GAIVS IVLIVS CAESAR

"Veni, vidi, vici." - I came, I saw, I conquered
G. Iulius Caesar (100 - 44 BC)

by Aquilius Iulius Caesar

INTRODUCTION

With a desire for progress and a will to conquer, Julius Caesar eventually became ruler of the most powerful nation in the world. He was a born leader and military genius, and with his legions conquered the better part of modern-day Europe. The power that his heroism and valor had brought him was feared and hated by his enemies in the Senate, and was eventually killed by a group of Senators who had taken an oath to protect him with their lives. The leading conspirators, C. Cassius Longinus and Marcus Brutus had slain him in an attempt to stop the Republic returning to the wealth and greed of the old Monarchy. Caesar's actual intentions were, to rescue Rome from the greed and injustice which had unsettled the country and led to civil war and to do it by moving the Republic forward, conquering, and bringing the people together. Their attempt to crush a non-existant threat eventually forced Rome into an Empire, it returned to civil war once more, and in the eyes of history the waste of a heroic, powerful man and Roman patriot is made clear.

THE RISE OF CAESAR

The year 67 saw Caesar marry Pompeia, a relative of Pompeius Magnus who's wealth Caesar depended upon. In the year 65 Caesar stood and was elected Curule Aedile, beside Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus. Later, in 63 he was looking for election as Pontifex Maximus, which he won easily and was also in the same year elected Praetor for 62, which calmed down his creditors since the office of Praetor was usually a lucrative one. By the end of his term as Praetor, however, he was once again vulnerable to his creditors, and it was only by a successful military expedition in which he won sufficient loot to demand a Triumph, which would settle the demands of his creditors. Seeking the post of Consul in 59, he left his province before his successor arrived, bending the law. His popularity with the people, as well as the help of Pompeius and Crassus was such an irresistable combination, a combination which was further strengthened by the marriage of Pompeius to Caesar's daughter, Julia. Caesar eventually married Calpurnia, having divorced his first wife in 62 after a major scandal involving Publius Clodius. It was likely Caesar would win the election, and Cato and the Optimates did everything in their power to prevent him gaining the Imperium (military power), he sought. After bribery, the election of Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus, who had served beside Caesar as Curule Aedile in 65 as the other Consul was secured. Roman Custom was to name the year after the incumbent Consuls, but in 59 Caesar dominated the Consulate so much that the year was later referred to as the year of Consuls Julius and Caesar. Although the Optimates were fiercely opposed to the triumvirate it was entirely legal and with a Populist Consul, the Republic of Rome, for the first time, had what resembled a majority government. During his term, Caesar declared himself Proconsul of Gaul. The following year he set off with six legions on a campaign through Gaul, first crushing the Helvetii and then the Germanic mercenaries under Ariovistus. 57 saw the subdual of the last Belgic tribes in the North. All the while Pompeius was getting more jealous of Caesar's successes in the field. Caesar invited Pompeius and Crassus to a meeting in Cisalpine Gaul in order to repair the alliance, which he did. It was decided that Pompeius and Crassus should be Consuls for 55, and Caesar's command in Gaul was extended for a further five years, also that he should again be made Consul at the end of his Gallic command. After the elections of Crassus and Pompeius, Crassus travelled to the east, and left Pompeius the office of Consul alone. The sudden death in 54 of Caesar's daughter Julia, who was also Pompeius' wife, did nothing for relations between Caesar and Pompeius. The death of Crassus the following year at the battle of Carrhae dissolved the triumvirate and set the stage for Pompeius to be elected sole consul in 52, due to street violence which included the burning of the Senate house, and growing anarchy. The Gallic Revolt in 51, led by the Arvenian Vercingetorix, gave Caesar his first defeat in Gaul when the siege at Gergovia was repulsed with heavy Roman losses. This defeat strengthened Caesar's resolve and, after repelling an attack while he was on the march, he besieged Vercingetorix again in Alesia. Although Alesia was a natural fortress, this time the siege was effective, and Vercingetorix was forced to surrender. Gaul was Caesar's, and he let the Gallic people know that by cutting the survivors hands off after he captured the fortress of Uxelladunum. This policy kept the Gallic province subdued for many years to come, and allowed Caesar to concentrate on events in Rome. The elections of 50 brought two Optimate Consuls who were intent that Caesar should lay down his command at its terminal date. However, Caesar had also had support, especially from the Tribune of Plebs and in particular G. Scribonius Curio, who got a resolution passed that both Pompeius and Caesar should lay down their commands simultaneously on December 1, 50. The next day, one of the Optimate Consuls, G. Claudius Marcellus offered command over all troops in Italy to Pompeius, who accepted. Caesar knew that for him to lay down his command would be political suicide. Pompeius would most likely be made Dictator and Caesar would be declared a public enemy. To refuse, however, would be to seal his own death.

ALEA IACTA EST

January 10, on the banks of the Rubicon River, and with half a veteran legion (about 1, 800 men), Caesar made the statement 'Alea iacta est' - 'the die is cast', and crossed the Rubicon onward to Rome. With popular support deeply in favor of Caesar, and even some of the Optimates deserting Pompeius as it became more obvious he could not defeat Caesar. Pompeius fled Rome with Caesar in pursuit and was eventually chased to Egypt and executed while Caesar assisted Cleopatra towards becoming Queen of Egypt. Cleopatra bore one child to Caesar, Caesarion. On July 25th, 46 BC, Caesar is proclaimed Dictator for the period of 10 years, although earlier that year, he had been given Censorial powers as Praefectura Morum, which now meant he held the power of all other offices in the Cursus Honorum. In the Febuary of 44 BC, he was named Dictatus Perpetuus - dictator for life, and it now meant Caesar had absolute control without the constitutional safeguards such as the veto of the Tribunes. The thing his enemies feared, Caesar's absolute power, had become fact. Caesar knew the dislike of the Republicans was upon him, in fact Cicero delivered a speech entitled 'Non Sum Rex sed Caesar'. Although he was not a king (he in fact despised monarchy), he had the powers of one, which lead to him being called 'Rex' - king, by certain Republicans. To satisfy the fears of the Republicans, he prosecuted all that called him Rex, and ordered a Tribune to remove a diadem (crown) placed on his statue. However the Republicans, falsely convinced that his actions - especially the naming of his nephew Octavian as his successor and him becoming the first ruler to have his head placed on Roman coins, were likened to that of a monarch, and began a conspiracy which lead to the death of a good man and fine Roman.

ASSASSINATION

On the 15th (Ides) of March, 44 BC, Cassius Longinus and Marcus Brutus, among other former and present Senators, stabbed Caesar some 60 times as he entered the Senate chamber:

"So it began... those who had come prepared for the murder all bared their daggers and hemmed Caesar in on every side. Whichever way he turned, he met the blows of daggers and saw the cold steel aimed at his face... for it had been agreed that they must all take part in the sacrifice, and all flesh themselves with his blood... Either by chance or because he was pushed there by his murderers, he fell down against the pedestal on which the statue of Pompey stood." - Plutarch

It is said that as Caesar lay dying, he pulled the toga he wore over his head, so that his murderers would not be able to see his face as he died. After the murder, the Roman people took his corpse to the Forum and burned it on a pyre.. a sign of honor and respect for a great man. Marcus Antonius, using Caesar's will, even further outraged Rome toward the assassins. The houses of Brutus and Cassius were burned to the ground, and the murderers fled Rome. Antony and another of Caesar's loyal commanders, M. Aemilius Lepidus pursued them, and eventually defeated the murderers at Modena.

JULIUS CAESAR'S WAR COMMENTARIES

The books of these works were made at the end of each year to the Senate in Rome, most likely to support an application for a Triumph. Caesar wrote commentaries on his campaign in Gaul (France) and the Civil war against Pompeius. The 8th book of the Gallic war and the later commentaries were not written by Caesar himself. The books are translated to English and are in HTML format. They can be found in Latin here

Gallic War
Book I
Book II
Book III
Book IV
Book V
Book VI
Book VII
Book VIII
Books I - VIII (.Zip)

Civil War
Book I
Book II
Book III
Books I - III (.Zip)

Later Campaigns
Alexandrian War
African War
Spanish War
Later Campaigns and Index (.Zip)