Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar was born in 100 BC. His family unit was one of the about important in Rome. Similar most young men of noble nativity Caesar became an officeholder in the Roman Army.
Suetonius wrote: "Caesar was a most skilled swordsman and horseman... If Caesar's troops gave ground he would often rally them in person, catching individual soldiers by the throat and forcing them round to face the enemy over again... He fixed the daily pay of the soldiers at double what it had been... and gave each man a Gallic slave."
His career nearly came to an terminate when at the historic period of twenty-five he was captured past pirates. Instead of killing him they demanded a ransom. His family paid the money and he was released. Caesar was furious that he should be humiliated in this way and with some friends he managed to find the pirates and had them all crucified. Later on he boasted that he had warned the pirates that if they let him go he would have them killed.
Caesar had political ambitions and when he was elected aedile in 65 BC he spent a fortune providing gladiatorial contests for the Roman public. He was at present deeply in debt but it helped him become a well known effigy, and in 59 BC he was elected consul.
Once in power he brought in a new bill that provided land for old soldiers. When the Senate refused to pass the measure out Caesar took the bill to the Public Associates. This action gained him the support of the army and the people of Rome. It also created a lot of powerful enemies in the Senate, especially when he resorted to employing men to beat up senators who disagreed with him.
At the end of his term every bit consul, Caesar became commander of the Roman Ground forces in Narbonese Gaul. The Gauls were excellent cavalrymen and on occasions capable of defeating the Romans. Even so, the Gauls were made upwards of a collection of smaller tribes who constitute it difficult to work together.
Caesar was confident that in the long term, his well-organised forces would exist able to defeat the Gauls that controlled central and northern Europe. First he defeated the Helvetii that inhabit nowadays day Switzerland. He followed this with victories over the Gauls that lived in northern Europe. Later reaching the English Channel in 55 BC Caesar decided to invade Britain.
Caesar's armed forces campaign made him very rich. The wealth that he had plundered from northern Europe had changed him from a homo securely in debt into a multi-millionaire.
To brand sure everybody knew virtually his military machine victories, Caesar wrote a volume about his campaigns and had information technology published in Rome. The Senate became concerned about his growing popularity. To forestall Caesar from gaining ability they appointed another famous Roman soldier, Pompey, to accept command of the country. The Senate then passed a motion insisting that Caesar should retire from part.
Caesar reacted by ordering his men to march on Rome. At Corfinium, in 48 BC Caesar defeated troops loyal to the Senate. When news reached Rome of Caesar'south victory, his enemies fled. Velleius reported: "Caesar, victorious over all his enemies, returned to Rome, and pardoned all who had borne arms against him, an human activity of generosity well-nigh beyond conventionalities. He entertained the metropolis with the magnificent spectacle of a gladiatorial testify, a sham battle of cavalry, infantry, and even mounted elephants."
Pompey decided to retreat to Macedonia, where he knew he could rely on the loyalty of his troops. Withal, Caesar'southward troops, highly experienced after their campaigns against the Gauls, were vastly superior to Pompey's soldiers who had not fought for twelve years. After a series of defeats, Pompey escaped to Egypt.
Frightened that Caesar would now invade Arab republic of egypt, Ptolemy Xiii arranged the execution of Pompey on 28th September. The head of Pompey was sent to Caesar to show he was non being protected by the Egyptians. When Caesar arrived in Alexandria ii days later, Ptolemy presented him with Pompey's severed head. Caesar was appalled by this human activity of violence against a leading Roman citizen. Caesar reacted by seizing the Egyptian capital.
At first he intended to demand a big sum of money in return for leaving the country. However, while in Egypt, Caesar met Cleopatra, the country'southward 20-one-year-onetime queen. Caesar, who was now l-two and had already been married three times earlier, savage securely in honey with Cleopatra. Subsequently defeating King Ptolemy Thirteen, Caesar restored Cleopatra to her throne, with another younger brother Ptolemy 14 every bit new co-ruler.
On 23 June 47 BC Cleopatra gave birth to a child, Ptolemy Caesar (nicknamed "Caesarion"). Cleopatra claimed that Caesar was the father and wished him to name the boy his heir, only Caesar refused, choosing his grandnephew Octavian instead.
When Caesar returned to Rome he appointed 300 of his supporters as members of the Senate. Although the Senate and Public Assembly still met, it was Caesar who now made all the important decisions. By 44 BC Caesar was powerful enough to declare himself dictator for life. Although in the by Roman leaders had become dictators in times of crisis, no one had taken this much power.
A whole range of magnificent buildings named after Caesar and his family unit were erected. Hundreds of sculptures of Caesar, nearly of them made by captured Greek artists, were distributed throughout the Roman Empire. Some of the statues claimed that Caesar was now a God. Caesar also became the first living homo to appear on a Roman money. Even the calendar month of the year that he was born, Quintilis, was renamed July in his honour.
Caesar began wearing long red boots. As the aboriginal kings used to vesture like boots, rumours began to spread that Caesar planned to make himself king. Caesar denied these charges just the Roman people, who had a strong dislike of the kingship organization, began to worry about the way Caesar was dominating political life.
Cleopatra, Ptolemy XIV and Caesarion visited Rome in summer 46 BC. They stayed in one of Caesars country houses. Members of the Senate disapproved of the relationship betwixt Cleopatra and Caesar, partly because he was already married to Calpurnia Pisonis. Others objected to the fact that she was a foreigner. Cicero disliked her for moral reasons: "Her (Cleopatra) manner of walking... her dress, her gratuitous style of talking, her embraces and kisses, her beach-parties and dinner-parties, all show her to be a tart."
Later Plutarch attempted to explain why some men found her attractive: "Her bodily beauty, it is said, was non in itself remarkable... but the attraction of her person, joining with the charm of her conversation... was something bewitching. It was a pleasure just to hear the sound of her voice, with which, like an instrument of many strings, she could pass from one language to some other, so that in that location were few of the nations that she needed an interpreter... which was all the more surprising because near of her predecessors, scarcely gave themselves the problem to acquire the Egyptian natural language."
Caesar attempted to gain the total support of the people by declaring his intention to lead a armed services campaign confronting the Parthians. However, many had doubts most the wisdom of trying to increase the size of the Roman Empire. They believed it would be better to concentrate on organising what they already had.
Rumours began to spread that Caesar planned to make himself king. Plutarch wrote: "What made Caesar hated was his passion to be king." Caesar denied these charges but the Roman people, who had a strong dislike of the kingship system, began to worry nigh the way Caesar made all the decisions. Even his friends complained that he was no longer willing to listen to advice. Finally, a grouping of senators decided to kill Caesar.
Even some of Caesar's closest friends were concerned about his unwillingness to mind to advice. Eventually, a grouping of threescore men, including Marcus Brutus, rumoured to be one of Caesar'due south illegitimate sons, decided to assassinate Caesar.
Plans were made to carry out the assassination in the Senate just 3 days before he was due to exit for Parthia. When Caesar arrived at the Senate a grouping of senators gathered round him. Publius Servilius Casca stabbed him from backside. Caesar looked circular for help but now the residual of the group pulled out their daggers. 1 of the start men Caesar saw was Brutus and was reported to take declared, "You too, my son." Caesar knew it was useless to resist and pulled his toga over his head and waited for the final blows to arrive.
Subsequently Cicero commented: "Caesar subjected the Roman people to oppression... Is there anyone, except Antony who did not wish for his death or who disapproved of what was done?... Some didn't know of the plot, some lacked courage, others the opportunity. None lacked the will."
Primary Sources
(one) Cicero, part of a letter to his friend Cornelius Nepos (50 BC)
Exercise you know of a human being who... can speak better than Caesar? Or anyone who makes then many witty remarks?
(two) Suetonius, Julius Caesar (c. Ad 110)
Caesar was a most practiced swordsman and horseman, and showed surprising powers of endurance. He always led his regular army, more than frequently on human foot than in the saddle, went bareheaded in sun and rain alike, and could travel for long distances at incredible speed... If Caesar'southward troops gave basis he would often rally them in person, catching private fugitives by the throat and forcing them circular to face the enemy once again... He always addressed his soldiers non with "My men", but with "Comrades" ... which put them into a ameliorate humour. He stock-still the daily pay of the regular soldiers at double what information technology had been and occasionally gave each human being a slave.
(3) Plutarch, Julius Caesar (c. Advertizement 110)
What fabricated Caesar hated was his passion to be king.
(four) Jordanes, The Origin of the Deeds of the Goths (c. AD 550)
Then came Caesar... who conquered all kingdoms and fifty-fifty seized islands across our globe.
(5) Cicero, oral communication (43 BC)
Caesar's character was a combination of genius, retentiveness, thoroughness, culture, intellect and industry.
(6) Julius Caesar, The Civil War (c. 48 BC)
History proves that by practising cruelty you earn nothing but hatred. Nobody has ever achieved a lasting victory by such means.
(7) Julius Caesar, The Gallic War (c. 52 BC)
At that place was also a swell crowd of women and children in the German camp... They began to flee in all directions, and were hunted downwards by the cavalry which I sent out for the purpose... A large number were killed, and the rest plunged into the water and perished, overcome by the force of the electric current in their terror-stricken and exhausted state.
(8) Julius Caesar, Analogy (c. threescore BC)
As the sailor avoids the stone, so should y'all (the historian) avoid the word that is obsolete or rare.
(ix) Hirtius, ane of Caesar's generals in the Gallic War (c. 42 BC)
Caesar saw that his clemency was so well known that no i would recall him a fell man if for once he took astringent measures. So he decided to deter all others past making an instance of the defenders of Uxellodunum. All who had borne arms had their easily cut off and were then let go, so that everyone might see what penalty was meted out to evildoers.
(10) Velleius, Compendium of Roman History (c. Advertising 20)
Caesar, victorious over all his enemies, returned to Rome, and pardoned all who had borne artillery against him, an act of generosity almost across belief. He entertained the city with the magnificent spectacle of a gladiatorial show, a sham battle of cavalry, infantry, and even mounted elephants.
(11) Plutarch, Julius Caesar (c. Advert 110)
When his friends advised him to have a guard, and several offered their services, he would not hear of it; but said it was amend to suffer death once than e'er to live in fright of it.
(12) Suetonius, Julius Caesar (c. Advertisement 110)
It was about 10 o'clock when he set off for the senate. As he went, someone handed him a note containing details of the plot against his life, just he but added it to the bundle of papers in his left manus... Every bit soon as Caesar took `his seat the conspirators crowded around him equally if to pay their respects... Cimber caught concord of his shoulders. "This is violence!" Caesar cried, and at that moment one of the Casca brothers slipped behind him and with a sweep of his dagger stabbed him but below the throat... he was leaping abroad when another dagger caught him in the breast. Twenty-three dagger thrusts went dwelling house equally he stood at that place.
(thirteen) Cicero, On the State (c. 43 BC)
Caesar subjected the Roman people to oppression... Is there anyone, except Antony who did not wish for his expiry or who disapproved of what was done?... Some didn't know of the plot, some lacked courage,
others the opportunity. None lacked the will.
Questions
ane. Study source 2. How does this source assistance to explicate why Julius Caesar was a successful
soldier?
two. Why did Julius Caesar become such an important effigy in the Roman Empire between 58 BC and 51 BC?
3. Who ruled Rome betwixt fifty BC and 44 BC, the Senate or Julius Caesar?
four. Julius Caesar was aware of the importance of cocky-promotion. What methods did Julius Caesar utilise to spread information most himself?
half dozen. Read about Cicero. Show how this information helps to explain the views expressed by Cicero in sources 1, five and 13.
7. How do sources iii, xi and 13 assist to explain why Caesar was killed?
Source: https://spartacus-educational.com/ROMcaesar.htm
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