From 100 BC to 44 BC, Caesar gained admiration and influence through various political roles such as; Pontifex, Governor, and Praetor. As a result of the power and admiration he gathered in these roles, Julius Caesar ultimately became dictator of Rome allowing him to make a number of important changes to the Roman Empire. Moreover, through conquests of countries such as Gaul his influence spread across the continent. Caesar played a vital role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire, which ultimately led to his assassination. Julius Caesar changed Rome through his rise to political power, conquest, feuds and assassination.
Julius Caesar accumulated his power over the course of his life through the various positions he held in Rome, which allowed him to make changes to the Roman Republic. For example, in 69 B.C. Julius Caesar was elected military tribune, after displaying bravery during his kidnapping by pirates while crossing the Aegean Sea. The military tribune position was the first step in having a political career at the time and necessary to begin developing his influence.
Next, Julius Caesar took on the role of Quaestor in 69 B.C. Throughout this position Julius 1
Caesar both supervised the financial affairs of the state and conducted audits. Following his time as a Quaestor Julius Caesar became Pontifex Maximus despite the public’s surprise due to his young age . The Pontifex Maximus was an important step in Caesar’s rise to power as it was the 2 position of high priest in the College of Pontiffs and the most important position in the ancient
!1 Roman church. In fact Caesar won this position against two powerful senators with greater experience thereby demonstrating his increased ...
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"Julius Caesar (100BC - 44BC)." BBC News. Accessed May 04, 2014. http://www.bbc.co.uk/ 3 history/historic_figures/caesar_julius.shtml. "Julius Caesar (100BC - 44BC)." BBC News. Accessed May 04, 2014. http://www.bbc.co.uk/ 4 history/historic_figures/caesar_julius.shtml. The Roman Empire: In the First Century." PBS. Accessed May 06, 2014. http://www.pbs.org/ 5 empires/romans/empire/julius_caesar.html. "The Roman Empire: In the First Century." PBS. Accessed May 06, 2014. http://www.pbs.org/ 6 empires/romans/empire/julius_caesar.html "Pompey the Great Assassinated." History.com. Accessed May 10, 2014. 7 http:www.history.com/this-day-in-history/pompey-the-great-assassinated. "The Ides of March: Julius Caesar Is Murdered." History.com. Accessed May 09, 2014. http:// 8
www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-ides-of-march-julius-caesar-is-murdered.
During the Republic, the people of Rome had a major disinclination towards any sort of Royalty, which is why when Caesar attempted to lead undemocratically indefinitely, he disrupted one of the core stances that romans shared communally. Caesar over indulged in power when he retitled himself as ‘dictator in perpetuo’. “And as Caesar was coming down from Alba into the city they ventured to hail him as king. But at this the people were confounded, and Caesar, disturbed in mind, said that his name was not King, but Caesar, and seeing that his words produced an universal silence, he passed on with no very cheerful or contented looks…..But the most open and deadly hatred towards him was produced by his passion for the royal power.” Caesars egotism and self-importance made him uncherished by members of the senate. “Everybody knew that Caesar's ego would never allow him to play second fiddle to another senator, and it was equally well-known that another famous military leader, Pompey the Great, had similar ambitions. In January 49, more or less at...
The Web. The Web. 25 Nov. 2013. http://school.eb.com/levels/high/article/273442>. The "Julius Caesar."
At this point Caesar was praised by the Roman people for his various military victories and had been awarded several awards and honors by the senate. Having conquered much of the surrounding territories, spanning from northern Africa to Greece, and enacting several reforms, Caesar was in the process of acquiring the most power a single man had ever documented in the Roman republic.
It was clear to the people of Rome that the concerns of the common man were now of little importance to the aristocrats that held positions in government. Additionally, new policies paid the army with gold and land instead of it being a public service for the good of the Roman Republic leading soldiers to be more loyal to the generals than the republic itself. Julius Caesar, a successful military leader, utilized the control he had over his soldiers to rise to prominence in Roman politics in 78-60 BCE. Caesar joined the 1st triumvirate, a mutual split of power between himself, Pompey, and Crassus for control of Rome, but after the death of Crassus and the defeat of Pompey in Northern Italy was the only remaining leader. Caesar then focused on social and economic reforms that addressed the class inequality that resulted from the aftermath of the Gracchi brothers, subsequently making him very popular with the commoners. Caesar most likely saw his popularity as an advantage, knowing that having the people of Rome on his side would make it much more difficult for him to be stripped of his title. Unfortunately, popularity would prove not to be enough to keep Caesar in office. Because Caesar’s initiative was focused around the concerns of the common man, some of Caesar’s senate did not approve of the way he was utilizing his power. In 44 BCE, Julius Caesar would be stabbed to death while in a senate meeting. Upon hearing that Caesar had fallen to the aristocrats, his followers, mostly commoners, were enraged and caused the Roman Republic to go into a state of disarray once
His first contribution to Rome’s downfall came in the form of the formation of the First Triumvirate, which enabled him to illegally take Gaul, and further undermine the senate. Caesar made his way to power by gaining important alliances. Unlike Marius, he was born into a fairly important high class family in Rome. The First Triumvirate, formed in 60BC was composed of himself, Crassus and Pompey. Crassus was the wealthiest man in Rome at the time, and Pompey had just been awarded his third Triumph. The mere existence of such a group undermined the ideals of the senate, as it worked on the basis that no one man could have enough power to do anything without the support of the senators. The Triumvirs worked to achieve their own individual goals, whilst simultaneously supporting one another. Caesar was consul in 59BC, with Marcus Bibulus, and made the sheer influence of the three men public with the introduction of his land redistribution law. Crassus and Pompey supported this proposal, and Pompey filled Rome with his soldiers. Bibulus tried to void the law but Caesar’s armed supporters drove him out of the senate and forced him into house arrest. This meant that Caesar essentially had a sole consulship and gained enough power and support to overturn his proposed governorship and allowed himself
With the problems starting with the dissolution of the first triumvirate and the actions of Julius Caesar, it seemed almost inevitable that the Republic would become an Empire. With the death of the true republican, Cicero, and many not remembering what the republic was like, giving power to the capable and honorable man seemed as if the best answer. Furthermore, if the Rome continue to remain a Republic the Senate could not have maintained the success or power that the Empire held. The ambition of one man made it easy to continue the growth whereas, many of the policies and disputes the country faced had face might have taken to long or complicated had the republic
Julius Caesar (100-44 BC) was one of the most outstanding leaders in history. He was the first ruler of the Romano-Hellenic civilization and achieved his goals with great success throughout his life of 56 years. He was assassinated by the conspirators, who accused him for practicing tyranny. This essay will discuss whether it was right for the conspirators to murder Caesar and what its consequences were.
In 509 B.C. the Romans declared themselves a republic, free from rule of the Etruscan kings. (“The Rise of…”) From that point on, the Roman’s form of government would never include the title of “king”, in fear that a single person would gain absolute power. The republic included a dictator (in emergencies), the senate, two consuls, and several other positions. (Bishop) Although the goal of creating a republic was to have a government that represented the wishes of its people, the Roman senate consisted of men of wealth or power, leaving most of the plebeians, or common people, out of the picture. Many of the emperors’ policies strengthened the power of the government, and therefore weakened the power of the plebeians. By the end of Sulla’s rule in 78 B.C., grain prices had risen substantially and there was large gap between the rich and poor. (“The Rise of…”) When Julius Caesar took power, he initiated several reforms that were much needed at the time. Caesar spent large volumes of money on entertaining the citizens, while expanding citizenship to people of conquered lands and lessening the power of the senate. His policies threatened the method of income of senators and around 60 senators, in the name of saving the republic, murdered Julius Caesar at a senate hearing in 44 B.C. Civil war then erupted in Rome and lasted over a decade. At the end of the blood brawl, it was Octavian who emerged victorious; he would be the first Roman Emperor and would be known as Augustus. (Morey) Although the “Liberators” (Julius Caesar’s assassins), might not have realized it, the day that Julius Caesar died was the same day that the republic died; t...
July 13, 100 B.C, marked a beginning of a new part in Roman history. This day marked the birth of the greatest political figure in Rome, Julius Caesar. Caesar’s rise throughout Rome’s political levels of Rome came fast and it was that many people in the Senate believed that Julius Caesar was becoming too powerful to quickly and that Caesar was becoming a threat for the Republic. Caesar
Having crushed every one of his foes, Caesar was conceded a 10-year tyranny for reasons for reestablishing the republic. His answer was to reconstitute himself as a Roman type of Hellenistic celestial lord or ruler. Since 510 BC nonetheless, the Romans had prided themselves with having acquired their flexibility by removing their Etruscan King. The very word ruler, REX, was an abomination to the Republic attitude. Roman natives had a municipal obligation to stifle any endeavor at oppression however political death and could do as such with exemption. Albeit deliberately keeping away from the title "rex", Caesar endeavored to gather for himself all aspects of sacred power, serving in the meantime as despot, as diplomat, as Pontifex Maximus, and as Plebeian Tribune forever. In mid 44 BC he announced himself DICTATOR IN PERPETUO (really recorded on his coins). He was killed by a trick of around 60 odd representatives a couple of weeks after the fact. Now the point of reference of tenet by one man had been built up at Rome. The main inquiry remained which of his supporters would in all probability succeed him to this position. This ended up being his extraordinary fabulous nephew, C. Julius C. F. Caesar Octavianus, or
Alvin B. Kernan. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2009. Print.
Julius Caesar was born on the 13th day of the month Quintilis (now July) in the year of 100 B.C. His full name was Gaius Julius Caesar, the same as his father's name. Gaius was his given name and Julius was his surname. Caesar was the name of one branch of the Julian family. Its original meaning was "hairy.” Caesar's family was not prominent, but they claimed to be descended from Venus as well as the kings of Alba Langa. In spite of that fiction, Caesar was well connected through his relatives and received some important government assignments during his youth. Julius Caesar was the dictator of Rome from 61-44 BC. At the time of his birth, Rome was still a republic and the empire was only beginning. Caesar made his way to be considered a head of Rome by 62 BC, but many of the senate felt him a dangerous, ambitious man. The senate did their best to keep him out of consulship. He finally became consul in 59 BC. In Caesar, they saw only the threat of a king, a word that was linked with the word “tyrant” that is cruel or unjust rule.
Philosopher A: In the Republic, the Senate was the primary branch of the Roman government and held the majority of the political power. It controlled funds, administration and foreign policy, and had significant influence of the everyday life of the Roman people. When Augustus came to power, he kept the Senate and they retained their legal position. The Emperor’s rule was legitimized by the senate as he needed the senators experience to serve as administrators, diplomats and generals. Although technically the most authoritative individual in Rome, Augustus strived to embody Republican values. He wanted to relate and connect to all parts of society including Plebeians. Through generosity and less extravagance, Augustus achieved a connection with the common people.
THESIS STATEMENT: The assassination of Julius Caesar was due to his increased power and the Senate's fear of losing their political relevance. PURPOSE STATEMENT: Through critical analysis and research, it has been shown that Caesar's gain in power worried the Senate. INTRODUCTION: On July 13, 100 B.C., Gaius Julius Caesar was born into a family that was proud of being patrician.
Allen, Janet. "Julius Caesar." Holt McDougal Literature. Orlando, FL: Holt McDougal/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012. N. pag. Print.