After Marius's victory over the Germanic tribes, the Roman republic was in turmoil. In an attempt to restore stability, hero of the nation Marius and consul Sulla intervened militarily in Rome. Victorious general Lucullus also faced rebellion from his own troops during foreign campaigns. The rampant corruption among high-ranking officials necessitated military action for law and order maintenance. Governors focused solely on personal wealth accumulation in foreign provinces hindered any potential growth or survival of the Roman empire.
Before settling on dictatorship, Rome explored different types of governance including Kingship, aristocratic republic, and democratic republic. Julius Caesar, who was born circa 100 B.C., displayed capable leadership skills and was considered suitable for the role.
Although he was bald at a young age, this man was tall with a fair complexion and dark eyes. He gained fame for his outstanding
...horsemanship skills and ability to ride at exceptional speeds, even while having his hands tied behind his back. Furthermore, he possessed remarkable endurance; often sleeping outside in harsh weather conditions alongside his troops. His soldiers regarded him as the bravest man in their armies and remained loyal wherever he went. Shakespeare referred to him as "the noblest man that ever lived in the tide of times," emphasizing his excellence in all aspects of life.
Caesar possessed exceptional ability and versatility, excelling in numerous fields including generalship, statesmanship, lawmaking, jurisprudence, oration, poetry, history, mathematics and architecture. He had a distinct talent for surpassing others in his chosen area of expertise and was recognized for his kindness and generosity towards those he conquered or who had done wrong. Throughout his career from around 70 B.C., Caesar exhibited these seemingly exaggerated blend
of virtues and traits.
Caesar's reputation in Rome began to grow when he was still a young man. His family was from a patrician background, with one side even claiming lineage from the gods. Additionally, his uncle Marius was a well-liked general among the plebeians. Despite his own patrician background, Caesar felt more aligned with the plebeians and looked down upon his own class for its perceived shortcomings.
Before becoming a dictator, this politician was among the leaders of the democratic party. In 68 B.C., he gained favor with the masses by exhibiting portraits and mementos of his great uncle Marius during the funeral of Marius' widow, the politician's aunt Julia. Even though he wasn't successful as a politician, Marius was still admired by the public for his impressive military achievements.
Caesar, who had previously spent large amounts of money on public entertainments during his time as aedile, continued on the road to consulship by collaborating with Pompey and Crassus. Pompey, known for defeating Mithradates of Pontus, was popular among the people and wanted his veterans to settle in the lands he promised them. Meanwhile, Crassus, one of Rome's wealthiest men, desired popularity from the populace and an army to attack Parthia upon being elected consul. Caesar's goal was to obtain consulship and then a province to prove himself as a skilled general. By joining forces, they became the powerful First Triumvirate - a rule by three men.
In 60 B.C., Caesar was elected as consul and promptly passed legislation to approve Pompey's request for land for his veterans. Additionally, Caesar arranged for himself to receive Gaul as his province for military conquest, resulting in an army that
would prove useful in enforcing his objectives: establishing lasting order in Rome and the empire, while reconciling different social classes. Caesar spent nine years in Gaul and Britain, where he demonstrated his prowess as one of history's most impressive generals.
He frequently displayed his personal courage, often seizing one of the standards and shouting "Follow me" to rally his troops when the front line appeared to be on the verge of collapse. This led to their ultimate victory in battle. Despite his busy schedule, he managed to write the tale of the war, resulting in the renowned ancient history series 'The Gallic War' consisting of eight volumes. Finally, in 49 B.C.
Upon his readiness to return to Rome and receive acknowledgement and rewards for his successful generalship, Caesar discovered that the Senate aimed to declare him a public enemy and subject him to trial. This unexpected turn of events was a result of his friend Pompey, who had become alienated from Caesar by the conservative faction of the Senate, after Caesar's daughter Julia - whom Pompey had married - passed away in 54 B.C.
The fear was that Caesar was seeking to abolish the republic, despite its ineffectiveness. Pompey, against his own judgement and no longer bound by marriage to Caesar's daughter, sided with the conservative party, which ultimately proved fatal for him. The Senate commanded that Caesar must dissolve his triumphant army and come back to Rome alone, otherwise he would be labelled a foe of the state.
During a crucial point in his career, Caesar was faced with a decision that could potentially bring an end to his impressive accomplishments. He was given
the option to follow the Senate's orders or take a different approach by following Sulla's example and marching on Rome to assert himself as authority. However, Caesar did not want to resort to this tactic. Positioned at the northern side of River Rubicon - which separated Italy and Gaul - he briefly hesitated before declaring, "The die is cast," and commanding his troops to cross. Upon hearing news of Caesar's approach, conservative senators including Pompey hastily fled from Rome towards Brundisium where they boarded ships headed for Greece. Meanwhile, Pompey took charge of other Roman armies while Caesar peacefully entered Rome and gained control.
The absence of proscriptions resulted in no punishment or confiscation of property. Even conservative senators who were unable to flee were allowed to depart and assured of their safety by Caesar's leniency. Eventually, Caesar pursued Pompey to Greece where the two faced off at Pharsalus after numerous struggles.
After losing, Pompey escaped to Egypt where he was betrayed and killed by a member of the king's team. This was a major blow to Caesar as they were close allies. However, despite this setback, Caesar managed to conquer the obstacles presented by Pompey's followers and came out victorious in several battles in Egypt, North Africa, and Spain. By 45 B.C., he had gained complete command over the entire Roman Empire from Britain to Parthia and from Gibraltar to Palestine - a testament to his exceptional leadership abilities and resourcefulness.
After those members of the Senate who hadn't fled with Pompey appointed him as dictator for life, Caesar started his program of reform, which aimed to maintain order, improve trade, reduce warfare with neighbors, and
spread Roman civilization as widely as possible. To help the unemployed citizens of Rome who caused disorder seeking free food in the streets, he founded colonies in Italy and other regions. He also regulated the supply of free corn to ensure only the needy received it.
In order to oversee his legal revisions throughout Rome and the provinces, Caesar increased the size of the Senate by including exceptional non-Roman members. Additionally, he granted Roman citizenship to all residents of Italy and implemented local governing bodies throughout the empire, effectively establishing municipal government. Caesar also reformed the calendar, a system that persisted in western Europe until at least the 18th century.
Caesar initiated the construction of several notable edifices in Rome, including the Julian Forum, which derived its moniker from his family name. Vestiges of the structure still linger to this day. He devised a scheme to drain the Pontine marshes, thereby releasing much-needed fertile land close to the city. Additionally, he orchestrated road-building campaigns in the provinces and entertained the notion of creating a new Greek city that would rival Rome in size, splendor, and significance, as well as pondering the potential of carving through the Isthmus of Corinth. In view of these plans, Caesar considered how governing should persist after his tenure. Representative elections had been ineffective in administering Rome or the empire satisfactorily for an extended period, yet the populace declined Kingship as an option.
Caesar believed that the empire required a single ruler who possessed complete authority, including the privilege to pass that power onto a deserving successor from their own family. He identified a suitable candidate in his youthful relative, Octavianus (Octavian),
who he believed could inherit the power if he received proper training and practical experience. Octavian eventually became Rome's first emperor, Augustus, and shared many of his great-uncle's admirable traits, but unfortunately lacked his fearlessness and mercy. However, Caesar's ambitious reform agenda did not progress far during his lifetime as it was cut short in March 44 B.C.
Germany's greatest poet Goethe referred to it as the most senseless crime in history - the murder of Caesar in the theatre of Pompeius, which was temporarily being used as a Senate House. A group of envious senators, some of whom had already received pardon from Caesar for having sided with his enemies, committed the act. They believed he had ambitions of becoming king and disliked the reforms he was implementing in societal order. Their foolishness led them to fatally attack him.
The most nonsensical mistake in history was made, resulting in a horrendous civil war that shook the empire to its core. In the end, Octavian emerged triumphant as the sole leader and conqueror of his foes, fulfilling Julius's wishes by succeeding to power.
The successors of Julius had to accept what his murderers feared, when Octavian took over. Despite his costly sacrifice, Julius's murder ensured the continuation of his work for Rome, meaning he did not die in vain entirely.
