Transcript Gaius Julius Caesar

Gaius Julius Caesar
Who is this guy?
Who was Julius Caesar?
► The
most powerful man in
Rome
► An accomplished scholar and
writer
► A gifted statesman
► A military strategist
► A soldier of remarkable
ability
Early Life
► 100
BC: Born on the 13th of
Quintilis (July)
 Had many relatives with
government influence
 Relatives got him some
important assignments in his
youth
Military Man
► 80
BC: Caesar honored for bravery in battle
 Captured by pirates while traveling
 Relatives paid for his ransom & he was released
 Caesar recruited his own troops
►Captured
the pirates
►Had the pirates executed
► 74
BC: Participated in war against
Mithradates VI
 Held a series of political offices afterwards
A Roman Consul
► Became
a consul (one of two) in 59 BC
► 60 BC: Formed an alliance with Pompey
and Crassus to rule Rome—Called the “First
Triumvirate”
► 49 BC: Crassus died
 Pompey controlled Southern
Italy and Rome
 Caesar controlled the
North of Italy
Conflict
► Relations
between Pompey and Caesar
deteriorate after Crassus died
 Caesar appointed Dictator of Rome
 Crossed the Rubicon, river that divided Italy
 Civil War begins
► 48
BC: Caesar defeats Pompey at Pharsalus
 Pompey is later murdered in Egypt
 Caesar reappointed Dictator of Rome
The Roman Dictator
► 48
BC: Cleopatra, Queen of
Egypt, gives birth to Caesar’s
son, Caesarion
► 46 BC: Caesar reappointed as
Dictator
► 44 BC: Caesar named Dictator
for Life
► 44 BC: Caesar assassinated by
conspirators on the 15th of
March (“The Ides of March”)
Caesar as a Person
► Caesar
wanted to win the favor of the
people
► Threw lavish parties for influential people
► His military prowess made him popular
Mr. Nice Guy?
► Felt
he was the one to make a
change in the existing, corrupt
government
► Sometimes resorted to
political bullying
► Increasingly used physical
intimidation and violence
► Said to have a short fuse and
disliked people who disagreed
with him.
Earliest Biographer said he…
► Was
an imposing, energetic man
► Had a magnetic personality
► Had a remarkably alert mind
► Was tall and good-looking, liked
to dress well
► Didn’t like to show weakness
 Premature baldness
 Migraines
 Epileptic siezures
Trivia
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His life was brief, just 56 years
In 85 BC, when Caesar was just sixteen, he became the
head of the family when his father died suddenly while
putting on his shoes one morning, without any apparent
cause.
Caesar and Cleopatra were romantically involved for 14
years but could not marry, because she was Queen of
Egypt and under Roman law, marriage was only allowed
between two Roman citizens.
His reign of Rome was just five years, from 49 BC to 44 BC
Caesar is considered to be one of the greatest military
strategists and tacticians in history, along with Alexander
the Great, Genghis Khan, Napoleon, General George S.
Patton, General George Washington, and Field Marshall
Erich von Manstein.