Gaius Julius Caesar

Gaius Julius Caesar, known as Julius Caesar, was born on July 12 or 13, 100 BC and died March 15, 44 BC in Rome, Italy to Gaius Julius Caesar and Aurelia Cotta. He was the father of 3 children; Julia, Caesarion, and Augustus.

Julius Caesar was a statesman and military general who played a critical role in the events that led to the demise of the Roman republic and the rose of the Roman Empire. Also, Julius is known as an author of Latin prose. Caesar rose to become one of the most compelling legislators in the roman republic through number of his accomplishments. On February 15, 44 BC, Caesar visited a soothsayer named Spurinna among other omens. Spurinna is one who predicated the future by examing internal organs of sacrificial animals (Getlen, 2015). In 45 BC, Rome emerged from five years of civil war and policy debates concerning the very nature of the Roman Republic (Getlen, 2015). Caesar believed the Republic time had come to an end and only his genius could offer the people of the Roman Empire peace and prosperity. Caesar understood how to love his people. He paid his soldiers well and he passed laws that helped the poor, including protecting them from abusive government officials. In 85 BC, Caesar’s father died and a few years later he was involved and possibly married to a wealthy young woman, Cossutia. This marriage was broken off and at the age of 18, Caesar married Cornelia. Cornelia was a daughter of a prominent member of the Popular faction (McManus, 2011). In 79 BC, Caesar was awarded the civic crown for saving a citizen’s life in a battle. Caesar’s general sent him on a mission to Nicomedes to obtain a fleet of ships (McManus, 2011). Nicomedes is the king of Bithynia. Caesar was successful at obtaining the fleet of ships, but he became to the butt of gossip that he persuaded the king by agreeing to sleep with him. When the Optimate dictator, Sulla, died, Caesar returned to Rome and began a career as an orator/lawyer and a life as an elegant man-about-town (McManus, 2011). In 75 BC, while Caesar was sailing to Greece to continue his study, he was kidnapped by Cilician pirates and held for a ransom. The Cilician pirates intended to ask for 20 talents, he insisted that he was worth at least 50. He was able to maintain a friendly and joking relationship with the marauders but warned the pirates that he would track them down and crucify them once he was released. He did just that with the help of volunteers. Caesar cut the pirates throats to lessen their suffering because they treated him well when they kidnapped him. Crucifying the pirates was a warning from Caesar to other pirates. In 69 BC, He spoke at his aunt and wife funerals. He also was king on his mother side and gods on his father side (McManus, 2011).

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