Julius Caesar was one of the greatest generals in Roman history. He also
was a politician, statesman, orator, and a writer that laid down the the
foundation of the Roman Empire. Julius Caesar was born July 12, 100 B.C..
He belonged to the Julia family, an ancient but not distinguished Roman
family supposedly descended from Venus through Aeneas's son, Iulus (Ascanius).
In 84 B.C., Julius married Cornelia, who was the
daughter of the radical Cinna, who was involved in a feud with Marius. This
incurred the anger of Sulla, and in 83 B.C. Sulla, the dictator of Rome,
ordered Caesar to divorce Cornelia. Caesar fled, but Sulla allowed him to
return.
He then traveled to Asia and Cilicia to do some military work. Caesar decided his oratorical skills could be improved, so he sailed to Rhodes to study under Apollonius Molo. On the way a group of pirates kidnapped him and held him ransom for 12,000 gold pieces. When freed he crucified every pirate.