Gaius Julius Caesar (100-44 B.C.)

 

Early Life

Born July 12, 100 B.C.

Descendent from Venus through Aeneas's son Iulus

Age 16 his father died

Married Cornelia in 84 B.C.

Sulla ordered them to get divorced

Captured by pirates in 74 B.C.

Elected pontifex * in 73 B.C.

Elected quaestor * in 69 B.C.

Cornelia died in 69 B.C.

Caesar married Pompeia

Elected cruel aediles * in 65 B.C.

Elected pontifex maximus* in 63 B.C.

Divorced her in 62 B.C. over fertility scandal

Elected praetor * in 62 B.C.

Governor of Farther Spain in 60 B.C.

Elected consul * in 59 B.C.

 

Rise to Power

Pompey, Crassus, and Caesar create First Triumvirate *

Julia was to marry Pompey in 59 B.C.

Caesar married Calpurnia

Obtained provinces of Gallia, Cisapalpina, Gallia Transalpina, and Hyricum in 59 B.C

Gallic Wars extended Roman power to west

 

Military Career

First campaign defeated many peoples in 57-54 B.C.

Returned to Gaul and was defeated by Eburones

Julia died in 54 B.C.

Crassus killed in 53 B.C.

In 52 B.C. defeated Gauls

Senate made Caesar resign and entrusted Pompey with power

Caesar and Pompey broke into civil war in 49 B.C.

 

Political Career

Master of Italy

Appointed dictator

Pompey had gathered strong army

Defeated Pharsalia (Veni, vidi, vici*) in 48 B.C.

Pompey killed in Egypt

Civil War in Egypt

Cleopatra was his new wife 47 B.C.

Made dictator for life and consul * for ten years in 45 B.C.

He proposed ambitious plans

 

Assassination

Assassinated in 44 B.C. by Brutus and Cassius

They wanted to destroy republic which they did

 

* Latin words

 

Vocabulary

pontifex-icis priest (one on broad of fifteen)

quaestor-oris financial officer

curule aediles judicial magistrates

pontifex maximus highest priest

praetor-oris magistrate

consul-sulis highest magistrate

Triumviri-orum three man commission

Veni, vidi, vici I came, I saw, I conquered

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