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Julius Caesar (100-44B.C.)
military genius and
major figure in Roman
history
 conquered Gaul and
defeated his archrival,
Pompey
 appointed dictator for
life - his power
prompted fear that he
would make himself
king


Reformed the Roman
calendar, was granted
the right to wear the
purple toga of Roman
kings, to use the laurel
crown, and to sit in a
gold chair; his image
was set up in all
temples in Italy and
his likeness appeared
on coins.
EARLY LIFE
Helped Mark Antony
fight piracy
 Married a relative of
Pompey (they later
divorced on his
suspicion that she
was unfaithful) and
supported military
assignments for
Pompey

 He later married Calpurnia
 Caesar’s daughter, Julia, married Pompey.
Despite this, strain developed between the
two men. The death of Julia and success of
Caesar at Gaul eventually destroyed the
two men’s relationship.
 Helped form first triumvirate (trio in power)
 Caesar began a civil war. Caesar’s veteran
army overran Pompey and he fled to Egypt
where he was murdered.
 Following him there, Caesar became
involved with Cleopatra and made her his
mistress as well as queen of Egypt
 After his victory over Pompey, he returned
home to Rome and this is where our play
begins
 from this victory originated his famous
boast, Veni, vidi, veci (“I came, I saw, I
conquered.”)
THE ASSASSINATION OF CAESAR

The plot to murder
Caesar was conceived
by men who feared his
power. The men also
resented Caesar’s
popularity with the
masses.
 Altogether, sixty men were involved in the
plot to kill Caesar. Caesar heard rumors
about the plot to murder him, but dismissed
them. On March 15, the Ides of March, he
went to a meeting with the Senate on the
porch of the theater of Pompey. At 11
o’clock Caesar was asked by one of the
plotters to recall his brother from exile. As
Caesar listened, the other conspirators
gathered round, completely surrounding
Caesar.
 Stabbed twenty-three times, Caesar fell at
the foot of Pompey’s statue. Caesar’s death
brought on another civil war which ended
the Republic and ushered in the new era of
the Empire.
 Shakespeare took facts from Plutarch’s
Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans and
developed them into this play.
ELEMENTS OF THE PLAY
 PROTAGONIST - main character, center of
attention; in conflict with antagonist BRUTUS
 ANTAGONIST - character in conflict with the
main character - CAESAR- ANTONYOCTAVIUS
 CONFLICTS - person vs. person; person vs.
self
 SETTING - Rome, 44 B.C.; Sardis and Philippi,
42 B.C.
 TRAGIC FLAW - not a literary term - means:
Good people, through error and temporary
weakness, can wreck havoc on themselves
and others.
Background
His family had noble roots although they were
neither rich nor influential in this period.
 At age 18 he married Cornelia, the daughter of a
prominent member of the Popular faction; she
later bore him his only legitimate child, a
daughter, Julia.
 The Optimate dictator, Sulla, ordered Caesar to
divorce her; when Caesar refused, Sulla listed
him among those to be executed. Caesar went
into hiding. He eventually got a pardon.

Background
 Caesar was awarded the civic crown (oak
leaves) for saving the life of a citizen in
battle when on the staff of a military legate.
 General sent him on an embassy to obtain a
fleet of ships.
 Successful, but rumor was he had
“persuaded” the king
 When Sulla died in 78, Caesar returned to
Rome and became an orator/lawyer.
 Became known as an eloquent speaker
Background
Caesar was kidnapped and held for ransom by
Cilician pirates when sailing to Greece for study
 Ransom was set at 20 talents -- claimed he was
worth 50 talents
 Kept a friendly, joking relationship with the pirates
 He warned them that he would track them down and
crucify them after he was released as warning to
all other pirates
 He did that, but cut their throats first so their
suffering would be less

Background
 Caesar was elected military tribune
 Spoke at the funerals of his aunt (Julia)
and wife (Cornelia)
 Both funerals he emphasized
connections with Marius, ancient
nobility of his family, and how he
descended from the first kings on his
mother’s side, and from the gods on his
father’s side
Background
 Caesar was elected quaestor and had a
seat in the Senate.
 Married granddaughter of Sulla, Pompeia
 Supported Gnaeus Pompey and helped him
get great generalship against
Mediterranean pirates
 Rumors were Caesar had affair with
Pompey’s wife, as well as many other wives
of prominent men.
Background
 Spent heavily in a successful effort to be
elected chief priest and later he was elected
praetor
 Divorced Pompeia because of her scandal
with another man.
 The man had been acquitted in the law courts,
but Caesar claimed his wife must be above
suspicion.
 This suggested he was so exceptional that all
associated with him must be free of scandal
Background
 Joined forces with Pompey and Crassus.
 They were called “The First Triumvirate” by
modern historians
 Called “the three-headed monster” by
enemies
 When Senate refused to grant Pompey’s
veteran soldiers land and Crassus blocked
his efforts, Caesar agreed to support their
interests if he was elected to the
consulship
Background
 Was elected consul against heavy Optimate
opposition by Marcus Porcius Cato – a
shrewd and conservative politician
 Caesar married his only daughter, Julia, to
Pompey to solidify the alliance
 Caesar married Calpurnia, the daughter of
the leading member of the Popular faction
 Caesar earned himself a five-year term as
proconsul of Gaul after his consulship was
over
Background
 Caesar left Rome for Gaul – did not
return for 9 years
 Conquered most of central Europe
 Opened lands to Mediterranean
civilization, a decisive act in world
history
 Much of the conquest was an act of
aggression by personal ambition
Background
 Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus met in
Caesar’s province to renew their
alliance
 Pompey had been increasingly moving
toward the Optimate faction.
 Pompey and Crassus were to be
consuls again
 Caesar’s command in Gaul was
extended until 49 BCE
Background
 Led a 3 month expedition to Britain, but
did not establish a permanent base
there
 The coalition with Pompey was strained
because Julia had died in childbirth
 Crassus received command of armies
in the East, but was defeated and killed
by Parthians
Background
 Rioting in Rome led to Pompey’s extra-
legal election as “consul without a
colleague.”
 Without Julia and Crassus, there was
little to bond Caesar and Pompey
 Pompey moved to the Optimate factions
 Pompey had always been eager for the
favor of the aristocrats
Background
 The conquest of Gaul was effectively
completed
 Caesar set up an efficient provincial
administration to govern vast territories
 Published the history The Gallic Wars
 Caesar would be immediately prosecuted if
he returned to Rome as a private citizen
 Pompey and Caesar were maneuvered into a
public split.
 Neither could yield to the other without a loss
of honor, dignity, and power
Background
Caesar tried to maintain his position legally, but
led his armies across the Rubicon River when
pushed to the limit
 This caused an automatic civil war.
 Quickly advanced to Rome, set up a rump Senate
and declared himself dictator
 Practiced his policy of clemency during his
campaign.
 This meant he would put no one to death and
confiscate no property

Background
 Led his legion to Spain to prevent Pompey’s
forces from joining him in the East
 After a short campaign, he returned to
Rome and was elected consul, thus
legalizing his position
 Pompey and the Optimate faction
established a strong position in Greece
 Caesar was in Brundisium and did not have
sufficient ships to transport all his legions
Background
Caesar crossed with only 20,000 men and left
Mark Antony in Brundisium to try to bring across
the rest of the soldiers
 The rest of his forces finally landed and were
greatly outnumbered by Pompey’s men.
 In the final battle, Pompey had 46,000 men and
Caesar had 21,000 men.
 By brilliant generalship, Caesar was victorious
 All Roman citizens were pardoned, including
Brutus
 Pompey fled to Egypt

Background
 Caesar had 4,000 legionaries and landed in
Alexandria
 He was presented with the head of Pompey
 Cleopatra was 20-21 years old
 She was driven out of Alexandria at this
time by Pothinus
 She had herself smuggled into the palace
in Alexandria wrapped in a rug that was a
gift for Caesar
Background
She enlisted Caesar’s help in her struggle to
control the Egyptian throne
 Cleopatra was of Macedonian Greek descent
 She was highly intelligent and well-educated
 Caesar saw her as a useful ally as well as a
captivating female
 He supported her right to the throne
 Achillas and an army of 20.000 besieged the
palace
 Caesar managed to hold the palace itself and the
harbor

Background
 Caesar had Pothinus executed as a
traitor
 He allowed Ptolemy to join the army of
Achillas
 Caesar had the Egyptian fleet burned
 This caused the Library of Alexandria
to be consumed in flames
Background
 While under siege, Caesar tried
unsuccessfully to capture Pharos, a great
lighthouse on an island in the harbor
 At one point, he was forced to jump in the
water and swim to safety
 Plutarch says Caesar swam with one hand,
held important papers above the water, and
towed his purple general’s cloak with his
teeth
 He did not want it captured by the Egyptians
Background
 Caesar sent for reinforcements
 When they arrived, they defeated the Egyptian
army
 He had been trapped in the palace for six
months can could not exert influence on the
civil war
 The civil war was going badly, but he still
remained in Egypt until June
 He cruised the Nile with Cleopatra to the
southern boundary of her kingdom
Background
 Caesar
left Alexandria when Cleopatra
was established as a client ruler in
alliance with Rome
 He left 3 legions under the command of
Rufio, as legate, in support of her rule
 Either immediately before or soon after
he left Egypt, Cleopatra bore a son,
claiming he was the son of Caesar
Background
 After leaving Alexandria, Caesar swept
through Asia Minor to settle disturbances
there
 He met and overcame Pharnaces, a
rebellious king
 Publicized the rapidity of this victory with
the slogan, veni, vidi, vici
 I came, I saw, I conquered
Background
 Arrived in Rome and settled the problems
caused by the mismanagement of Antony
 When he attempted to sail for Africa to face
the Optimates, his legions mutinied and
refused to sail
 With a brilliant speech, he brought them
around totally and defeated the Optimates
 The leader, Cato, committed suicide rather
than be pardoned by Caesar
 Caesar was now unchallenged and victorious
 Arrived back in Rome and celebrated four
splendid triumphs
 He sent for Cleopatra and her son
 He established them in a luxurious villa
across the Tiber from Rome
 He listed his political aims as “tranquility for
Italy, peace for the provinces, and security for
the Empire”
Background
 Resolution of the worse of the debt crisis
 Resettlement of veterans abroad without
dispossessing others
 Reform of the Roman calendar
 Regulation of the grain dole
 Strengthening of the middle class
 Enlargement of the Senate to 900
Background
 His methods alienated many of the nobles
 He held the position of dictator and
governed autocratically
 He was more general than politician
 Used political structured, but often
announced his decisions to the Senate and
had them entered on the record as
senatorial decrees without debate or vote
Background
 The two sons of Pompey led a revolt in Spain
 Caesar’s legates were unable to quell the
revolt
 Caesar had to go himself and a decisive, but
difficult victory at Munda
 Caesar, back in Rome, celebrated a triumph
over Gnaeus Pompey
 This aroused discontent because triumphs
were reserved for foreign enemies
Background
 Issued coins with his likeness
 Allowed his statues to be adorned like the
statues of the gods
 Senate was constantly voting him new honors
 He had the right to wear the laurel wreath and
purple and gold toga and sit in a gilded chair
at all public functions
 Had inscriptions such as “to the
unconquerable god”
Background
 Caesar was named dicator perpetuus
 On Feb. 15th, the feast of Lupercalia, Caesar
wore his purple garb for the first time in
public
 Antony offered him a diadem, but Caesar
refused it
 He claimed that Jupiter alone is the king of
Romans
Background
 Caesar was preparing to lead a military
campaign
 He was warned of personal danger but
refused a bodyguard
 Caesar attended the last meeting of the
Senate before his departure, held at its
temporary quarters
 The sixty conspirators came to the meeting
with daggers in their togas
Background
 He was struck 23 times as he stood at the
base of Pompey’s statue
 Caesar said in Greek to Brutus, “You too, my
child”
 All senators fled after his death
 Slaves carried his body home to Calpurnia
several hours later
 For several days there was a political
vacuum
Background
 The conspirators had no long-range
plan and did not immediately kill Mark
Antony
 The conspirators had only a band of
gladiators to back them up
 Antony had a whole legion, the keys to
Caesar’s money boxes, and Caesar’s
will