A courageous man and a 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 believe that Gaius Julius Caesar was born in 100 BC. At least this date is used by historians of 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 sure 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 sources: ancient Roman scientists also disagreed about the true date of Caesar's birth.

The Roman emperor and commander came from a noble family of patricians Julius. Legends say that this dynasty began with Aeneas, who, according to ancient Greek mythology, became famous in the Trojan War. And the parents of Aeneas are Anchis, 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 Julia was known to the Roman nobility, because this legend was successfully spread by the relatives of the ruler. Caesar himself, at an opportunity, liked to remember that there were gods in his family. Scientists put forward hypotheses that the Roman ruler comes from the Julius family, who were the ruling class at the beginning of the founding of the Roman Republic in the 5th-4th centuries BC.

Scholars also put forward various assumptions about the emperor's nickname "Caesar". Perhaps one of the Julii 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 the Roman family was born with long and unkempt hair, which was denoted by the word "caeserius".

The family of the future politician lived in abundance. Caesar's father Gaius Julius served in a public position, and his mother came from a noble family of Cotts.

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 lived there, by and large, the poor. Ancient historians describe Subura 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, studied equestrianism. The learned Gallus Mark Antony Gniphon taught the young Caesar literature and etiquette. Whether the young man was engaged in serious and exact sciences, such as mathematics and geometry, or history and jurisprudence, the biographers do not know. Gaius Julius Caesar received a Roman education, from childhood the future ruler was a patriot and was not influenced by fashionable Greek culture.

Approximately 85g. BC. Julius lost his father, so Caesar, as the only man, became the main breadwinner.

Politics

When the boy was 13 years old, the future commander was elected to the priesthood of the main God in Roman mythology, Jupiter - this title is one of the main posts of the then hierarchy. However, this fact cannot be called the pure merit 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 flamingo, according to the law, Julius had to marry, and the military commander Cornelius Cinna (he offered the boy the role of a priest) chose a chosen one for Caesar - 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 presented Caesar with a divorce from his wife Cornelia, but the future emperor refused, which provoked the anger of the current commander. Gaius Julius was also expelled from Rome because he was a relative of Lucius Cornelius' opponent.

Caesar was deprived of the title of flamen, as well as giving his wife and his own property. Disguised in poor clothes, Julius had to escape from the Great Empire.

Friends and relatives asked Sulla to take pity 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 face of Julius and said that Caesar was the same as Marius.

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 craft. There he became an associate of Mark Minucius Therma, lived in Bithynia and Cilicia, and also participated in the war against the Greek city of Methylene. 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 B.C. the inhabitants of Italy, who disagreed with the activities of Sulla, tried to organize a rebellion against the bloody dictator. The initiator was the military leader and consul Mark 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 Antony Gabrida. Julius appeared before the judges with a brilliant oratorical speech, but the Sullans managed to escape punishment. Caesar's accusations were recorded in manuscripts and spread throughout ancient Rome. However, Julius considered it necessary to improve his oratorical skills and went to Rhodes: A teacher lived on the island, the rhetorician Apollonius Molon.

On the 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 recited poems. After being released from the hostages, Julius equipped a squadron and went to capture the pirates. The court of robbers failed to provide Caesar, so he decided to execute the offenders. But because of the softness of 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 marries Pompey, a relative of Gaius Julius Caesar's worst 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, organizes celebrations, and helps the poor. And also, having received the title of senator, he appears on political intrigues, which is why he is gaining popularity. Caesar participated in the Leges frumentariae ("corn laws"), according to which the population purchased bread at a reduced price or received it for free, and also in 49-44 BC. Julius carried out a series 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 which time Italy owned the province of Gallia Narbonne (the territory of present-day France). Julius went to negotiate with the leader of the Celtic tribe in Geneve, as the Helvetians began to move due to the invasion of the Germans.

Thanks to oratory, Caesar managed to persuade the leader of the tribe not to set foot on the territory of the Roman Empire. However, the Helvetians went to Central Gaul, where the Aedui, the allies of Rome, lived. Caesar, who pursued the Celtic tribe, defeated their army. At the same time, Julius defeated the German Suebi, 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 commander defeated the incoming Germanic tribes, and later Caesar himself decided to visit the territory of the Germans.

Caesar is the first commander of Ancient Rome, who made a military campaign on the territory of the Rhine: Julius' detachment moved along a specially built 400-meter bridge. However, the army of the Roman commander did not linger on the territory of Germany, and he made an attempt to make a campaign against the possessions of Britain. There, the commander won a series of crushing victories, but the position of the Roman army was unstable, and Caesar had to retreat. In addition, in 54 BC. Julius is forced to return to Gaul in order to crush the uprising: the Gauls outnumbered the Roman army, but were defeated. By 50 BC, Gaius Julius Caesar had restored the territories belonging to the Roman Empire.

During the hostilities, Caesar showed both strategic qualities and diplomatic skills, he knew how to manipulate the Gallic leaders and inspire contradictions in them.

Dictatorship

After the seizure of Roman power, Julius became a dictator and enjoyed the position. Caesar changed the composition of the Senate, and also transformed the social structure of the empire: the lower classes stopped chasing Rome, because the dictator canceled subsidies and reduced the distribution of bread.

Also, while in office, Caesar is engaged in construction: a new building named after Caesar was erected in Rome, where a meeting of the Senate was held, and an idol of the patroness of love and the Julian family, the Goddess Venus, was erected in the central square of the capital of Italy. Caesar was named emperor, his images and sculptures adorned the temples and streets of Rome. Every word of the Roman general was equated with the law.

Personal life

In addition to Cornelia Zinilla and Pompeii Sulla, the Roman emperor also had women. The third wife of Julius was Calpurnia Pisonis, 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 her daughter, Calpurnia's father becomes a consul.

If we talk about Caesar's sex life, then the Roman dictator was loving and had connections with women on the side.

Women of Gaius Julius Caesar: Cornelia Zinilla, Calpurnia Pisonis and Servilia

There are also rumors that Julius Caesar was bisexual and entered into carnal pleasures with men, for example, historians recall a 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 commander was Servilia, the wife of Mark Junius Brutus and the second bride of the consul Junius Silanus.

Caesar was condescending to the love of Servilia, 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 her age, the Roman emperor conquered the young beauty, the happy existence of 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 is a conspiracy of senators who resented the four-year reign of the dictator. 14 people participated in the conspiracy, but Mark Junius Brutus, the son of Servilia, the emperor's mistress, is considered the main one. Caesar loved Brutus infinitely and trusted him, putting the young man in a higher position and protecting him from difficulties. However, the devoted Republican Mark Junius, for the sake of political goals, was ready to kill the one who supported him unlimitedly.

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 conception of the future conspirator, 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, besides, he recognized himself as a fatalist - he believed in the predestination of events.

The conspirators gathered in the building where the meetings of the Senate were held, near the theater of Pompeii. No one wanted to become the sole killer of Julius, so the criminals decided that everyone 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, Caesar was named the only heir - Gaius 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 had epileptic seizures;
• During the gladiator fights, Caesar constantly wrote something on pieces of paper. Once 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: And write, and look, and listen". This expression has become winged, sometimes Caesar is jokingly called the person who simultaneously takes on several cases;
• In almost all photographic portraits, Guy Julius Caesar appears before the audience in a laurel wreath. Indeed, in life the commander often wore this triumphal headdress, because he began to go bald early;

• About 10 films were shot about the great commander, but not all of them are biographical in nature. For example, in the series "Rome" the ruler recalls the uprising of Spartacus, but some scholars believe that the two generals are connected only by the fact 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 the cipher 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 not named 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 reciprocity!”
• "Live in such a way that acquaintances will be bored when you die."
• "No victory will bring as much as one defeat can take away."
• "War gives the conquerors the right to dictate any conditions to the conquered."

Guy Julius Caesar (Gaius Iulius Caesar) - commander, politician, writer, dictator, high priest. He came from an ancient Roman family of the ruling class and consistently sought all government positions, led the line of political opposition to the senatorial aristocracy. He was merciful, but sent a number of his main opponents to execution.

The Yuliev clan originated from a noble family, which, according to legend, descended from the goddess Venus.

The mother of Julius Caesar, Avrelia Kotta, was from a noble and wealthy family of Aurelius. My paternal grandmother was descended from the ancient Roman family Marcii (Marcii). Ancus Marcius was the fourth king of ancient Rome from 640 to 616. BC e.

Childhood and youth

Accurate data on the time of the birth of the emperor have not reached us. Today it is generally accepted that he was born in 100 BC. e., however, the German historian Theodor Mommsen (Theodor Mommsen) believes that it was 102 BC. e., and the French historian Jerome Carcopino (Jerome Carcopino) points to 101 BC. e. Both July 12th and 13th are considered birthdays.

The childhood of Gaius Julius took place in the poor ancient Roman district of Subura. Parents gave their son a good education, he taught Greek, poetry and oratory, learned to swim, rode horseback and developed physically. In 85 BC. e. the family lost its breadwinner and Caesar, after initiation, became the head of the family, since none of the older male relatives were left alive.

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The beginning of a career as a politician

In Asia

In the 80s BC. e. commander Lucius Cornelius Cinna (Lucius Cornelius Cinna) proposed the person of Gaius Julius to the place of flamines (flamines), the priest of the god Jupiter. But for this he needed to marry according to the solemn ancient rite of confarreation (confarreatio) and Lucius Cornelius chose Caesar as his wife his daughter Cornelia Cinilla (Cornelia Cinilla). In 76 BC. e. the couple had a daughter, Julia (Ivlia).

Today, historians are no longer sure about the rite of Julius's inauguration. On the one hand, this would prevent him from engaging in politics, but, on the other hand, the appointment was a good way to strengthen the position of the Caesars.

After the betrothal of Gaius Julius and Cornelia, there was a riot in the troops and the military attacked Cinna, he was killed. The dictatorship of Lucius Cornelius Sulla was established, after which Caesar, as a relative of the opponent of the new ruler, was outlawed. He disobeyed Sulla, refused to divorce his wife and left. The dictator searched for a disobedient for a long time, but, after the lapse of time, pardoned him at the request of his relatives.
Soon Caesar joined Marcus Minucius Thermus, governor of the Roman province in Asia Minor - Asia.

Ten years ago, his father was in this position. Julius became the horseman (equites) of Mark Minucius, who fought on horseback as a patrician. The first task that Therm gave to his contubernal was to negotiate with the Bithynian (Bithynia) king Nycomed IV. As a result of successful negotiations, the ruler gives Thermus a flotilla to take the city of Mytilene (Mytlene) on the island of Lesvos (Lesvos), which did not accept the results of the First Mithridatic War (89-85 BC) and resisted the Roman people. The city was successfully captured.

For the operation on Lesbos, Gaius Julius received the civil crown - a military award, and Mark Minucius resigned. In 78 BC. e. Lucius Sulla dies in Italy and Caesar decides to return to his homeland.

Roman events

In 78 BC. e. the military leader Marcus Lepidus organized a revolt of the Italians (Italici) against the laws of Lucius. Caesar then did not accept the invitation to become a member. In 77-76 years. BC Gaius Julius tried to sue the supporters of Sulla: the politician Cornelius Dolabella and the commander Antonius Hybrida. But he did not succeed, despite the brilliant accusatory speeches.

After that, Julius decided to visit the island of Rhodes (Rhodus) and the school of rhetoric of Apollonius Molon (Apollonius Molon), but on the way there he was captured by pirates, from where he was subsequently rescued by Asian ambassadors for fifty talents. Wanting revenge, the former captive equipped several ships and himself took the pirates prisoner, executing them by crucifixion. In 73 BC. e. Caesar was included in the collegiate governing body of the pontiffs, where his uncle Gaius Aurelius Cotta had previously ruled.

In 69 BC. e. Caesar's 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 (Ivlia Maria) also dies. Soon Gaius Julius becomes a Roman ordinary magistrate (magistratus), which gives him the opportunity to enter the senate. He was sent to Far Spain (Hispania Ulterior), where he took over financial matters and the execution of orders for Propraetor Antistius Vetus.

In 67 BC. e. Caesar married Pompeia Sulla, Sulla's granddaughter. In 66 BC. e. Gaius Julius becomes caretaker of Rome's most significant public road, Via Appia, and finances its repairs.

College of Magistrates and elections

In 66 BC. e. Gaius Julius is elected magistrate of Rome. His responsibilities include the expansion of construction in the city, the maintenance of trade and public events. In 65 BC. e. he held such a memorable Roman games with the participation of gladiators that he managed to amaze his sophisticated citizens.

In 64 BC. e. Gaius Julius was the head of the Judicial Commission (Quaestiones perpetuae) for criminal trials, which enabled him to bring to justice and punish many of Sulla's henchmen.

In 63 BC. e. died Quintus Metellus Pius (Quintus Metellus Pius), vacating the lifelong seat of the Great Pontiff (Pontifex Maximus). Caesar decides to put forward his own candidacy for her. The opponents of Gaius Julius are the consul Quintus Catulus Capitolinus and the general Publius Vatia Isauricus. After numerous bribes, Caesar wins the election by a large margin and moves to live on the Sacred Road (via Sacra) in the government housing of the pontiff.

Participation in a conspiracy

In 65 and 63 years. BC e. one of the political conspirators Lucius Sergius Catilina (Lucius Sergius Catilina) twice made attempts to stage a coup. Marcus Tullius Cicero, being an opponent of Caesar, tried to accuse him of participating in conspiracies, but could not provide the necessary evidence and failed. Marcus Porcius Cato, the informal leader of the Roman Senate, also testified against Caesar and ensured that Gaius Julius left the Senate under threats.

First triumvirate

Praetor

In 62 BC. e., using the powers of the praetor, Caesar wanted to transfer the reconstruction of the plan of Jupiter Capitolinus (Iuppiter Optimus Maximus Capitolinus) from Quintus Catulus Capitolinus to Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, but the Senate did not support this bill.

After the proposal of the tribune Quintus Caecilius Metellus Nepos (Quintus Caecilius Metellus Nepos) supported by Caesar to send Pompey with troops to Rome to pacify Catiline, the Senate removed both Quintus Cicelius and Gaius Julius from their posts, but the second was quickly restored.
In the fall, the Catiline conspirators were put on trial. One of its participants, Lucius Iulius Vettius, who opposed Caesar, was arrested, as was Judge Novius Nigerus, who accepted the report.

In 62 BC. e. Caesar's wife Pompey arranged a celebration in their house dedicated to the Good Goddess (Bona Dea), which could only be attended by women. But one of the politicians, Publius Clodius Pulcher, got to the holiday, he dressed as a woman and wanted to meet Pompey. Senators found out about what happened, considered it a shame and demanded a trial. Gaius Julius did not wait for the outcome of the process and divorced Pompey so as not to expose his personal life to the public. Moreover, the spouses never had heirs.

In further Spain

In 61 BC. e. the trip of Gaius Julius to Farther Spain as a propraetor (propraetor) was postponed for a long time due to the presence of a large number of debts. The commander (Marcus Licinius Crassus) vouched for Gaius Julius and paid part of his loans.

When the new propraetor arrived at his destination, he had to face the dissatisfaction of the inhabitants with the Roman authorities. Caesar gathered a detachment of militia and began the fight against the "bandits". The commander with an army of twelve thousand approached the Serra da Estrela mountain range and ordered the locals to leave. They refused to move and Gaius Julius attacked them. The highlanders crossed the Atlantic Ocean to the Berlenga Islands, having killed all their pursuers.

But Caesar, after a series of thoughtful operations and strategic maneuvers, nevertheless conquers the popular resistance, after which he was awarded the honorary military title of emperor (imperator), the winner.

Guy Julius launched an active work in the daily affairs of the subordinate lands. He presided over court hearings, introduced reforms in taxation, and eradicated the practice of sacrifice.

During the period of activity in Spain, Caesar was able to pay off most of his debts thanks to rich gifts and bribes from the inhabitants of the wealthy south. At the beginning of 60 BC. e. Gaius Julius prematurely resigns his powers and returns to Rome.

Triumvirate

Rumors of the victories of the propraetor soon reached the Senate, and its members felt that the return of Caesar should be accompanied by a triumph (triumphus) - a solemn entry into the capital. But then, until the accomplishment of the triumphal event, Gaius Julius was not allowed, by law, to enter the city. And since he also planned to take part in the upcoming elections for the post of consul, where his personal presence was required for registration, the commander refuses to triumph and begins to fight for a new position.

By bribing voters, Caesar nevertheless becomes consul, and the military leader Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus wins the election with him.

In order to strengthen his own political position and existing power, Caesar enters into a secret agreement with Pompey and Crassus, uniting two influential politicians with opposing views. As a result of the conspiracy, a powerful alliance of military leaders and politicians appears, called the First Triumvirate (triumviratus - “the union of three husbands”).

Consulate

In the early days of the consulate, Caesar began to submit new bills to the Senate. The first was an agrarian law, according to which the poor could receive plots of land from the state, which it redeemed from large landowners. First of all, land was given to large families. To prevent speculation, the new landowners were not allowed to resell the plots for the next twenty years. The second bill concerned the taxation of tax-farmers in the province of Asia, their contributions were reduced by one-third. The third law concerned bribes and extortion, it was adopted unanimously, unlike the first two.

To strengthen the connection with Pompey, Gaius Julius married his daughter Julia to him. Caesar himself decides to marry for the third time, this time Calpurnia, the daughter of Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus, becomes his wife.

Proconsul

Gallic War

When Gaius Julius, after the expiration of the prescribed period, resigned his powers as a consul, he continued to conquer land for Rome. During the Gallic War (Bellum Gallicum), Caesar, having shown extraordinary diplomacy and strategy, skillfully took advantage of the disagreements of the Gallic leaders. In 55 BC. e. he defeated the Germans who crossed the Rhine (Rhein), after which he built a bridge 400 meters long in ten days and attacked them himself, the first in the history of Rome. The first of the Roman commanders invaded Great Britain (Great Britain), where he carried out several brilliant military operations, after which he was forced to leave the island.

In 56 BC. e. in Lucca (Lucca) a regular meeting of the triumvirs was held, at which it was decided to continue and develop political support for each other.

By 50 BC. e. Gaius Julius crushed all the uprisings, completely subjugating Rome to its former territories.

Civil War

In 53 BC. e. Crassus dies and the triumvirate ceases to exist. A struggle broke out between Pompey and Julius. Pompey became the head of the republican government, and the senate did not extend the powers of Gaius Julius in Gaul. Then Caesar decides to raise an uprising. Gathering soldiers with whom he was very popular, he crosses the border river Rubicone and, seeing no resistance, captures some cities. Frightened, Pompey and his close senators flee the capital. Caesar invites the rest of the Senate to jointly rule the country.

In Rome, Caesar is appointed dictator. Pompey's attempts to prevent Gaius Julius failed, the fugitive himself was killed in Egypt, but Caesar did not accept the head of the enemy as a gift, he mourned his death. While in Egypt, Caesar helps Queen Cleopatra (Cleopatra), conquers Alexandria (AIskandariya), in North Africa annexes Numidia (Numidia) to Rome.

Murder

The return of Gaius Julius to the capital is accompanied by a magnificent triumph. He does not skimp on rewarding his soldiers and commanders, arranges feasts for the citizens of the city, organizes games and mass spectacles. Over the next ten years, he is proclaimed "emperor" and "father of the fatherland." He issues many laws, among which are laws on citizenship, on the structure of the state, against luxury, on unemployment, on the issuance of free bread, changes the system of calculating time, and others.

Caesar was idolized and given him great honors, erecting his statues and painting portraits. He had the best security, he was personally involved in the appointment of persons to public office and their removal.

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Guy Julius Caesar (G. Julius Caesar) - one of the greatest generals and statesmen of Rome and of all time. The son of a father of the same name and the brilliantly educated Aurelius, he was born July 12, 100 BC, and died March 15, 44. Caesar came from an ancient patrician family, who considered the Trojan Aeneas to be their ancestor. Among the teachers he is called the rhetoricians M. Anthony Gniphon and Apollonius (Molon) from Rhodes. The leader of the Roman aristocrats (optimates) Sulla pursued the young Caesar, a close relative of his political enemy, the head of the democrats (populars) Maria. Despite the youth of Gaius Julius, Sulla considered him a dangerous man. He said that "a hundred Marievs are sitting in this boy." Only thanks to the urgent requests of influential relatives, Sulla did not subject Caesar to proscriptions. However, the young man then had to leave for Asia. Only after the death of Sulla (78) Caesar returned to Rome, but soon left it again to improve his eloquence with the orator Apollonius in Rhodes.

From the year of the second return of Julius Caesar to the capital (73), his political activity began. Closely connected by kinship with the party of democrats, he tried with boundless generosity to ingratiate himself with the people and restore their political influence by destroying the aristocratic institutions of Sulla. In 68, Caesar was quaestor in Spain south of the Ebro, in 65 he became aedile, in 63 high priest (pontifex). From the democratic conspiracy of Catiline, he prudently kept aloof, but nevertheless, in the analysis of the case, he tried to save its participants from the death penalty. After exercising the office of praetor (62), Julius Caesar went to Spain assigned to him by the province of the Ebro and paid off his huge debts from there. Returning to Italy the following year, he put forward his candidacy for consulship. The first man of the Roman state was Gnaeus Pompey, who was then at enmity with the aristocratic senate. Shortly before this, Pompey won brilliant victories in the East over the kings of Pontus and Armenia (Mithridates and Tigranes). But the senate now refused to approve the orders introduced by Pompey in Asia and did not give a decent reward to his soldiers. The indignant Pompey united (60) against the Senate optimates with the largest Roman banker, Crassus, and with Caesar, who had already become one of the main leaders of the popular party. This union of "three husbands" was called the first triumvirate.

Lifetime bust of Julius Caesar

Elected to the consulship for the year 59 due to the influence of the triumvirate, Caesar, ignoring the protests of his optimistic colleague Bibulus, distributed land to 20 thousand of the poorest citizens, attracted the equestrian (commercial and industrial) class to his side with a deduction of a third from payments for the farming out of tax collection, fulfilled the wishes of Pompey. After the execution of Julius Caesar's consular post, the triumvirate arranged for him to be appointed governor of the provinces of Cisalpine and Transalpine Gaul for five years - the regions where the closest military force to Italy was stationed. The most dangerous opponents of the triumvirate, supporters of the Senate Cicero and Cato the Younger, were removed from Rome under the guise of honorary assignments.

In 58, Julius Caesar went to his province. During his governorship, then extended, he conquered all of Gaul to Rome and created for himself an unconditionally loyal and battle-tested army. In the first year, he defeated the Helvetian tribe, who planned to move deep into Gaul, near Bibracte (near present-day Oten), as well as Ariovistus, the prince of the Germanic Suebi, who, having conquered the strong people of the Aedui, considered himself the ruler of all Gallic lands. These successes extended Roman influence as far as the Seine. In 57 and 56 years. Caesar defeated the tribes of the Belgae, Armoricians and Aquitanians. In order to secure the borders of Gaul, Gaius Julius crossed the Rhine in 55 and 53 and crossed over to Britain in 55 and 54. When in 52, after a difficult struggle, he suppressed the general uprising of the Gallic peoples led by the brave and cautious leader of the Arverns Vercingetorix (the main battles took place at Gergovia and Alesia), the conquest of the country was finally consolidated. From this time on, Gaul began to quickly assimilate Roman customs and Roman institutions.

Continuing to feud with the Senate in Rome, the triumvirs sealed their alliance at a meeting in Lucca (56). There it was determined that Pompey and Crassus would become consuls for the year 55, and Caesar's Gallic governorship would be extended for another five years. Opposition of the optimates to the decisions of the Lucca Conference proved to be powerless. However, soon the death of Caesar's daughter, Julia, Pompey's ex-wife (54), and the death of Crassus (53), who wished to win military laurels in the East, weakened the connection between the two surviving triumvirs. Concerned about the rise of Caesar's influence after the Gallic conquests, Pompey became close to the Senate, who made him sole consul for 52. Caesar was looking for consulates for the year 48, because only in this way could he, after the secondary governorship, achieve the approval of his orders in Gaul. He requested permission to remain until he took office in his province and to run for consular office in absentia. But the optimates decided to separate him from the army; mediation negotiations were not successful. In the early days of 49, the Senate decided that Caesar must immediately disband his troops or be declared an enemy of the state. Pompey was given the powers of the commander-in-chief by the senate.

Bust of Caesar in military uniform

Although Julius Caesar most often acted generously with his opponents, the new monarchical system continued to provoke fierce resistance. Moreover, it seemed to many that Caesar wanted to eliminate the remnant of the republican appearance and openly put on himself the royal diadem. The campaign against the Parthians conceived by Gaius Julius was supposed to give rise to granting him royal dignity. A conspiracy was formed against Caesar by a number of his former followers, many of whom were showered with favors from him. Praetors Mark Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus were at the head. The convocation of the Senate on the Ides of March (March 15) 44 in the curia of Pompey for a meeting on the transfer of royal power to Caesar outside of Italy hastened the resolve of the conspirators. They attacked Gaius Julius right in the meeting room. With 23 wounds, he fell at the statue of Pompey. It was said that Caesar did not even resist, seeing among his killers Brutus, whom many considered his illegitimate son. (For more details, see the articles

All great reformers were usurpers, and Gaius Julius Caesar was no exception. He was killed for violating democratic principles, but it was Caesar who saved the Roman Republic from decay, modernized it, and began a reboot of all state power. His great-nephew Octavian Augustus continued the work of building the empire, thereby prolonging the existence of the Greco-Roman civilization for almost 500 years. During this time, European peoples entered the sphere of influence of a great culture, Christianity was born, and continuity was established between Rome and Europe.

Anxious youth

Guy Julius Caesar came from an ancient family of Julius. By that time, this patrician tree had grown so much that it was already difficult to navigate in its many branches. Guy from the genus Julius belonged to an offshoot with the cognomen "Caesar". According to one version, the first bearer of this nickname was taken from the mother's womb by caesarean section. In those days, all patrician families were descended from the gods. Julius attributed to himself a relationship with Venus and Aeneas, the mythical ancestor of the Roman people.

Most ancient sources claim that Gaius Julius Caesar was born in 100 BC. era. On the maternal side, he came from a respected plebeian family of Aurelius, and on his father's mother's side he was related to one of the Roman rexes (kings). But the Caesars also managed to split into two branches, and the branch to which the future reformer belonged, unfortunately, intermarried and supported Gaius Maria. As you know, in a civil confrontation, Mary was defeated by Lucius Cornelius Sulla, who did not stand on ceremony with his opponents.

Gaius Julius Caesar had an idea of ​​his highly respected ancestors, received an excellent education, and from childhood was set on a career as a politician. He assumed the burden of responsibility quite early, being, after the death of his father, the oldest man in the Yuliev family. From his youth, he was distinguished by a sharp mind and exorbitant ambitions. The modest financial situation of the family did not give him the opportunity to turn around, so Caesar accepts the proposal of Lucius Cornelius Cinna to marry his daughter, having received the position of one of the priests of Jupiter as a dowry.

But this marriage almost brought him under the knife of the executioner, because Cinna was one of the main opponents of the victorious Sulla. Caesar is placed on the proscription list and awaits death. He refuses to divorce the daughter of an "enemy of the state", but family ties and patrician origin still bring him a pardon. Caesar began his service to the state away from the intrigues of the capital, conducting successful negotiations with the king of Bithynia, Nicomedes IV. In Asia, he participates in the siege of Metilene, having been awarded the civil crown for saving a Roman citizen, and then, with a new governor, takes part in the fight against pirates.

Start of the big game

Sulla's death opens the way for him into big politics. Returning to Italy, Caesar begins his game, refusing to join other people's conspiracies and rebellions. He tirelessly improves his skills in eloquence and very soon becomes known as an orator. Traveling to Rhodes to the famous orator Apollonius Molon, he falls into the clutches of pirates. Caesar shows composure, promising to catch and deliver the scoundrels to the most shameful execution, after they receive a ransom from him. Imagine the surprise of the pirates when everything happened just like that.

On this trip, he again meets with the king of Bithynia, after which he takes part in the Third Mithridatic War, leading an auxiliary detachment. From here, rumors of sexual promiscuity and the nickname "wife of all soldiers" followed him.

Upon returning to Rome, Caesar is completely immersed in the political life of the republic. The positions of a military tribune and quaestor, participation in the suppression of the Spartacus uprising, fiery speeches at the funeral of his wife, and then marrying Sulla's granddaughter makes him, if not an influential, then a very prominent politician and senator. He supports Gnaeus Pompey in the fight against pirates and repairs the Appian Way at his own expense, holds the Megalesian and Roman games, surprising with the luxury of gladiatorial armor and the scope of the event.

The activities of the Roman politician required a lot of money to bribe voters and influential people, so Caesar gets into debt and strives to take bread positions. Having enlisted the support of Mark Crassus in his creditworthiness, at the beginning of 61 he leaves to manage Far Spain. Here he leads a military campaign against the recalcitrant mountaineers and proves himself to be a successful commander. After that, he carried out an administrative reform, the meaning of which was to reduce the tax burden. The position of propraetor of Spain allowed Caesar to pay off his debts and return to Rome ahead of schedule.

Triumvirate

The so-called First Triumvirate (literally, "three men") of Caesar, Pompey and Crassus was an illegal phenomenon for the republic. In fact, the three most powerful Roman politicians agreed on the division of power, provinces and positions. In 59, Caesar becomes consul (the highest elective office of the republic) and immediately begins to approach Gnaeus Pompey and Mark Crassus. This union was directed against the supreme legislative body of Rome - the Senate, which prevented the adoption of laws necessary for the triumvirs.

At the suggestion of Senator Pompey, Caesar is appointed proconsul of Cisalpine Gaul (north of modern Italy) and Illyria (former Yugoslavia), where he goes in 58. Finally he managed to get a real deal, legions and glory! The successful actions of Gaius Julius Caesar against the Gallic and Germanic tribes are described in detail by him in the Notes on the Gallic War. His victories begin to alarm the Roman patricians.

Caesar's opponents in the Senate are trying to remove him from the post of proconsul and force him to disband the legions, but as long as the triumvirate is strong, nothing threatens him. In 54, Julia, daughter of Caesar and wife of Pompey, dies, and soon Mark Crassus dies in Syria. This triumvir was not the most influential, but he smoothed over the contradictions between Pompey and Caesar. Senators who want to topple Caesar group around Pompey and prevent him from being elected consul. Without this position, the Gallic dictator has no legal immunity and can be arrested as a usurper.

Caesar makes persistent attempts to reconcile with the Senate and secure his immunity. On January 9, the senators decide to declare Caesar an enemy of the state if he does not resign and disband the legions. The proconsul of Gaul announces to the soldiers the legitimacy of his demands and his intention to march on Rome. Rubicon - the river that formally separated the Republic from the provinces, that is, the conquered territories, became a symbol of the beginning of the civil war. Caesar's legions crossed it and moved towards the Eternal City.

Beyond the Rubicon

The widespread support of Caesar by the inhabitants of Italy forced Pompey and his supporters to flee to Greece. They hoped to find loyal supporters in the eastern provinces. The theater of operations covered Italy and Spain, where the legions loyal to Pompey were located, as well as Africa and Illyria. From the thinned Senate, Caesar receives dictatorial powers. On August 9, 48, the decisive battle of Pharsalus took place. Defeated Pompey with the remnants of his troops flees to Egypt, where he is killed by the courtiers of the pharaoh.

According to the general view of historians, Caesar and Ptolemy XIV's co-ruler Cleopatra had a love affair that helped her become the sovereign queen of Egypt. Soon she arrives in Rome, striking with oriental beauty and splendor even the most pampered aristocrats.

Gaius Julius Caesar receives dictatorial powers for ten years and begins to rule the country, with the general support of the common population. He was not the first usurper of Rome, but, unlike Sulla, he was gentle with his opponents. Some of the Pompeians pardoned by him will take part in the conspiracy and personally plunge their daggers into the body of the benefactor.

Meanwhile, Caesar ends the civil strife and passes a series of laws that expand the rights of citizens in governing the state. He appoints to positions of responsibility people who are personally devoted to him and often of humble origin. The dictator introduces strict rules for the administration of provinces, limiting the arbitrariness and corruption of governors. He abolishes some public colleges and fills the senate with provincial nobility. Under him, the inhabitants of the provinces receive broader rights to participate in public life, including Roman citizenship. He lowers taxes and abolishes the system of tax-farmers, who completely ruined the conquered population.

Caesar generously rewards his soldiers by giving them allotments of land in the conquered provinces. Thus, the cultural influence of Roman civilization penetrates into the most remote corners of barbarian Europe, Asia and Africa. Dictatorship brings peace, and with it the triumph of law, the improvement of finances, the settlement of depopulated cities and the construction of new roads that strengthen ties between provinces. A notable event in the reign of Caesar was the reform of the Roman calendar, which we still use in a slightly modified form.

On the other hand, the increase in free distributions of bread and wine gives rise to new loafers who despise crafts and do not want to serve the state. This problem in a few centuries will make the empire weak and defenseless in the face of new barbarians and lead to disintegration.

And you Brute!

Interestingly, the conspiracy against Caesar was attended by people who were most favored by him - Mark Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus. The conspirators took advantage of the Senate meeting on March 15, 44 BC. They approached the dictator along with Lucius Tullius Cimver, who was petitioning for a pardon for his brother. Publius Servilius Casca struck the first blow with a dagger, after which the rest attacked. According to legend, Caesar was so surprised to see Brutus in the ranks of the conspirators that he exclaimed: “And you, my child!”, After which he stopped resisting and fell silent. 23 wounds were found on the body of the deceased.

The assassination of the dictator did not bring the desired freedoms for the republic. The country has long been ripe for the empire and could not return to the old order. Almost all the conspirators died in the ensuing civil war, and Caesar's work was continued by Octavius, the son of the dictator's niece Attia, who was adopted by him. He took the name Gaius Julius Caesar and became the first Roman emperor under the name Octavian. Formally remaining a republic, Rome turned into an empire that continued to exist in the west - until 476, and in the east - 1452 (Byzantine Empire).

State: The Roman Empire

Field of activity: Politics, army

Greatest Achievement: He became the founder and emperor of the Roman Empire, thanks to his military and political successes.

Gaius Julius Caesar (100-44 BC), Roman commander, statesman and writer who created the conditions for the formation of the Roman Empire.

The early years of Julius Caesar

12 or 13 July 100 BC e. in Rome, in one of the most worthy Roman families of the Julia family, a son was born. His uncle, Gaius Marius, was an outstanding general and popular leader, through whom he met Lucius Cornelius Cinna, who was known to be a fierce opponent of the Optimate leader Lucius Cornelius Sulla. In 84 BC. e. he married the daughter of Cornelius, who bore him a daughter, and in the same year was appointed to the priesthood, which was the prerogative of the patricians.

After the appointment of Sulla as dictator (82 BC), he demanded that Caesar divorce his wife. However, Caesar managed to avoid this requirement. Later, he was pardoned thanks to the intercession of influential friends of Sulla. Caesar returned to Rome only after participating in several military campaigns in the East in Cilicia, in Asia Minor in 78 BC. e., after the resignation of Sulla. At that time he tried to refrain from direct political participation, but he had to act as an accuser against several followers of Sulla, who were accused of extortion.

As Julius failed to secure a political appointment, he left Rome and traveled to Rhodes, where he studied rhetoric. In 74 BC. e. he interrupted his training to go to fight in Asia Minor against Mithridates. In 73 BC. e. he returned to Rome and became pontiff of the college of priests, since he was competent in matters of religion of the Roman State, he was able to exercise considerable political influence there.

Triumvirate

In 71 BC. e. Pompey returned in triumph to Rome, with numerous military merits and a victory over the rebels led by Sertor in Spain. A year earlier, Marcus Licinius Crassus, a wealthy patrician, had been accused of inciting Spartacus' slave rebels in Italy.

In 70 BC they were both elected consuls. In 68 BC. BC Caesar was a quaestor and in 65 after him was Adil, who knew how to gain popularity among ordinary people by organizing expensive gladiatorial games. To spend them, he borrowed money from Crassus. After the failure of the Catiline conspiracy, he advocated gentle treatment of the conspirators. In 60 BC. e. when Caesar returned from Spain to Rome, an alliance was made with Pompey and Crassus to ensure common interests: the first triumvirate (from the Latin "three men"). To further strengthen his position, Pompey married the daughter of Julius Caesar.

With the support of the triumvirate, Caesar crushed the resistance of the Optimat party in 59 BC. The following year he was appointed consul by special law. He was proconsul for five years, governing the provinces of Gaul Cisalpina, Illyricum and Gaul Narbonne, which enabled him to extend his power against the Senate. In the following years he led the Gallic Wars, during which he conquered all of Gaul, crossed the Rhine twice and entered Britain. These wars were described by himself in his autobiographical work Notes on the Gallic War.

Dissolution of the alliance

In 56 BC. e. The triumvirate was renewed, in spite of the chill that had meanwhile appeared between Pompey and Crassus. At the same time, it was decided that Caesar should remain for another five years in Gaul, and Pompey and Crassus become consul and proconsul.

After this, Caesar left to put down a rebellion in Gaul. In 53 BC. e. ambitious Crassus, who had to fight in Syria, was defeated in a military campaign against the Parthians and was killed at the battle of Carrhae, and the year before that, the daughter of Julius Caesar, wife of Pompey, died. After their family relationship was severed, the rupture between Caesar and Pompey was sealed, a final estrangement took place, and the triumvirate fell apart.

Civil War

In 52 BC. e. Pompey was elected consul, who received exclusive powers. This became necessary because of the exceptional situation in Rome, which was caused by the outrages of the emperor Claudius.

While Caesar was busy with the war in Gaul, his political opponents openly tried to compromise him and put him on trial in Rome. Pompey was trying to take advantage of favorable circumstances to eliminate his rival and secure his own personal rule, and for this he made a political proposal to the Senate. Finally, the Senate decided to depose Caesar after being asked in vain to disband his army. In addition, the Senate granted Pompey unlimited powers to fight against Caesar. The civil war began, at the beginning of 49 BC. e., when Caesar, according to legend, with the words: Alea iacta est (“the die is cast”) - crossed the Rubicon, a small border river that separated him from Italy the province of Gallic Cisalpina, and within three months he took control of almost all of Italy . Then, having conquered six Spanish provinces, in fact, without the support of Pompey, and, finally, after a six-month siege, he captured the port city of Massilia (Marseille).

Meanwhile, Caesar returned victorious to Rome, and in 48 BC. e. was elected consul. At the beginning of the same year, he pursued Pompey and finally defeated him at the battle of Pharsalus. Pompey fled where he was killed. Caesar captured Alexandria and settled the Egyptian throne dispute in favor of Cleopatra, daughter of the late king Ptolemy XI, who later bore him a son (Caesarion). In 47 BC he captured Asia Minor and returned to Rome victorious. His decisive victory over the minions of Pompey occurred in 48 BC. In 46 BC. e. Caesar's troops concentrated their forces in the African provinces, he won the battle of Taps. Then he returned to Rome, where he celebrated several triumphs and received the proper honors. After he dealt with in 45 BC. e. with Pompey's sons under Manda in Spain, he became absolute autocrat.

Caesar's dictatorship and death

Caesar's strength was based on his positioning as a dictator. This vocation accompanied his life (dictator perpetuus), although, according to the constitution of the republic, he was limited in power by exceptional situations. Although Caesar renounced the title of emperor, who was especially hated by the republican forces, his reign bore strong monarchical features. In 45 BC. e. he was elected consul, and for ten years had the following powers: he was the supreme commander of the army, he was allowed to wear the golden wreath of a victorious general, and he was recognized as a pontiff with authority to decide on all religious matters.

His reign included a broad reform program to reorganize the state and provinces. Among other things, he reformed the calendar, provided his veterans with land, and made it easier to acquire Roman citizenship.

Caesar's authority ran into opposition, especially in the opposition families of the Senate. In 44 BC. e. a group of republican senators, including Gaius Cassius Longinus and Marcus Junius Brutus, planned a coup and struck and killed Caesar on March 15 as he was about to enter the Senate building.

Personal life

After his death in 68 BC. Cornelia's first wife, Caesar married Pompey, Sulla's granddaughter, who belonged to the secret fertility cult of the Good Goddess, in which men were forbidden under the strictest conditions. When in the house of Caesar, where there was a holiday in her honor, the dogmas of the cult of the Goddess were violated, because Clodius saw Pompey in women's clothes, there was a public scandal, as a result of which Caesar broke up with Pompey.

As no boys were born to him after his third marriage to Calpurnia (59 BC), he made his grandson Octavian heir, who later became the first Roman Emperor.

Caesar, a man of extensive literary education, is also known as a gifted writer with a simple style and classical style. He wrote seven books on the Gallic war, Notes on the Gallic War, in which he described his victory in Gaul, which is an important source of information about the early Celtic and Germanic tribes, as well as a three-volume work on the civil war (Notes on the Civil War).

Life of Gaius Julius Caesar

Estimates and ideas about the personality of Caesar are very controversial. Some position him as a ruthless tyrant seeking to cause certain problems, others recognize and appreciate precisely his intransigence, bearing in mind that the Republic at that time was already on the verge of death, and Caesar had to find a new form of government in order to bring Rome to any something stability and keep out of chaos.

In addition, he was clearly an excellent commander who knew how to motivate his soldiers and was distinguished by special loyalty. As one of the most impressive images of antiquity, it has been immortalized in numerous works of world literature, including the dramas Julius Caesar (1599) and Caesar and Cleopatra (1901) by George Bernard Shaw or the novel The Ides of March (1948) by Thornton Wilder Brecht.