Download Alec Lynch March 15, 2012 World History Period 8 Julius Caesar the

Alec Lynch
March 15, 2012
World History Period 8
Julius Caesar the Roman general and politician who overthrew the Roman
Republic and established the rule of an emperor was born on July 12, 100 B.C. in Rome.
His father Gaius Caesar and his mother was Aurelia Caesar. Caesar received the standard
education for a young Roman. Cicero, a Roman statesman and philosopher, considered
Caesar one of the most educated of the Romans.
Julius Caesar served as a young officer in Asia Minor and was quaestor, financial
official, in Spain. In 59 B.C. Caesar won an election to become a consul. Caesar soon
found the alliance that would become known as the First Triumvirate with Pompey, a
popular General, and Crassus, a powerful politician. In 52 B.C. under Vercingetorix, a
nobleman of the tribe of the Arverni, Gaul had a wide spread revolt. Caesar lost a few
battles but when Vercingetorix took refuge in the fortress of Alesia so Caesar was able
to encircle the fortress and capture him. When Caesar was taking care of the revolt
his political power weakened. Pompey had remained in Rome and strengthened his
political power. When Caesar returned to Rome in 50 B.C. he now had two choices: he
could let the Senate destroy him politically, or he could start a civil war. On January 10,
49 B.C. Caesar crossed the Rubicon River with his army and stared a war. Pompey
quickly fled Rome and was than killed by the pharaoh in Egypt.
Caesar than named himself dictator, a ruler with absolute power, for life. The
senate planed to kill him and restore Rome to a republic. On March 15, 44 B.C. Julius
Caesar died by being stabbed twenty-three times. Before his death Caesar had chosen
Gaius Octavius, his grandson, as his successor.
"Julius Caesar Biography." Ancient Rome. Web. 15 Mar. 2012. <http://www.ancientrome.biz/julius-caesar-biography.html>.
"World Biography." Julius Caesar Biography. Web. 15 Mar. 2012.
<http://www.notablebiographies.com/Br-Ca/Caesar-Julius.html>.