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Gaius Julius Caesar
Antiquity | Roman Republic

Gaius Julius Caesar

Also known as: Julius Caesar · Caesar

Roman Dictator - General - Consul

ConquestPoliticsMilitaryLaw
Born: 100 BC
Died: 44 BC
Era: Antiquity
Region: Roman Republic
Birthplace: Rome (100 BC)
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman who played a critical role in the events that led to the demise of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire. He was also a historian and author of Latin prose known for his accounts of the Gallic Wars.

Locations

Geographic Footprint

Life & Battles

Timeline

100 BC Event

Born in Rome

Born into the distinguished Julian clan in Rome.

82 BC Event

Targeted by Sulla

Refused to divorce his wife Cornelia at Sulla's command, was placed on a list of enemies, and left Rome until Sulla's death.

63 BC Event

Pontifex Maximus

Elected to the highest priestly office in Rome, cementing his political ascent.

60 BC Event

First Triumvirate

Formed a political alliance with Pompey and Crassus, dominating Roman politics.

58 BC Event

Gallic Wars Begin

Launched the conquest of Gaul, adding vast territories and wealth to Rome.

58 BC Victory

Battle of Bibracte

Gaul (France) - vs Helvetii tribe - Secured Caesar's first major victory and established his authority in Gaul.

52 BC Victory

Battle of Alesia

Alesia, Gaul - vs Vercingetorix / Gauls - Decisive end of the Gallic Wars; captured the Gallic chieftain Vercingetorix.

49 BC Event

Crossed the Rubicon

Crossed the boundary into Italy with his army, triggering civil war.

48 BC Event

Battle of Pharsalus

Decisively defeated Pompey; met Cleopatra VII in Egypt shortly after.

48 BC Defeat

Battle of Dyrrachium

Dyrrachium (Albania) - vs Pompey the Great - Caesar's only major defeat; he was outmaneuvered but lived to fight again.

48 BC Victory

Battle of Pharsalus

Pharsalus, Greece - vs Pompey the Great - Turning point of the civil war; Pompey fled and was later assassinated in Egypt.

47 BC Victory

Battle of Zela

Pontus (Turkey) - vs Pharnaces II of Pontus - So swift that Caesar coined 'Veni, vidi, vici' in his dispatch to Rome.

46 BC Event

Reformed the Calendar

Introduced the Julian calendar, a solar calendar of 365.25 days.

46 BC Victory

Battle of Thapsus

Thapsus (Tunisia) - vs Pompeian Senate forces - Ended Republican resistance in North Africa; Cato the Younger committed suicide.

44 BC Event

Assassinated

Murdered on the Ides of March by a group of senators including Brutus and Cassius.

Family Tree

Parents

Gaius Julius Caesar

Father

c. 130-85 BC

Aurelia Cotta

Mother

c. 120-54 BC

Subject & Siblings

Julius Caesar

Self

100 BC - 44 BC

Spouses

Cornelia

Wife I

c. 97-69 BC

Pompeia

Wife II

fl. 82-62 BC

Calpurnia

Wife III

c. 70-after 44 BC

Children

Julia Caesaris

Daughter

76-54 BC

Caesarion

Son

47-30 BC

Key Contributions

  1. Sword Gallic Wars

    8-year campaign conquering all of modern-day France and Belgium.

  2. Calendar Julian Calendar

    Introduced the 365-day solar calendar, basis of our modern Gregorian calendar.

  3. State Political Reform

    Extended Roman citizenship, reformed the senate, and centralized power.

  4. Scroll Literary Works

    Authored Commentarii de Bello Gallico, a first-hand account of the Gallic Wars.

Fact Cards

Pirates

Kidnapped by Pirates

Caesar was captured by Cilician pirates in 75 BC. He joked that he would crucify them when freed, and then did exactly that.

Hair

Deeply Vain About Hair

Caesar was self-conscious about his baldness. He combed his hair forward and used his laurel wreath to hide it.

Health

Suffered from Epilepsy

Ancient sources describe Caesar having seizures, referred to as the falling sickness.

Writing

Prolific Author in War

Caesar wrote his Gallic War commentaries while actively commanding in the field.

Final Chapter

Assassination

March 15, 44 BC - The Ides of March

Last Scene

Location: Theatre of Pompey, Rome

Burial: Forum Romanum, Rome

Et tu, Brute? - attributed by Shakespeare; Suetonius records only that Caesar drew his toga over his face as he fell.

Conspirators

  • Marcus Junius Brutus

    Moral figurehead of the plot; his participation was deemed essential to legitimize the act

  • Gaius Cassius Longinus

    Chief planner and organizer of the plot, driven by political conviction and personal grievances against Caesar's concentration of power

  • Decimus Junius Brutus

    Trusted general who persuaded Caesar to attend the Senate despite Calpurnia's warnings

  • Gaius Trebonius

    Distracted Mark Antony at the entrance so he could not intervene

  • Lucius Tillius Cimber

    Presented a false petition and grabbed Caesar's toga, the signal to begin the attack

Aftermath

Caesar's removal ignited 13 more years of civil war. Brutus and Cassius were defeated at the Battle of Philippi (42 BC). Mark Antony and Cleopatra were later defeated at the Battle of Actium (31 BC). Octavian became Augustus, the first Roman Emperor, establishing the very autocracy the conspirators had sought to prevent.

Chain of Events

1

March 15, 44 BC

Assassination in the Senate session

Caesar was stabbed by a group of senators during a meeting at the Theatre of Pompey complex.

2

March 20, 44 BC

Public funeral and unrest in Rome

Mark Antony's funeral oration inflamed the crowd, leading to riots and a collapse of the conspirators' position in the city.

These events accelerated the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire.

"Veni, vidi, vici."

After the Battle of Zela, 47 BC