Julius Caesar Essay, Research Paper

Julius Caesar

I Came, I Saw, I Conquered

Julius Caesar was a first child, born into a rich family. He lived a early life of luxury, with a privileged education. Ever since an early age he had ambitions to be just like his father, who was heavily involved in Roman politics. Caesar was bought up with high expectations and was under a lot of pressure. He was introduced to politics at the age of 15 shortly before his father died, leaving him the head of the family. Shortly before his father died his family encountered hard financial times. Therefore at the age of 16 he married Cornelia, who came from a rich family, and at the age of 18 had a child with her called Julia.

Julius Caesar was a very fit young man, who was very vain. He had good medical health although he suffered from epilepsy, and often had severe headaches. He soon realised that he must enter politics, if he was to save his family from financial crisis, so he set about making his way into Roman politics.

To improve his dwindling public speaking skills he decided he should travel to Rhodes. On his voyage to Rhodes he was capture by pirates. He was so arrogant, that he gave orders to them and made them wait on him and when they asked for a ransom he laughed in their faces and told them that he would give them twice as much. This life style went on until the ransom was delivered and then the pirates fled. Caesar pursued them, caught them and killed them. He continued on to Rhodes.

When he returned to Rome, he was posted to Spain, which at the time was a Roman territory. Caesar finally had his foot in the door of Roman politics. He took up his honorary position in the senate when he returned, as the person in charge of entertainment. As this was important in Rome, Caesar took this seriously and began his campaign to be elected as consul at the next election. He designed a huge entertainment event, including mock naval battles, wild beasts and gladiator fights. He knew this would appeal to the public. Unlike most Roman senators Caesar didn t care what the patricians thought, instead he made himself appeal to the lower classes who made up the majority of Rome. He walked among the streets talking to them making himself very popular with the majority of Rome.

When Caesar was elected consul of Rome he didn t want to share the power. This made the other consul feel humiliated and he would not leave his house. Caesar was running Rome by himself in a reckless way, if he was resisted he would use force. The Roman republic was destroyed and Rome was lawless.

People wanted to persecute him for his behaviour so he left Rome taking with him several legions of troops and marching to Gaul where he managed to conquer them. Not satisfied, he moved on to Britain, where he had a appalling land. He was in serious trouble with many of his troops killed and his reinforcements a long way away. To raise the spirits Caesar took a shield and sword from a injured man and marched to the front lines and fought alongside his troops. Caesar s troops they were losing badly so he retreated and returned to Gaul and made himself leader.

He had promised his troops land and at the moment he could not give it so he decided to declare war against Rome. When he returned to Rome the current consul demanded he return his legions. Immediately he refused and declared war. He marched straight through the gate and any challengers threw down their weapons in fear. Still Caesar was not satisfied as he wanted the leader of his enemy, his former friend, Pompey. He heard a report that Pompey was in Greece so he rounded up his troops and headed there. On arriving he was outnumbered 2 to 1 but Julius Caesar was one of the most skilled generals of all time and he crushed his enemy. Pompey fled up the Nile and Caesar pursued. When he arrived in Egypt he was approached by the king bearing a gift. Caesar opened the box. He saw Pompey s head and he was filled with grief and relief. His final rival was dead. While he was in Egypt he fell in love with Queen Cleopatra and returned to Rome with her as his mistress.

Caesar returned to Rome and was made dictator for 10 years. Finally at 46BC he was ready to parade before the public. He did it in splendid fashion with his mistress behind him. As Caesar set to work he knew that Rome had to be stabilised. He started this by changing the calendar, from a lunar system to a solar system. He also began to ignore his wife in favour for his mistress Queen Cleopatra. He was elected dictator for life in February. All was not well, people liked the republic system and many of the senators felt that his arrogance had gone too far and that he had become too powerful. They hatched a plan to kill him the day he was due to set out for a campaign.

On March the 15th Caesar was in the debating arena. After he had dismissed his body guards he was approached and surrounded by many people. They pulled out knifes from under their and stabbed him twenty three times. As he fell he pulled his cloak over his face so no one could see him die. Five days later he was cremated at a public funeral. When his friends were asked why they had killed him they replied It was for liberty and freedom!