Julius Caesar And The Roman Republic

In the late Roman Republic, the empire was close to descending into anarchy. The last century leading into the Common Era was fueled by political violence and murder. This was a result of a civil war occurring between the optimates, those who sought to extend power to the Senate, and the populares, who were in support of improving the life of the plebeians. Murder was synonymous with the political system and as a result, the Democracy was crumbling. There were several historical figures that sought to go against the Roman political system such as the Gracchi Brothers, Gaius Marius, and Lucius Cornelius Sulla. At some point there men all failed where one man did not. Gaius Julius Caesar was growing up at a time when the populares were losing the fight as their major supporters were being caught and exterminated. As a result, their powers in the political system were dwindling. This would serve as the platform for Caesar to begin his career as a low class patrician being outcasted by the capitol, to a Roman general showered with praise, combining powers with the rich and powerful, and winning a civil war emerging as absolute dictator.

While Caesar was born into the patrician class, he was not very powerful or rich as other families are who enter into the Roman political system. Caesar was no ordinary young adult however, his experiences and actions preceding his foray into Roman politics helped shape his transformation into a man with something to prove. At age 16 he would become head of his family after his father's death in 85 BC. Caesar would soon be forced to leave Rome after his uncle Gaius Marius was defeated in a civil war with Lucius Cornelius Sulla. He also had ties to the our times consul Lucius Cinna as he married his dau...

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...ted the aristocracy and knew that no matter what they did they would not be granted the life and power they wanted. Even the tribune of the plebs and all of the powers the office had granted upon it would either work against them, or someone who was in support of them would be killed off by the aristocracy. Instead of killing the remaining members of the Senate off, he let them do it for him as there was many vacant seats as a result of the civil wars. Caesar decided to elect his friends of Gaul and Hispania to the new vacant positions instead of having more of his local enemies. Any restrictions Caesar still had were now eliminated. Caesar controlled all of Rome.

Upon his assassination the common people of Rome would result to violence and burn the Senate chamber where he had been murdered. They would search for the murderers to no avail, but gave Caesar a funeral