A courageous man and seducer of women, Gaius Julius Caesar is a great Roman commander and emperor, famous for his military exploits, as well as for his character, because of which the name of the ruler became a household name. Julius is one of the most famous rulers who was in power in Ancient Rome.
The exact date of birth of this man is unknown; historians generally believe that Gaius Julius Caesar was born in 100 BC. At least, this is the date used by historians in most countries, although in France it is generally accepted that Julius was born in 101. A German historian who lived in the early 19th century was confident that Caesar was born in 102 BC, but Theodor Mommsen's assumptions are not used in modern historical literature.
Such disagreements among biographers are caused by ancient primary sources: ancient Roman scholars also disagreed about the true date of Caesar’s birth.
The Roman emperor and commander came from a noble family of patrician Julians. Legends say that this dynasty began with Aeneas, who, according to ancient Greek mythology, became famous in the Trojan War. And Aeneas’s parents are Anchises, a descendant of the Dardanian kings, and Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and love (according to Roman mythology, Venus). The story of the divine origin of Julius was known to the Roman nobility, because this legend was successfully spread by the relatives of the ruler. Caesar himself, whenever the opportunity presented itself, liked to remember that there were Gods in his family. Scientists hypothesize that the Roman ruler comes from the Julian family, who were the ruling class at the beginning of the founding of the Roman Republic in the 5th-4th centuries BC.
Scientists also put forward various assumptions about the emperor's nickname “Caesar”. Perhaps one of the Julius dynasty was born by caesarean section. The name of the procedure comes from the word caesarea, which means “royal”. According to another opinion, someone from a Roman family was born with long and unkempt hair, which was denoted by the word “caeserius”.
The family of the future politician lived in prosperity. Caesar's father Gaius Julius served in a government position, and his mother came from the noble Cotta family.
Although the commander's family was wealthy, Caesar spent his childhood in the Roman region of Subura. This area was full of women of easy virtue, and also mostly poor people lived there. Ancient historians describe Suburu as a dirty and damp area, devoid of intelligentsia.
Caesar's parents sought to give their son an excellent education: the boy studied philosophy, poetry, oratory, and also developed physically and learned equestrianism. The learned Gaul Mark Antony Gniphon taught the young Caesar literature and etiquette. Whether the young man studied serious and exact sciences, such as mathematics and geometry, or history and jurisprudence, biographers do not know. Guy Julius Caesar received a Roman education; from childhood, the future ruler was a patriot and was not influenced by fashionable Greek culture.
Around 85 BC. Julius lost his father, so Caesar, as the only man, became the main breadwinner.
Policy
When the boy was 13 years old, the future commander was elected priest of the main God in Roman mythology, Jupiter - this title was one of the main posts of the then hierarchy. However, this fact cannot be called the pure merits of the young man, because Caesar’s sister, Julia, was married to Marius, an ancient Roman commander and politician.
But in order to become a flamen, according to the law, Julius had to get married, and the military commander Cornelius Cinna (he offered the boy the role of priest) chose Caesar’s chosen one - his own daughter Cornelia Cinilla.
In 82, Caesar had to flee Rome. The reason for this was the inauguration of Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix, who began a dictatorial and bloody policy. Sulla Felix asked Caesar to divorce his wife Cornelia, but the future emperor refused, which provoked the anger of the current commander. Also, Gaius Julius was expelled from Rome because he was a relative of Lucius Cornelius' opponent.
Caesar was deprived of the title of flamen, as well as his wife and his own property. Julius, dressed in poor clothes, had to escape from the Great Empire.
Friends and relatives asked Sulla to have mercy on Julius, and because of their petition, Caesar was returned to his homeland. In addition, the Roman emperor did not see the danger in the person of Julius and said that Caesar was the same as Mari.
But life under the leadership of Sulla Felix was unbearable for the Romans, so Gaius Julius Caesar went to the Roman province located in Asia Minor to learn military skills. There he became an ally of Marcus Minucius Thermus, lived in Bithynia and Cilicia, and also participated in the war against the Greek city of Metilene. Participating in the capture of the city, Caesar saved the soldier, for which he received the second most important award - the civil crown (oak wreath).
In 78 BC. Residents of Italy who disagreed with Sulla’s activities tried to organize a rebellion against the bloody dictator. The initiator was the military leader and consul Marcus Aemilius Lepidus. Mark invited Caesar to take part in the uprising against the emperor, but Julius refused.
After the death of the Roman dictator, in 77 BC, Caesar tries to bring to justice two of Felix's henchmen: Gnaeus Cornelius Dolabella and Gaius Antonius Gabrida. Julius appeared before the judges with a brilliant oratorical speech, but the Sullans managed to avoid punishment. Caesar's accusations were written down in manuscripts and circulated throughout Ancient Rome. However, Julius considered it necessary to improve his oratory skills and went to Rhodes: A teacher, rhetorician Apollonius Molon lived on the island.
On his way to Rhodes, Caesar was captured by local pirates who demanded a ransom for the future emperor. While in captivity, Julius was not afraid of the robbers, but, on the contrary, joked with them and told poems. After freeing the hostages, Julius equipped a squadron and set off to capture the pirates. Caesar was unable to bring the robbers to trial, so he decided to execute the offenders. But due to the gentleness of their character, Julius initially ordered them to be killed, and then crucified on the cross, so that the robbers would not suffer.
In 73 BC. Julius became a member of the highest college of priests, which was previously ruled by the brother of Caesar's mother, Gaius Aurelius Cotta.
In 68 BC, Caesar married Pompey, a relative of Gaius Julius Caesar's comrade-in-arms and then bitter enemy, Gnaeus Pompey. Two years later, the future emperor receives the position of Roman magistrate and is engaged in the improvement of the capital of Italy, organizing celebrations, and helping the poor. And also, having received the title of senator, he appears at political intrigues, which is how he gains popularity. Caesar participated in the Leges frumentariae ("corn laws"), under which the population purchased grain at a reduced price or received it for free, and also in 49-44 BC. Julius carried out a number of reforms
Wars
The Gallic War is the most famous event in the history of Ancient Rome and the biography of Gaius Julius Caesar.
Caesar became proconsul, by this time Italy owned the province of Narbonese Gaul (the territory of present-day France). Julius went to negotiate with the leader of the Celtic tribe in Geneva, since the Helvetii began to move due to the invasion of the Germans.
Thanks to his oratory, Caesar managed to persuade the leader of the tribe not to set foot on the territory of the Roman Empire. However, the Helvetii went to Central Gaul, where the Aedui, allies of Rome, lived. Caesar, who was pursuing the Celtic tribe, defeated their army. At the same time, Julius defeated the German Suevi, who attacked the Gallic lands located on the territory of the Rhine River. After the war, the emperor wrote an essay on the conquest of Gaul, “Notes on the Gallic War.”
In 55 BC, the Roman military commander defeated the incoming Germanic tribes, and later Caesar himself decided to visit the territory of the Germans.
Caesar was the first commander of Ancient Rome who made a military campaign on the territory of the Rhine: Julius’s detachment moved along a specially built 400-meter bridge. However, the army of the Roman commander did not stay on the territory of Germany, and he attempted to make a campaign against the possessions of Britain. There, the military leader won a series of crushing victories, but the position of the Roman army was unstable, and Caesar had to retreat. Moreover, in 54 BC. Julius is forced to return to Gaul in order to suppress the uprising: the Gauls outnumbered the Roman army, but were defeated. By 50 BC, Gaius Julius Caesar had restored territories belonging to the Roman Empire.
During military operations, Caesar showed both strategic qualities and diplomatic skill; he knew how to manipulate the Gallic leaders and instill contradictions in them.
Dictatorship
After seizing Roman power, Julius became a dictator and took advantage of his position. Caesar changed the composition of the Senate, and also transformed the social structure of the empire: the lower classes stopped being driven to Rome, because the dictator canceled subsidies and reduced bread distributions.
Also, while in office, Caesar was engaged in construction: a new building named after Caesar was erected in Rome, where the Senate meeting was held, and an idol of the patroness of love and the Julian family, the Goddess of Venus, was erected in the central square of the capital of Italy. Caesar was named emperor, and his images and sculptures adorned the temples and streets of Rome. Every word of the Roman commander was equated to law.
Personal life
In addition to Cornelia Zinilla and Pompeii Sulla, the Roman emperor had other women. Julia's third wife was Calpurnia Pizonis, who came from a noble plebeian family and was a distant relative of Caesar's mother. The girl was married to the commander in 59 BC, the reason for this marriage is explained by political goals, after the marriage of his daughter, Calpurnia’s father becomes consul.
If we talk about Caesar’s sex life, the Roman dictator was loving and had relationships with women on the side.
Women of Gaius Julius Caesar: Cornelia Cinilla, Calpurnia Pisonis and Servilia There are also rumors that Julius Caesar was bisexual and engaged in carnal pleasures with men, for example, historians recall his youthful relationship with Nicomedes. Perhaps such stories took place only because they tried to slander Caesar.
If we talk about the famous mistresses of the politician, then one of the women on the side of the military leader was Servilia - the wife of Marcus Junius Brutus and the second bride of the consul Junius Silanus.
Caesar was condescending towards Servilia's love, so he tried to fulfill the wishes of her son Brutus, making him one of the first persons in Rome.
But the most famous woman of the Roman emperor is the Egyptian queen. At the time of the meeting with the ruler, who was 21 years old, Caesar was over fifty: a laurel wreath covered his bald head, and there were wrinkles on his face. Despite his age, the Roman emperor conquered the young beauty, the happy existence of the lovers lasted 2.5 years and ended when Caesar was killed.
It is known that Julius Caesar had two children: a daughter from his first marriage, Julia, and a son, born from Cleopatra, Ptolemy Caesarion.
Death
The Roman emperor died on March 15, 44 BC. The cause of death was a conspiracy of senators who were indignant over the dictator's four-year rule. 14 people took part in the conspiracy, but the main one is considered to be Marcus Junius Brutus, the son of Servilia, the emperor’s mistress. Caesar loved Brutus infinitely and trusted him, placing the young man in a superior position and protecting him from difficulties. However, the devoted republican Marcus Junius, for the sake of political goals, was ready to kill the one who endlessly supported him.
Some ancient historians believed that Brutus was the son of Caesar, since Servilia had a love relationship with the commander at the time of the future conspirator’s conception, but this theory cannot be confirmed by reliable sources.
According to legend, the day before the conspiracy against Caesar, his wife Calpurnia had a terrible dream, but the Roman emperor was too trusting, and also recognized himself as a fatalist - he believed in the predetermination of events.
The conspirators gathered in the building where the Senate meetings were held, near the Theater of Pompeii. No one wanted to become the sole killer of Julius, so the criminals decided that each would inflict one single blow on the dictator.
The ancient Roman historian Suetonius wrote that when Julius Caesar saw Brutus, he asked: “And you, my child?”, and in his book he writes the famous quote: “And you, Brutus?”
Caesar's death hastened the fall of the Roman Empire: the people of Italy, who valued Caesar's government, were furious that a group of Romans had killed the great emperor. To the surprise of the conspirators, the only heir was named Caesar - Guy Octavian.
The life of Julius Caesar, as well as stories about the commander, are replete with interesting facts and mysteries:
- The month of July is named after the Roman emperor;
- Caesar's contemporaries claimed that the emperor suffered from epileptic seizures;
- During gladiator fights, Caesar constantly wrote something on pieces of paper. One day the ruler was asked how he manages to do two things at once? To which he replied: “Caesar can do three things at the same time: write, watch, and listen.”. This expression has become popular; sometimes Caesar is jokingly called a person who takes on several tasks at the same time;
- In almost all photographic portraits, Gaius Julius Caesar appears before the audience wearing a laurel wreath. Indeed, in life the commander often wore this triumphal headdress, because he began to go bald early;
- About 10 films were made about the great commander, but not all are biographical in nature. For example, in the series "Rome" the ruler remembers the uprising of Spartacus, but some scholars believe that the only connection between the two commanders is that they were contemporaries;
- Phrase "I came, I saw, I conquered" belongs to Gaius Julius Caesar: the commander pronounced it after the capture of Turkey;
- Caesar used a code for secret correspondence with generals. Although the “Caesar cipher” is primitive: the letter in the word was replaced by the symbol that was to the left or to the right in the alphabet;
- The famous Caesar salad is named not after the Roman ruler, but after the chef who came up with the recipe.
Quotes
- "Victory depends on the valor of the legions."
- “When one loves, call it what you want: slavery, affection, respect... But this is not love - love is always reciprocated!”
- “Live in such a way that your friends will be bored when you die.”
- “No victory can bring as much as one defeat can take away.”
- “War gives the conquerors the right to dictate any conditions to the conquered.”
Nikolai Svanidze, historian
Julius Caesar was killed because in the Roman Republic, and Rome was still a republic at that time, the elite was not ready for dictatorship. She was not yet ready for autocratic authoritarian rule. And even when performed by such a great man as Julius Caesar, this did not make a positive impression on the top of Roman society. That is, the murder of Julius Caesar was a manifestation of the love of freedom, which was then still present in the Roman political elite.
Vladimir Erlikhman, candidate of historical sciences; ZhZL series editor
It was a conspiracy of conservatives, that is, old people. The definition of senate is an assembly of elders, and most of the conspirators were from the senate. By that time, the liquidation of the republic in Rome had been going on for almost a century, but it was Caesar who made it irrevocable. Naturally, supporters of the republic, by which they understood the power of a narrow circle of the republican elite, were unhappy with this and tried to eliminate it. They did not have any mass support, because by that time the then republic had already become an anachronism, this became clear to everyone. In general, even in the Senate itself they had a minority, and this anecdotal conspiracy would inevitably have failed if Caesar himself had not allowed it to come true.
We know that he did not pay attention to all the warnings and on the day of his murder he behaved completely fatalistically - this was described by all historians of that time. He was really tired of power and, perhaps, of life. At that time he was a very old man and, apparently, decided - come what may. Only this allowed the plans of these conspirators, unpopular among the elite and having absolutely no historical perspective, to come true.
Korolenkov Anton Viktorovich, andhistorian, writer
The order that he created did not suit the part of his circle that organized the conspiracy, since they were not used to this. The republican system in their eyes was as natural as the rising and setting of the sun. Anthony, who knew about the conspiracy, according to the sources, but did not give them up. Judging by all the signs, he was aiming for Caesar’s place and understood that if he died, he would take his place. Who, moreover, orchestrated the conspiracy? Mostly Republicans, although some of Caesar’s people also supported him. But, apparently, they simply did not expect him to take so much power; even for them it was unusual.
It’s one thing to take first places in the conditions of a republican game, and another thing when this game is completely canceled and replaced with appointments. This was very unusual for them. If we talk about why Caesar did not predict the conspiracy, then, most likely, on the one hand, he was simply dizzy with success, and on the other, he could have overestimated the mental abilities of those around him. His entire system was tied to one person, and it was easy to guess that if he was killed, a new civil war would begin. And so it happened. He understood this, but those who killed him apparently did not understand. He thought—and he was right—that power was not on their side. Because Caesar's killers lost. And not only did they lose personally, but they also lost their case. People have a tendency to sometimes overestimate the intellectual abilities of those around them, especially those who are very smart. For him, the average level of thinking was what for others was an unattainable height. It seemed obvious to him that no one would dare do this. A simple example can be given: when Henry de Guise was informed that Henry III would kill him, he said that he would not dare. But he dared.
Maxim Shevchenko, journalist
The Roman political system was somewhat different, not the same as we imagine it today. When the Romans talked about democracy, a republic, and the power of the people, they had in mind primarily religious concepts. The city itself is a deity from the Roman point of view. Service to the city, the form of organization of power, the Senate, the proconsuls established by the founding fathers of the city - all this is sacred and sacred. Caesar was accused of seeking to usurp power, to tyranny. And the republicans, supporters of the old Roman laws and old Roman traditions, hatched a conspiracy, which led to the murder of Caesar. This overlapped with competition between equestrian and patrician families.
But initially, of course, Caesar spoke from the point of view of modernization, authoritarianization, and concentration of resources. The imperial reform corresponded to the historical tasks that the Roman Republic had come to at that time. After the victory in the Punic Wars, Rome began to control such world spaces that it was impossible to solve the problem of managing these spaces through the Senate, that is, through domination and coordination of the interests of several patrician families. Ultimately, it was this modernization form that found political embodiment in the personality of Octavian Augustus, who was the adopted son of Caesar. The story of Caesar shows us that democracy is not always progress, and authoritarianism is not always regression. Authoritarian reform - Caesar's idea - was more consistent with the tasks that the Roman Empire set for itself as a state striving for world domination. His opponents just didn’t understand this. They couldn't agree more. Brutus, Cassius, Cicero and several others. This is where his murder took place.
Before examining the causes of Caesar's death, as well as their consequences, it is necessary to reveal the identity of this man.
Gaius Julius Caesar is a great Roman military leader, consul, statesman and politician. During his lifetime, Caesar was famous for his excellent health and determination; he had excellent military leadership talents.
Caesar himself achieved all the high positions in the republic. All he had was a name, but at first there were no funds or support.
First of all, he should be noted as a military leader. Under his command, all of Gaul was captured, which no one had managed to do before. Caesar inflicted a crushing defeat on the Gallic tribes and they stopped resisting.
Julius Caesar reformed the republic and laid the foundation for the formation of an empire. In 46 BC. e. Caesar achieved that he became the sole ruler of the republic, and the Senate began to play a much smaller role.
Reasons for killing Caesar
As already mentioned, Julius Caesar achieved that he became a dictator. He concentrated all branches of power in himself, and significantly reduced the powers of the Senate. This, of course, caused serious dissatisfaction on the part of the senators. They were afraid that Caesar would destroy the republic and establish imperial power, turning Rome into an empire where the Senate would no longer be the main body of government.
This is considered to be the main cause of Caesar's death. He was also a very trusting person, and in particular he trusted Brutus, who was the initiator of the conspiracy against Caesar.
Caesar was killed during a meeting of the Senate on March 15, 44 BC. e. About eighty senators opposed Caesar and managed to bring daggers into the hall. When one of the senators gave the signal to attack, everyone attacked him and stabbed him several times. However, this did not break Caesar; as historians say, he desperately fought back. But when he saw Brutus among the conspirators, whom he loved like a son, he stopped resisting. Caesar's last words were: “And you, my child?”
Julius Caesar died from more than twenty stab wounds. Historians claim that Caesar remained alive for a long time, despite the huge number of wounds, he held out until the guards arrived.
Consequences of Caesar's assassination
Caesar's death came as a shock to the entire republic. Caesar's closest friends, like the army, wanted to avenge the murder of the greatest of the Romans. Among the people, Julius Caesar was a respected man; almost all segments of society wanted the death of the conspirators.
Mark Antony and Octavian dealt with Brutus and Cassius. Octavian was named Caesar's heir and became the first Roman emperor.
The Senate hoped that Caesar's death could preserve the republic, but everything happened exactly the opposite. The murder accelerated changes in the state, the Republicans were unable to consolidate their position in power, tarnishing their name, and then Octavian, supported by the people, as the man who avenged the death of Caesar, received the imperial throne, and the conspirators were executed.
The assassination of Julius Caesar occurred on March 15, 44 BC. e. A group of conspirators attacked the dictator right in the Senate chamber. He suffered numerous puncture wounds, which caused his death. A man who can actually be considered the first Roman emperor has passed away.
Reasons for the assassination of Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar (100-44 BC) - a prominent political figure in Ancient Rome. In 49 BC. e. became a dictator, concentrating all power in his hands. But in this case, the conversation is not about a person who has seized all the power, but about an administrative position in the Roman Republic. The dictator was appointed by decision of the Senate for a maximum of 1 year. And the reason could be internal unrest, political instability or military invasion from outside. In such a situation there was a need for a strong hand. When the situation returned to normal, the dictator lost his powers
Caesar's dictatorial powers were renewed every year due to the Civil War. But in 46 BC. e. There were no longer any justifications for appointment to this position. However, Caesar's supporters again proclaimed him dictator, and even with powers for 10 years. Considering that Guy was already well over 50, his dictatorship could be considered lifelong.
In 45, Guy added the word “emperor” (victorious commander) to his name. And in the same year, Emperor Caesar was again appointed to the post of dictator, but for life. Now it turned out that the Roman Republic continued to exist only formally. In fact, all power was concentrated in the hands of one person, who relied on the army and devoted like-minded people.
The usurpation of power did not find support among certain sections of the Roman population. In particular, the nobles (Roman aristocracy) and some Caesarians opposed it. These people stood up for traditional political institutions, believing that dictatorship would not be able to solve the moral and political problems that were brewing in society. And Cicero drew a parallel between the reign of Julius Caesar and royal power.
However, the newly-made dictator (in the literal sense of the word) ignored the dissatisfied and started a campaign for his own sacralization. It was announced to everyone that the ancestors of the Julian family were the gods. And Venus was considered the ancestor in a direct line. A temple was erected in her honor and a magnificent cult was organized. The dictator's chariot and his statue were installed in the Temple of Jupiter on the Capitol. And the most important temple of Rome turned out to be dedicated not only to Jupiter, but also to Caesar, who began to be called a demigod.
Thus, a cult of personality arose very quickly. Moreover, everything was done for the deification of Guy. He even stopped getting up from his throne during a conversation with senators, which alienated many of his loyal comrades. All this was the reason for the conspiracy of democracy supporters. As a result, the assassination of Julius Caesar became a reality.
The organizer of the conspiracy is considered to be Gaius Longinus Cassius. The second person among the conspirators is Marcus Junius Brutus. It is noteworthy that his mother was the dictator's mistress. As a result of this, Caesar trusted Brutus, but was prejudiced towards Cassius. It was these two people who gathered around them senators who were dissatisfied with the usurpation of power.
There were 80 conspirators in total. They decided to deal with the tyrant at one of the Senate meetings and chose Julius Caesar to kill on March 15, 44 BC. e. But before this date, the dictator was repeatedly hinted to take care of his safety. Guy never carried a weapon with him and had no security, living by the principle that it was better to die once than to be afraid all his life.
On that fateful day, approaching the Senate building, Julius Caesar collided with a man. He quickly handed him a small scroll and left. It spoke of a planned conspiracy. But the dictator did not read the warning because he was distracted by other people. Chatting with those around him, Guy walked into the Senate. There he sat down on his throne, and Senator Lucius Tillius Cimber immediately approached him. He began to ask for his brother, who was exiled.
Taking advantage of the fact that the dictator was distracted while talking with Lucius, the conspirators began to surround the throne. When the petitioner was convinced that Caesar was in a tight ring, he pulled him by the toga. This was the signal for an attack.
The conspirators decided in advance that they would kill the tyrant as a whole team in order to bind themselves with mutual responsibility. Therefore, pushing each other, people rushed towards Guy, pulled out daggers and began to strike. He tried to resist with a writing stick, and even scratched several people with it. But the blows rained down. The tyrant wrapped his head in a toga and fell to the floor. And the heated conspirators dealt several more blows to the motionless body.
While the massacre was going on, Caesar saw Brutus among the conspirators and was incredibly surprised at this. He is credited with the phrase: “And you too, my child?” But Plutarch claims that the dictator said nothing and fell silently at the feet of his murderers, which is more likely to be true.
In total, Caesar received 23 puncture wounds. And only one of them turned out to be fatal. The conspirators behaved nervously, hurried, pushed and even injured each other. But be that as it may, the goal of the conspiracy was achieved. The tyrant died and freed the hands of the senators.
However, the murder of Julius Caesar did not bring happiness to the attackers. Ordinary citizens of Rome were deeply outraged by the bloody conspiracy. All this soon resulted in a new Civil War. She destroyed the main conspirators and brought Octavian Augustus into the political arena. It was under him that the Roman Empire was created. As for the murdered dictator, the name of this man has survived centuries and is as well known today as it was 2 thousand years ago.
Gaius Julius Caesar (born July 12, 100 BC, death March 15, 44 BC) - great commander, politician, writer, dictator, high priest of Ancient Rome. He began his political activities as a supporter of the democratic group, holding the positions of military tribune in 73, aedile in 65, praetor in 62. Wanting to achieve a consulate, in 60 he entered into an alliance with Gnaeus Pompey and Crassus (1st triumvirate).
Consul in 59, then governor of Gaul; in 58-51 was able to subjugate all of Trans-Alpine Gaul to Rome. 49 - relying on the army, he began to fight for autocracy. Having defeated Pompey and his allies in 49-45. (Crassus died in 53), concentrated in his hands a number of important republican positions (dictator, consul, etc.) and essentially became a monarch.
With his conquest of Gaul, Caesar expanded the Roman Empire to the shores of the North Atlantic and was able to bring modern France under Roman influence, and also launched an invasion of the British Isles. Caesar's activities radically changed the cultural and political face of Western Europe, leaving an indelible mark on the lives of subsequent generations of Europeans. He was killed as a result of a Republican conspiracy.
Origin. early years
Gaius Julius Caesar was born in Rome. As a child, he studied Greek, literature, and rhetoric at home. He also did physical activities: swimming, horse riding. Among the teachers of the young Caesar was the famous great rhetorician Gniphon, who was also one of the teachers of Marcus Tullius Cicero.
As a representative of the old patrician Julian family, Caesar began to engage in politics from a young age. In Ancient Rome, politics was closely intertwined with family relationships: Caesar's aunt, Julia, was the wife of Gaius Maria, who was the ruler of Rome at that time, and Caesar's first wife, Cornelia, was the daughter of Cinna, the successor of the same Maria.
The antiquity of the Caesar family itself is difficult to establish (the first known one dates back to the end of the 3rd century BC). The father of the future dictator, also Gaius Julius Caesar the Elder (proconsul of Asia), stopped in his career as a praetor. Guy's mother, Aurelia Cotta, was from the noble and wealthy Aurelius family. My paternal grandmother came from the ancient Roman family of Marcius. Around 85 BC. e. Guy lost his father.
Carier start
The young Caesar showed particular interest in the art of eloquence. On his 16th birthday, Caesar donned a one-color toga, symbolizing his maturity.
The young Caesar began his career by becoming a priest of the supreme god of Rome, Jupiter, and asked for Cornelia's hand in marriage. The girl’s consent made it possible for the aspiring politician to receive the necessary support in power, which would be one of the starting points that predetermined his great future.
But his political career was not destined to take off too quickly - power in Rome was seized by Sulla (82 BC). He ordered the future dictator to divorce his wife, but upon hearing a categorical refusal, he deprived him of the title of priest and all his property. Only the protective position of his relatives, who were in Sulla’s inner circle, saved his life.
And yet, this turn in fate did not break Guy, but only contributed to the development of his personality. Having lost his priestly privileges in 81 BC, Caesar began his military career, went to the East where he took part in his first military campaign under the leadership of Minucius (Marcus) Termus, the goal of which was to suppress pockets of resistance to power in the Roman province of Asia (Asia Minor). , Pergamon). During the campaign, Guy's first military glory came. 78 BC - during the assault on the city of Mytilene (Lesbos island), he was awarded the “oak wreath” badge for saving the life of a Roman citizen.
But Julius Caesar did not devote himself only to military affairs. He began to pursue a career as a politician, returning to Rome after the death of Sulla. Caesar began speaking at trials. The young speaker’s speech was so captivating and temperamental that crowds of people gathered to listen to him. This is how Caesar replenished the ranks of his supporters. His speeches were recorded, and his phrases were divided into quotes. Guy was truly passionate about oratory and was constantly improving in this matter. To develop his oratorical abilities, he went to the island of Rhodes to study the art of eloquence from the famous rhetorician Apollonius Molon.
However, on the way there he was captured by pirates, from where he was later ransomed by Asian ambassadors for 50 talents. Wanting revenge, Caesar equipped several ships and himself took the pirates prisoner, executing them by crucifixion. 73 BC e. — Caesar was included in the collegial governing body of the pontiffs, where his uncle Gaius Aurelius Cotta had previously ruled.
69 BC e. - his wife Cornelia died during the birth of her second child, the baby also did not survive. At the same time, Caesar’s aunt, Julia Maria, also died. Caesar soon became a Roman magistrate, which gave him the opportunity to enter the Senate. He was sent to Far Spain, where he had to take upon himself the resolution of financial issues and the execution of orders from the propraetor Antistius Veta. 67 BC e. - Gaius Julius married Pompey Sulla, granddaughter of Sulla.
Political career
65 BC e. — Caesar was elected magistrate of Rome. His responsibilities included expanding construction in the city, maintaining trade and public events.
64 BC e. - Caesar becomes the head of the judicial commission on criminal trials, which gave him the opportunity to bring to account and punish many of Sulla's supporters. 63 BC e. — Quintus Metellus Pius died, vacating his lifelong position as Pontifex Maximus. Gaius Julius decided to nominate his candidacy for her. Caesar's opponents were the consul Quintus Catulus Capitolinus and the commander Publius Vatia Isauricus. After many bribes, Gaius Julius Caesar won the election by a large margin and moved to live on the Sacred Road in the state housing of the pontiff.
Military career
In order to strengthen his own political position and existing power, Gaius Julius entered into a secret conspiracy with Pompey and Crassus, thereby uniting two influential politicians with opposing views. As a result of the conspiracy, a powerful alliance of military leaders and politicians emerged, called the First Triumvirate.
The beginning of the military leadership of Gaius Julius was his Gallic proconsulate, when large military forces came under his jurisdiction, which enabled him to begin his invasion of Transalpine Gaul in 58 BC. After victories over the Celts and Germans in 58-57 BC. Guy began to conquer the Gallic tribes. Already in 56 BC. e. vast territories between the Alps, Pyrenees and the Rhine came under Roman rule.
Guy Julius rapidly developed his success: having crossed the Rhine, he inflicted a number of defeats on the German tribes. His next dizzying success was two campaigns in Britain and its complete subjugation to Rome.
53 BC e. - a fateful event for Rome occurred: Crassus died in the Parthian campaign. After which the fate of the triumvirate was sealed. Pompey did not want to comply with previous agreements with Caesar and began to pursue an independent policy. The Roman Republic was on the verge of collapse. The dispute between Caesar and Pompey for power began to take on the character of an armed confrontation.
Civil War
The capture of Gaul made Caesar, who was already an outstanding political figure, a popular hero in Rome - too popular and powerful, according to his opponents. When his military command ended, he was ordered to return to Rome as a private citizen - that is, without his troops. Caesar was afraid - and, apparently, rightly so - that if he returned to Rome without an army, his opponents might take the opportunity to destroy him.
On the night of January 10-11, 49 BC. e. He openly challenges the Roman Senate - he crossed the Rubicon River in northern Italy with his army and marched his troops to Rome. This clearly illegal action caused a civil war between Caesar's legions and the forces of the Senate. It lasted for 4 years and ended with the complete victory of Caesar. The last battle took place near the city of Munda in Spain on March 7, 45 BC. e.
Dictatorship
Gaius Julius already understood that the effective, enlightened despotism required by Rome could only be provided by himself. He returned to Rome in October 45 BC. e. and soon became dictator for life. 44 BC e., February - he was offered the throne, but Caesar refused.
All the power of Gaius Julius Caesar rested on the army, therefore his election to all subsequent positions was a formality. During his reign, Caesar and his associates carried out many reforms. But it is quite difficult to determine which of them date back to his reign. The most famous is the reform of the Roman calendar. Citizens had to switch to the solar calendar, which was developed by a scientist from Alexandria Sosingen. So, from 45 BC. The Julian calendar, known to everyone today, appeared.
Assassination of Caesar
Caesar was killed on March 15, 44 BC. e., on the way to a Senate meeting. When friends once advised Caesar to beware of his enemies and surround himself with guards, the dictator replied: “It is better to die once than to constantly expect death.” During the attack, the dictator had a stylus in his hands - a writing stick, and he somehow resisted - in particular, after the first blow, he pierced the hand of one of the conspirators with it. One of his killers was Marcus Junius Brutus, one of his close friends. Seeing him among the conspirators, Caesar cried out: “And you, my child?” and stopped resisting.
Most of the wounds inflicted on him were not deep, although many were inflicted: 23 puncture wounds were counted on his body; The frightened conspirators themselves wounded each other, trying to reach Caesar. There are two different versions of his death: that he died from a fatal blow and that death occurred after great blood loss.