1. Gaius JULIUS CAESAR
De Bello Gallico

2. Caesar’s life Born: 100 BCE Died: March 15, 44 BCE
12th of Quinctilis (the month later renamed July) to a family that claimed the descent from Iulus (Ascanius)

3. Influences on caesar MARIUS: SULLA: Consul – 7 times (unheard of)
Supported politicians who opposed the wealthy and supported the common people
Married to Caesar’s aunt, Julia
Reformed Roman Army to include lower class
SULLA:
General of army
Dictator in Rome (when Caesar was a teenager) – marched on the city twice to win “supreme authority”
Supporter of the wealthy – suppress the commoners (poor)
Caesar’s aunt, Julia, was married to Marius
Caesar himself grew up in a time of political turmoil – this was his example

4. OPTIMAS v. POPULARIS
Optimates: worked to achieve consensus in the Senate
Sulla
Populares: worked around the Senate to pass laws in the people’s courts
Marius
Caesar relates more to the Marian faction

5. SULLA Proscription Lists
Second Triumvirate (including Octavian!)
Caesar had this example in his life at an early age
Caesar was connected with Marius – hostile to Sulla – and had to flee Rome to escape the list
Caesar was told by Sulla to divorce his wife (a family enemy to Sulla) and Caesar refused – he was added to the proscription list
Sulla dies in 78 BC – Caesar was free to return to rome

6. Caesar’s youth
“corona civica” – civic crown was given to men who saved the lives of others in battle
Sulla dies in 78 BC – Caesar can return to Rome

7. EDUCATION 77 BC: Rhodes – study rhetoric (Apollonius)
Cicero studied with Apoloonius too
75 BC: Kidnapped by pirates: ransom collected and paid
Caesar captured these pirates and crucified them
Shows status of young Roman men – Caesar is growing up in the upper class with wealth and power and surrounds himself with people who have the same
Supposedly, the pirates asked for a price of 20 – and Caesar laughed and said that was way too low, and he was worth at least 50

8. POLITICAL POWER 65 BC: Aedile
63 BC: pontifex maximus (a title later given to Octavian as well)
Scandalous because he was so young – defeated many older men
61 BC: Governor of Spain
Owed so much money, but was bailed out by Crassus
Paid off debts with victories in Spain
59 BC: Ran for CONSUL – with aid of Pompey and Crassus
Pontifex maximus election – shows his political talents
Spain governorship – gave him experience in military command
Did not have enough political power to win consulship without powerful friends

9. 1st triumvirate
Formed around 60 BC to aid Caesar’s election to Consulship
CAESAR, POMPEY, CRASSUS
Julia (Caesar’s daughter) married Pompey
(Julia dies in childbirth 54 BC)
Bibulus – Caesar’s partner in consulship in 59 BC (lame duck)

10. GAUL 58 BC: Caesar left for Gaul (~9 years)
Caesar was only supposed to be in Gaul for 5 years, but extended to finish his campaign
50 BC: Conquest of Gaul was complete
Flooded markets with salves, dispensed political favors, won devotion of soldiers, showed off incredible wealth, army size grew

11. End of 1st TRIUMVIRATE
Julia + Pompey – Julia dies in 54 BC in childirth
Crassus is killed in Parthia in 53 BC
Iraq and Iran
Pompey began to align himself with the Senate who opposed Caesar – wanted to ruin Caesar’s career
Caesar was asked by Senate to return to Rome as a “private citizen” and without his army – he refused
Was pompey jealous of caesar’s power? Did he want to become sole ruler? Needed to get caesar out of the picture
Returning to rome would have been poltical suicide for caesar – Pompey and friends would have demolished his career

12. END OF THE 1ST TRIUMVIRATE
Caesar could not be prosecuted by his enemies in the Senate if he was “consul”
Caesar’s enemies made it clear that if he returned to Rome as a “private citizen,” he would be prosecuted, so he wanted to run for consul “in absentia”

13. Alea iacta est
49 BC: Since he was branded an outlaw by the Senate, Caesar marched on Rome with his armies – crossed the Rubicon
Declared an automatic war
Pompey’s armies were in Spain, so he retreated there
Caesar continued to Rome and declared himself dictator
48 BC: Caesar led his army to Spain to meet Pompey and the “Optimates” at the Battle of Pharsalus
Caesar wins, pardons Roman citizens, Pompey flees to Egypt
The die has been cast – there is no turning back once he brought his army out of his own province

14. Caesar in EGYPT
At this time, Cleopatra (20-21 years old) was struggling for power and the throne in Egypt
Caesar saw her as a useful ally and cooperated to help her
47 BC: Caesar left Egypt with Cleopatra in place as a “client queen” and loyal to the Roman Empire
Settled some disturbances in Asia Minor (Zela): “veni vidi vici”

15. POLITICAL POWER 46 – 45 BC: Caesar set up his power in Rome
Did not use the Senate, just announced his decisions
Appointed magistrates
Squashed rebellions and gave himself “triumphs”
Coins in his likeness
Statues (like the gods!)
Purple and gold toga
Laurel wreath (golden)
Carried in a sedan chair

16. Dictator perpetuus 44 BC: Dictator for life
Declared that he would avenge the death of Crassus in Parthia (he was set to leave for Parthia on March 18, 44 BC)
Did Caesar want to be king?
Refused a “diadem” presented by Antony at a public ceremony
MARCH BC: Killed by republicans in the Senate
Benefits of dictator – did not need to run for re-election “convenient” – he could dictate who had what post

17. BENEFITS
Tried to relieve the debt
Reformed the calendar (July)

18. Caesar and his enemies Forgiveness – did not use a proscription list
Showed mercy (clemency) to those who opposed him
Killed by those who wanted to restore the “republic”

19. Caesar’s legacy Adopted great-nephew as his heir, Octavian
Caesar was deified after his death = every emperor would have this happen in the future
GAUL INFLUENCE
Gauls became Roman – speak Latin
US INFLUENCE
Fear of imitators haunted the framers of US Constitution (unchecked power)
Octavian is son of Caesar’s sister’s daughter
US framers built in checks and balances into system to stop one man from gaining too much power

20. Rome after caesar’s death
Senate failed to reassert itself
Second Triumvirate took over (Antony, Octavian, Lepidus)
Spiral of civil war until 31 BC and rise of Augustus

21. caesar, THE author De Analiga Commentarii de bello Gallico
Does not survive – Latin grammar
Commentarii de bello Gallico
First seven books composed by Caesar
Last book by Aulus Hirtius (written after Caesar’s death)
Civil War (three books)
Supplemented with books about Egypt, Africa, and Spain (uncertain authorship)

22. COMMENTARII
Official reports sent to the Senate, written by governors and generals : “sets of notes or records”
VERSUS Historia : highly elaborated literary account
Genre is well suited to convey what purports to be a straightforward record of Caesar’s conquests
What we read today are not just notes, but “reports of reports”

23. Why COMmentarii?
Wanted to make it appear as if he were sharing his reports with ALL Roman people, not just the Senate
Absent from Rome for 9 years – these would have been devoured by Romans who were looking for updated news or gossip
Report “Caesar’s Side” in this conquest
Caesar had control of what was presented, how it was presented, and when
No details of how published, when published, etc.

24. Caesar’s style Logical and clear – no obscure vocab: “plain”
Lacks complex sentences
Writes as an “observer” without passion or emotion
THIRD PERSON
Why would Caesar be speaking to them directly when he was so far away in Gaul?
Focus on actions
Seems “objective”

25. Caesar’s motivation
Reputation
Public career
Life

26. Image of caesar