JULIUS CAESAR I CAME, I SAW, I CONQUERED

TIMELINE SO FAR…  509 – The Beginning of the Roman Republic  264 – First Punic War  Hannibal Barca def. at Battle of Zama (2 nd Punic War)  146 – Carthage destroyed in Third Punic War  100 – THE BIRTH OF JULIUS CAESAR  71 – Spartacus rebellion defeated.  44 – THE DEATH OF JULIUS CAESAR

ORIGINS  Claimed ancestor of Aeneas himself  From a rich Patrician family…  Why Caesar?  Born by Caesarian section?  Because of his thick head of hair?  Because of his bright eyes?  Because he killed an elephant in Battle?

BAD START…  Politics in Rome were a bloody mess (literally), Sulla gave himself the role of dictator and had all his political enemies assassinated  Caesar was a target and fled Rome…  Eventually kidnapped and taken prisoner by pirates…  Eventually he escapes and crucifies all of them as promised…  Thankfully Caesar, Sulla dies and JC can return to Rome…

BACK ON TRACK  Known as an excellent orator and public speaker, openly rips members of the senate and government  Elected Military Tribune  Elected Quaestor – 63 BC  Elected Praetor  The birth of political smear campaigns? Accuses the more experienced candidates of bribery and treason and convinces the voters of it and he wins the job.

RISE COTINUES…  Gets the support of the richest man in Rome – our old friend Marcus Crassus in exchange for his support against Pompey  Pompey & Crassus are the 2 most powerful men at the time and hate each other  Elected Governor of Spain  Elected as Consul of Rome (as high as it gets)

RESOLUTION  Caesar convinces enemies Pompey and Crassus that with their wealth and public favor they can essentially control everything in the Senate and in Rome  They hug it out

FIRST TRIUMVATE  “Triumvirate” = The Rule of 3 Men JULIUS CAESAR CRASSUS POMPEY

GALLIC WARS  Pretty much appoints himself to Govern Gaul  How long is a term in office in Roman Republic?  Caesar gets 5 years.  Why?  Debt – sees Gaul as a source of income  Motivation – Alexander the Great?

GAUL  Modern Day France & Northern Italy  Previously unconquered land  Home of “Barbarian” Germanic Tribes  Caesar pushes into Britain & Germany

GALLIC WARS  Caesar fights many battles with many different tribes  The lack of unity amongst the tribes proves to be their downfall  Caesar’s 5 years are up…they extend him for 5 more.

VERCINGETORIX  Gallic General unites a bunch of the tribes in a large rebellion vs. Caesar  Culminates at the BATTLE OF ALESIA

GAUL DEFEATED  51 BC – Rome is in complete control of Gaul

FURTHER EXPANSION  Caesar attempts several campaigns into modern day Britain & Germany but is defeated or can’t sustain the progress  Plans to go back…  BUT!!!!.... JULIUS CAESAR CRASSUS POMPEY

CIVIL WAR  POMPEY: Your term as consul is up, come back to Rome  CAESAR: Forget that, I know I’ll be persecuted  POMPEY: You refuse to come back? TREASON!  CAESAR: Fine I’ll come back.  CAESAR crosses the Rubicon river with his legions, seen as a threat to invade Rome and attack Pompey

CIVIL WAR  Pompey flees to Spain  In Rome, Caesar appoints himself dictator and names Marc Antony his right hand man.  Caesar then makes himself win an election to be consul again and resigns title of Dictator  Chases Pompey all the way to Spain where Pompey is murdered.

ROMANCE  While in Egypt he falls in love with Cleopatra  Caesar conquers Egypt and names Cleopatra as ruler.  Conquers Egypt so easily that he mocks Pompey who struggled there as a general for years.  Chases Pompey’s son around the Mediterranean, defeats them  Named Dictator for 10 years – Republic my left foot!

REFORMS UNDER CAESAR  Conquered: France, Egypt, Spain  Elaborate Gladiatorial Games ( Later…)  More Children = More $$$ ( Repopulate Italy)  Added 3 months to 46BC to bring the calendar in alignment with the seasons and added a leap year every 4 th year (almost identical to our calendar)  Rebuild Carthage & Corinth  Made a police force

PROTECT HIS POWER  CAESAR: “ I have the ability to appoint whoever I want as magistrates so when I go conquering elsewhere you guys can’t screw me over again.”  Before Caesar can leave the senate calls one last meeting to talk about some potential reforms…

Et tu, Brute?  The Senators surround Caesar and each stab him, he was stabbed in total 23 times  SHAKESPEARE: Caesar sees one of his trusted allies Brutus amongst the killers and utters “and you Brutus?” in disbelief  REALITY: Unknown.  PEOPLE OF ROME, WE ARE NOW FREE!

Ides of March  March 15 th 44BC

SUMMARY  Born into a wealthy family which had fallen on hard times.  Worked his way up the political ladder securing powerful allies.  Spent 10 years conquering Gaul to help pay his debts  Returned with legions into Rome to ignite a civil war  Defeated his Roman enemies declaring himself dictator for life  Assassination leads to the fall of the Roman Republic

LEGACY?  Would you give Caesar control of your army?