Download a full transcript of part 2 of the Julius Caesar movie

This famous statue of Julius Caesar, located in the heart of Rome, appropriately shows
him not in his role as a senator, or with his costume of Pontifex Maximus, a major priest
of Rome, but as a soldier, and one of Rome’s greatest generals. Caesar commanded an
army that conquered many tribes in a vast area of Europe the Romans called Gallia, or
Gaul. Gaul included areas of western Europe that included parts of modern-day northern
Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium ;and the Netherlands. These people were
eventually incorporated into what became the Roman Empire. Caesar began his campaign
of conquest when he was given command of the northern territory called Cisalpine Gaul.
Some northern tribes had already begun to develop trading relations with Rome, but the
rest of Gaul still had no cities except for their fortified compounds called oppida, and
were regarded as “barbarians” by both the Greeks and Romans. Caesar began his
campaign in Gaul in 58 bce when the Helvetii began a mass migration through Roman
territory. This was the beginning of his battles to secure Gaul by conquering individual
and allied barbarian tribes, and putting down rebellions. Caesar recounted h is four-year
campaign in his famous book, the Gallic Wars. This book is unique in that Caesar’s
account is the only record we have by an ancient military commander describing his
campaign. But it is also our only information about the native culture of these people.
Caesar spends ten chapters on the Gauls, eight chapters on the Germans, and describes
the duties of druid priests, organization of Gallic warrior knights, and Gallic
gods. Caesar finally put an end to Gallic resistance at the famous battle of Alesia where,
in 52 bce he defeated the Arverni warrior Vercingtorix. Caesar encircled the enemy
opopidum fortress with two separate walls, and set up camp with his 12 legions of 30 to
60,000 men between the two lines of fortification. Caesar used his fortifications,
favorable field position, and surprise counterattack to defeat 80,000 warriors within
Alesia, and the 250,000 men in the force the Gallic tribes sent in relief. He personally
took part in the fighting, riding along their lines with his distinctive red cape flowing
behind, and cheering his men on. When his men saw his bravery, they redoubled their
efforts and the Gauls panicked and retreated. Inside his fortress, Vercingetorix saw the
disaster and surrendered the next day. Even though he was a noble from the Patrician
class, Caesar was known as a champion of the people. He had a reputation of being antiestablishment. For example he held a large public funeral for his favored aunt Julia when
granting huge funerals for women wasn’t common. He did it again when his young wife
Cornelia died. His dedication to these women won emotional points in the hearts of the
common people of Rome. He put himself heavily in debt by staging spectacular games
and sponsoring building projects that benefited the people. With his own money he built
this Forum as a place where people could conduct business. Caesar’s popularity with the
people was seen as a betrayal to his patrician class and a serious political threat to the
entrenched conservative senators who ruled Rome. It also didn’t help that physically he
was tall for a Roman, standing 6 feet. He was an attractive man, with a charismatic
personality. He was highly intelligent and well versed in the law. He was a powerful
speaker and was adept at political maneuvering. Naturally he had many rivals and strong
enemies, some of whom feared that he had become too popular and powerful. They felt
threatened by Caesar’s hold on politics and feared that he wanted to become a king,
eliminating the power of the senators. It was in a small back room of the theater built by
Pompey, on March 15th 44 bce that Caesar’s enemies stabbed him to death. They had
come with daggers hidden in their togas and attacked him as he stood at the base of
Pompei’s statue. They struck him at least twenty three times. Caesar was greatly
mourned by the citizens of Rome who crushed into the Roman Forum to attend his
cremation. Even today, Roman citizens remember him with flower bouquets placed on
the altar where his body was burned in a huge public ceremony. What can we say of
Caesar’s legacy? The people of Rome’s continuing admiration for him may be a
remembrance of the many reforms he introduced. Some helped landless peasants get
small farms, others eased peoples’ burdens of debt. He opened up Roman citizenship to
people outside of Italy, and expanded the Roman Senate to include non-Italians. His
public works projects helped alleviate congestion and renovate major buildings in the
heart of the Rome forum. Even today we’d admire a politician who accomplished these
things.