Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar is one of the famous personalities of the world history. It was Caesar who ended the Roman republic and paved the way for the later Roman emperors. Although there is a lot written about him, there was always debate if he was a hero or a villain. But for many people, including myself, Caesar is an interesting person. I will give the facts of his remarkable life and leave you to decide if he was a hero or tyrant.

When Caesar was a young boy he had to escape the wrath of the dictator Sulla. This man had taken all power to defend the Republic and tried to cleanse the state from its enemies. Caesar was eventually pardoned, but Sulla did have an astonishing foresight. He predicted that the stubborn boy would become dangerous.

Caesar was the last descendant of the ancient clan of the Julii, but although they were patricians and intermarried with other senatorial families, they were totally poor. He was educated in rhetoric, philosophy and law, like other patricians. But after his near brush with death did the eighteen-year old youth decide to enter the army.

This was the beginning of an astonishing military career. He became second in command of the province Asia. In two years he discerned himself by his bravery, strength, skill and courage in battle. After these years he went back to Rome. He served as officer in Crassus's army against Spartacus and climbed steadily up in the government by serving as official in the provinces. He remarried a wealthy wife and allied with Crassus, then the richest man in Rome. Their contestant was Pompeius Magnus. Caesar coveted and gained the lifetime function of Pontifex maximus, high priest of the people of Rome. In 61Bc he received a military post as governor ...

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...onths after the crossing of the Rubico was Caesar master of Rome and its empire. Pompeius fled to Egypt but was killed on arrival by his own men. Caesar, hot on his heels, is said to have wept for his former son in law. Caesar himself got caught in the strings of the infamous Egyptian queen Cleopatra. He conquered Egypt and took her with him back to Rome. In 46Bc he finally could stage his four Triumph parades. Caesar was now omnipotent and the senate declared him dictator for life.

But on the 6th of March 44Bc, the so called Ides of March, was Caesar murdered by Marcus Brutus, Gaius Cassius, Decimus Brutus and Gaius Trebonius, the last two being old commanders of his legions. The daggers came from every side and, after one shout of indignation, Caesar, struck twenty-three times, silently pulled his toga over his head and fell at the foot of a statue of Pompeius.