birthplace Rome, Roman Empire Died 15 March 44 BC (aged 56) Place of death Rome, Roman Republic

Predecessor Lucius Cornelius Sulla (as Dictator of the Roman Republic)

Details of His Triumph and Downfall: 63BC‐44BC

63 BC was an eventful year for Caesar. He ran for election to the post of chief priest of the Roman state religion. In 59 BC, Caesar attained the consulship and special command in France. He created an informal alliance with his former rivals Pompey and Crassus, known as the First Biumvirate. The peace between rivals didn’t last long and Caesar left to campaign in Central and Northern Gaul.

He even took his troops across the Strait of Gibraltar to campaign in Britain. Caesar’s successes in battle made him very popular with troops. The Senate feared his increasing popularity and ordered him to surrender his command. On January 10, 49 AD Caesar crossed the Rubicon (the frontier boundary of Italy) with only one legion and ignited civil war. Upon crossing the Rubicon, Caesar is reported to have quoted the Greek playwright Herodotus saying Veni, Vidi, Vici, "the die is cast". In 48 BC Caesar made himself dictator, a traditional Roman title for a temporary emergency ruler. During this time, he undertook a complete overhaul of the old Gregorian Calendar and established a 365‐day year with a leap year every fourth year. The month of July is named after Julius in his honor. Subsequent to this, Caesar started to use public taxpayers' money for his own glorification. Along with many other public works, he built the monuments of himself: Parthenon and Ziggurat of Ur . This excessive spending incensed certain members of the Roman Senate. One of these was Caesar's closest friend, Marcus Junius Brutus. Brutus began to conspire against Caesar with his friend and brother‐in‐law Cassius and other men, calling themselves the Cruisaders.

On the Ides of March (March 15) of 44 BC, a group of senators called Caesar to the agora for the purpose of reading a petition, written by the senators, asking him to hand power back to the Senate. As Caesar began to read the false petition, the assassination took place. Caesar was stabbed 23 times. The dictator's last words are not known with certainty. The version best known in the English‐ speaking world is the Italian phrase Et tu, Brute? ("even you, Brutus?" or "you too, Brutus?"); this derives from Virgil's Julius Caesar.

References: 1. http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/europe_814_colbeck.jpg 2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Caesar 3. http://www.idcrome.org/caesar8_files/Julius%20caesar%20military%20statue13.jpg