Download N`dea Moore-Petinak - 2010

Moore-Petinak 1
N’dea Moore-Petinak
Ms. Bergen, Mrs. Downer, Mrs. Ibrahim
English 10-7, Latin II-6, History M/W/F
10 November 2010
Gaius Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was able to overcome his birth and become one whom many
may consider the most influential leader in history. Although he was not born into
money, he simply manipulated his circumstances to fulfill his political and personal
desires. His military conquests made him extremely popular with the Roman people. His
confidence and exceptional leadership abilities enabled him to surpass those with greater
monetary resources. Over the course of just fifty-six years, he dramatically improved not
only his career but an empire as well.
At the time of Caesar’s birth in 100 BC, “it is doubtful whether anyone at Rome
would have expected a son of this secondary branch of the patrician Iulli Caesares to rise
to great eminence in the state” (Taylor 1). Caesar was born into patrician roots but his
family did not have much wealth or power to show for it. At best it is said that Caesar’s
grandfather held the praetorship. His remaining predecessors did not hold positions
worthy of note. This set the goals expected of Caesar low but in 84 BC, Cinna gave his
daughter Cornelia to Caesar in marriage. This allowed Caesar to prepare for the
priesthood, but seeing that this would limit the extent of his career, he slowly edged away
from it (Goldsworthy 49-52).
Caesar’s ventures did not always, however, politically better him. In 81 BC
Dictator Sulla ordered Caesar to divorce his wife Cornelia. Caesar was put on the
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proscription list and forced to go into hiding for fear of his life. With the help of friends,
he was able to peacefully return to Rome. Also in his younger years, was his abduction
by pirates. When the kidnappers demanded twenty thousand talents he insisted upon the
fact that he was worth fifty thousand. He kept a joking relationship with his kidnappers
while still warning them of the dangers that would follow after he was returned. He held
true to this promise when he slit their throats after the ransom was collected
(Goldsworthy 59). Caesar’s pirate tale and brush with Sulla were both an example of him
gauging his political status. Unlike many modern day politicians, Caesar began
expanding his horizons at an extremely young age.
Caesar achieved many things, and not always by default, “On the day of the
election Caesar came first by a very comfortable margin” (Goldsworthy 163). This was
most always the case later in Caesar’s career, when he had gained more political support.
Of all the political positions he held: soldier, general, quaestor, orator, praetor, governor,
consul, clodius tribune, curio tribune, and dictator, Caesar did not win a single one of
them based on pure luck. His determination, ambition, and incredible work ethic lead him
to all of his great achievements. Caesar also thought outward towards others when
appropriate. One example of Caesar’s selflessness is when “…he won the oak-wreath or
Civic Crown” (Grant 27). This award was presented for his savior of a citizen’s life in
battle. This foreshadowed what would be a great concern for the well being of his people.
Caesar’s conquests were vast. The first was the Gallic Wars in which Roman
troops were being killed off by the thousands. Caesar was asked to keep the Gauls in line,
and he set out to do just that. Rebellions started up in Gaul, but Caesar’s mass legions
crushed them with their brute force. All in all, Caesar killed an estimated 1, 192, 000
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enemies (Grant 139). On the other hand, Caesar’s civil war was a political one. The main
components consisting of Crassus and Pompey. When the three formed The First
Triumvirate, the intent was not just individual gain. But alas, there were many events
leading to the disintegration of the alliance. One was the death of Caesar’s daughter, Julia
(also Pompey’s wife) in childbirth. Another was the intense struggle for the power that
the three could not possibly share. The third was Caesar’s insatiable thirst for total
dominance. For even though Crassus was the richest man in Rome, even he could not
crush Caesar’s path to political victory (Grant 159). The crossing of the Rubicon was one
example of Caesar’s military brilliance. At this point, Caesar was in an adequate position.
He was not yet the powerful dictator he would become, but he was also not the feeble
sixteen year old trying to fulfill his name. In his own words, “the die is cast” Caesar
labeled his crossing of the Rubicon (Plutarch 32.6). This was the point of no return. Many
had attempted to cross the massive river, but lacked a true plan. Instead of building
manmade rafts, Caesar built an ingeniously engineered bridge in less than a week. Once
this great structure was built out of the surrounding timber, Caesar had already won. This
great feat made him exceedingly popular with the Roman people as this task could never
before have been completed.
While in office, Caesar made many reforms, making numerous breaks with the
constitution along the way. One of which was to put all of the Roman government into
one single unit, as opposed to several branches. This task, which would later be
completely finished by Augustus, helped to unify the empire and aid in its increase in
wealth and land. Another break in the constitution was when Caesar gave himself the
ability to elect consuls and tribunes. This dismantled everything that Rome stood for
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(representation of the people, not representation of the dictator). Perhaps the greatest of
Caesar’s reforms, though, was his The Constitutional Reforms of Julius Caesar. This
literary work was designed with three things in mind. First, it ensured that provinces did
not become too powerful and encroach upon the city of Rome’s military and political
power. Second, it centralized the Roman government. His third goal was to bring the
Roman Empire closer to the newly centralized Roman government. He completed the
first goal by demolishing Pompey and those who supported him. He accomplished the
former and latter by becoming dictator.
Although Caesar seemed to be finally fulfilling his desires, all was not well in the
minds of his enemies. He could the consequence of what so many others had been
murdered for; too much power. On the day of his assassination, Caesar was forced to
come to terms with the fact that his dictatorship could not last forever; political glory was
not eternal. On his way to a session in the Senate, twenty-three men approached him in an
attempt to free Rome of the far too long reign of Caesar. But the senators were mistaken.
They may not have agreed with Caesar’s absolutism, but the republic was not yet ready to
stand on its own two feet again. It was just beginning to complete its unification and
solidify its ascendancy over much of the world. What started out as a plan to restore order
and end a tyranny, resulted in the decline of Rome itself.
Most did not expect Caesar to accomplish much. He came from a mediocre
household and did not show much promise in his younger years, but he proved them all
wrong. His military conquests in the Gallic wars aided Roman expansion. His
government reforms dramatically altered the Roman constitution to bring the empire
closer together. He put aside his family root’s small role in society and reached the
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greatest honors and titles possible. With clever wit and perseverance, Gaius Julius Caesar
changed the face of both his and Rome’s legacy.