Julius Cesar Essay, Research Paper

Introduction:

Julius Caesar is one of the most famous people in world history. He was a very interesting man. It was Caesar who changed the way that the Roman government worked. He was also a great warrior and claimed a great deal of land for the Roman Empire.

Caesar?s Early Years

Julius Caesar was born on July 12th or 13th in 100 B.C.

His father died when he was 16 years old. Soon after this he was married. In 84 B.C. he married Cornelia, the daughter of Lucius Cornelius Cinna.

In 82 B.C., after some troubled debates about his marriage to Cornelia, Caesar left Rome to spend time in the military service in Asia and Cicilia. He returned in 78 B.C.

He soon left again and travelled to Rhodes to study. During his journey he was captured by pirates. While he was being held hostage he convinced these pirates to raise his ransom higher, which increased his importance to the Roman people. When he was returned to Rome in 73 B.C. he put together a small naval force and went out to find the pirates who captured him. When he found them he crucified them and left them to die in the hot Mediterranean sun.

Politics

In 68 or 69 B.C., Caesar was elected quaestor. Soon after his wife died he married Pompeia, a relative of Pompey. From 65 B.C. to 62 B.C. he was elected to several different offices. Caesar was making a very big name for himself in politics and after a scandal he divorced Pompeia.

In 61 B.C. Caesar was made governor of Spain. When he returned to Rome the next year he formed the first triumvirate with Crassus and Pompey. Pompey and Caesar became very close when Pompey married Caesar?s only child, Julia.

In 59 B.C. he married Calpurnia. The following year he was appointed governor of Roman Gaul. During the next eight years Caesar successfully conquered Gaelic Gaul to the north.

Following the death of Crassus, in 53 B.C., Roman politics changed and Caesar was told to give up his command so that Pompey would be the sole commander. Pompey?s wife Julia (Caesar?s daughter) had died so Caesar did not have anymore personal family ties to Pompey.

Civil War

On January 10th, 49 B.C., Caesar crossed the Rubicon River that separated Gaul from Italy and this was the start of the Roman Civil War. Pompey ran away and within three months Caesar ruled all of Italy. He chased Pompey all the way to Egypt where he was murdered by an officer of King Ptolemy. Caesar remained in Egypt for the whole winter and became close friends with Queen Cleopatra.

In 48 B.C. Caesar took over his title of dictator. He returned to Rome for a short time but soon went back to Africa to crush his opponents. In 45 B.C. he returned to Rome to put his empire in order.

His Death

On March 15, 44 B.C. Caesar entered the Senate House and was assassinated. A plot had been made by sixty senators which included Marcus Brutus. Caesar was stabbed twenty three times. This day is known as the ?The Ides of March?. After this happened Rome had another thirteen years of civil war.

What I Learned

While I did this report on Julius Caesar I learned that he got married very young, and entered the army very young. He was married three times but only had one child. He also was responsible for claiming many countries and land for Rome. He was murdered when was 55 years old.

Internet

Sahlman, Rachel (Researcher)

?Julius Caesar?

SPECTRUM Home & School Magazine

(www.incwell.com/spectrum.html)

Accessed January 16, 2000

Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 99

?Caesar, Gaius Julius?

1993 ? 1998 Microsoft Corporation