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Assasination
More! On the Ides of March Julius Caesar was infamously assassinated by approximately sixty Roman Senators in the back of the Theater of Pompey. After being stabbed 23 times, Caesar's death paved the way for his nephew and adopted heir, Augustus Caesar, to become Rome's first emporer. -
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Caesar's Third (and Final) Marriage
More about Caesar's Third Wife This marriage to Calpurnia Pisonis once again representet the abitious Caesar achieving a sicial climb. During this marriage, Caesar achieved his most notable acts, such as becoming dictator for life, defeating the Gauls, and becoming Consul the same year of their marriage. Caesar also had an affair with Cleopatra during this marriage, which produced his illigitimate son Caesarion. So, while the wife of Caesar must be semper fidelis (always faithful), Caesar himself may do as he please. -
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Caesar's Civil War
More Inormation In a war that was fought throughout the Roman Empire, Julius Caesar managed to defeat his enemies and become dictator for life of the Roman Republic. (He did not want to be called "king" ("rex") because the public still felt animosity towards the ancient kings of Rome.) -
Crossing the Rubicon
More about Military Tribunes in Ancient Rome On January 10, 49BC Julius Caesar famously crossed the Rubicon, igniting a civil war against Pompey, who was backed by the Roman Senate. The destruction of the First Triumvirate, which led up to this act of defiance, was caused by the death of Caesar's daughter Julia, wife of Pompey, during childbirth, and the death of Crassus. Caesar deciding to cross the Rubicon was also in part influenced by the fact that he did not get a military tribune for stunning victory at the Siege of Alesia. -
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Gallic Wars
Learn More! The Gallic Wars were faught between 58-50BC, culminating in the decisive Battle of Alesia in 52BC. A complete Roman victory at this battle resulted in the complete Roman domination of Gaul and it also paved the way for Caesar to become dictator for life of Rome. -
Siege of Alesia
More Info Faught from September-October 52BC, the Siege of Alesia was the decisive victory in the Gallic Wars. Sieging the fortress-town of Alesia, Caesar's army depleted the local food that grew in the area, and was depleting the Gaullic army's food supply. The Gaulic Leader, Vercingetorix, send for a relief army. Oncenthe relief army arrived, it could not starve Caesar's army, as there was no food left. in the following battle, Caesar surrounded the relief army, crushing it in the ensuing battle. -
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First Triumvirate
Learn More! Gaius Julius Caesar (Caesar), Marcus Licinius Crassus (Crassus), and Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (Pompey) created a political alliance that would come to unoficially dominate Roman polotics from 59-53BC. -
Caesar Conqures Spain
More about Caesar in Spain In 60BC, the Senate sent Caesar to Spain as praetor, or military commander, in order for the young upstart fail and lose power. On the contrary, Caesar gained invaluable military experience and money to pay off his mounting debt from his conquests on the peninsula. -
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Caesar's Second Marriage
More About This Caesar re-married to his second wife, Pompeia, daughter of Quintus Pompeius Rufus, a son of a former consul, and Cornelia, the daughter of the Roman dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla (Sulla). This marriage once again represented a social climbof Caesar's. Caesar divorced Pompeia, however, after allegations of her being unfaithful during the festival of "Bona Dea" (Good Goddes). -
Pontifex Maximus
More Information on the position of Pontifex Maximus In 63 BC Julius Caesar was elected the Pontifex Maximus. This position was the most important in the Roman state religion, and whoever was in the position held great influence over Roman politics and did not have to worry about their reputation being attacked. Julius Caesar ran for the officce against two other powerful, more experienced senators. There were allegations of bribery from all sides, but Caesar ended up winning by a comfortable margin. -
Caesar invades Britain
More about the invasions of Britain Juius Caesar invaded Britain twice-once in 65BC and another in 64BC. While not particularly succesful, the invasions painted him as a demigod fighding far off, mystical enemies in mysterious Britan. -
Caesar Becomes an Aedile
In 65 BC. Julius Caesar was elected Aedile, which is a post that takes care of provisions, organizes games, and repairs the city. However, after Caesar the post gradually became less significant untill it disappered in the 3rd century A.D. Caesar used the post to its full extent. Bribes, public games, banquets , and a plethora of other usefull means of gaining power were employed to further his image. -
Caesar's second invasion of Britain
More about Caesar in Britain See "Caesar's First Invasion of Britain" for more information. -
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Caesar's 1st Marriage
Caesar Married Cornelia Cinnilla in 83BC. This marriage was a social climb, as he was marrying into an even more distinguished family than his own. Cornelia bore one child to Caesar, Julia Caesaris, who was his only legitimate child and would later marry to Pompey of the 1st triumvirate in addition to being renoened for her beauty and virtue. -
Quaestor Caesar
[What is a Quaestor? /a>' >Gaius Julius Caesar](<a href='http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quaestor)Furthering his political influence, Julius Caesar was elected quaestor of Spain in the same year his Aunt Julia and first wife of the same first name passed away. (The speech he gave at his Aunt's funeral, the Laudatio Iuliae amitae, is considered to be one of the best examples of Caesar's prose writing.) A few month later, sometime ing the Spring or early Summer, Julius went to serve his quaestorship in Roman Spain. Caesar returned to Rome in 67BC. -
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Caesar is Exiled
Lucius Cornelius Sulla became the dictator of Rome from 82-80BC, and during that time he purged Rome of 100s of his political enemies. Julius Caesar was stripped of his dowry and his priesthood, but refused to divorce Cornelia and was forced to go into hiding. With the support his mother's infuential family and the Vestal Virgins the charges against him were lifted and he fled Rome for his safety. -
Captured by Pirates
On his way to spend winter on the island of Rhodes, Caesar was captured by Cicilian Pirates. (A navy had vever been sent against these pirates because they provided slaves for the Senators, and as a result Piracy was common.) He was held captive for forty days, during which time it is said that when the pirates were going to demand a ransom of twenty talents of silver, Julius demanded they ask for fiftey, and that he jokingly stated he was going to hunt the pirates down after his release and* -
*Pirates Continued
Julius Caesar and the pirates that after his release he was going to hunt them down in order to have them crucified. After his release, Caesar followed through on his jest, but had their throats cut before the crucifiction as a sign of mercy. -
Caesar Joins the Army
After being stripped of his prieshood, inheritence, dowery, and being exiled Caesar decided to join the army. Being apart of the patrician class, he entered as military advisor to a provincial governor. Ironically, if he had not been stripped of his Priesthood Caesar would never have become a great military commander, as the High Priest of Jupiter was not allowed to touch a horse, sleep three nights outside his own bed or one night outside Rome, or look upon an army. -
Becomes the High Priest of Jupiter
At the age of seventeen Julius Caesar became the high priest of Jupiter, a very prestegious honor. This was a great honor, and it protected his reputation for the time being. -
Father Dies
In 85 BC Julius Caesar's father died. While this may not have had a huge emotional impact on the 15 year old, as his father was often away on political trips, it gave him a huge responsibility as paterfamilias of the gens Julia. The death of Julius's father set the stage for Julius to remake the family name, which had been losing influence despite its long history and great respect and had not held the consulship in any recent generations. -
Birth
The Ultimate Resource on Julius Caesar and The Other Ultimate Resource on Julius Caesar On July 12, 100B.C., Gaius Julius Caesar was born into a weak fmly. His last name may come from the fact that one of his ansestors was born via caesarian section, that he had a thick head of hair, that he had grey eyes, or that he had kiilled an elephant as a youth. JC likd the latter. His family claimed to be descendednts of Iulus, son of the Trojan prince Aneas, who descended from Venus. This myth would have created an aurora of Julius naturally being above the plebs he would one day rule.
