Download Julius Caesar - MrsRoosEnglish

By: Hakeem and Jake
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Gaius Julius Caesar was
born most likely on July
13, 100 BC.
Caesar was a member of
the deeply patrician Julii
family with roots dating
to the foundation of the
city itself.
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Caesar was raised in
the common quarters
of Rome, or the
Subura among the
lower citizen classes.
His home was what
functioned as an
apartment building in
the modern world, or
what was known as an
insula
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Two major events impacted the
life of the young Caesar. The
later and seemingly less
momentous event of the two was
the death of his father at the age
of 15 in 85 BC
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The more significant event in the life of
Caesar was a marriage arrangement that
would have enormous impact on
Roman culture as a whole. The
marriage of his aunt Julia to the novus
homo (new man) Gaius Marius had
repercussions that affected the entire
ancient world
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Through this marriage in 110 BC
and 10 years prior to the birth of
his famous nephew, Marius
gained the political and familial
connection necessary to advance
his own career up the cursus
honorum
Caesar allied himself against the nobility. As his career took off, he won a number of political
offices, not always by reputable means. By 63 BC, he had become a well-known, but
controversial figure.
Despite his notoriety, he was appointed governor of Farther Spain. This was a lucrative
position, because it offered him the chance to plunder the local inhabitants at will. He
returned to Rome in 60 BC and, the following year, was elected consul, the highest office
in the republic
When Caesar acquired real power he allied himself with Pompey and Crassus. Pompey
was a war hero who had been badly treated by the Senate, while Crassus was a
multimillionaire. The two men were rivals but Caesar was able to bridge the gap
between them and the three men formed the powerful ‘first triumvirate’.
Caesar scored some early victories and, by 46 BC, was dictator of Rome. After a
year spent eliminating his remaining enemies, he returned home. Generous in
victory, he was kind to his defeated rivals, giving them all amnesties and even
inviting some to join him in government.
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At home, he reformed the Roman calendar, tackled local government,
resettled veterans into new cities, made the Senate more representative and
granted citizenship to many more foreigners.
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Caesar's rule was cut short. Old enemies joined forces with some of his
supporters, fed up of his dictatorial style. On March15, 44 BC, the Ides of
March, Caesar was assassinated in the Senate.
Caesar conquered what the Romans called Gaul. This comprised almost all
modern France, Belgium, and Switzerland. He also conquered the west bank
of the River Rhine, now in modern Germany. He campaigned across the
Rhine, into what was then called Germania, and twice conducted expeditions
to Britain. However, in both these latter territories he soon withdrew, so
didn't make any conquests in these areas.
Spain had been under Roman control since the second Punic War, some 150
years before the conquest of Gaul. Egypt remained independent (under
Cleopatra) until 31BC
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http://www.pbs.org/empires/romans/empir
e/julius_caesar.html
http://www.unrv.com/fall-republic/gaiusjulius-caesar.php