THE LIFE OF JULIUS CAESAR
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS
BIRTH:
Gauis Julius Caesar was born on July 12, 100 B.C., the only son of a distinguished patraician family in Rome. Caesar traced his ancestry to Iulus, son of the Trojan Hero Aeneas, who in turn was reputed to have benn the son of the goddess Venus.
EDUCATION:
Caeasar's early education was similar to that of other youn Roman aristocrats. He received instruction, both in school and privately at home in grammar, rhetoric, oratory, he traveled to the island of Rhodes to study under the celebrated teacher, Apollonius Molo. He was then prepared for the only career suitable for a young patrician, namely, service to the Republic, either through public office of the military.
PRIVATE LIFE:
In 83 B.C. Caesar married cornelia, the daughter of Cinna, who was one of the
leaders of the popular, or democratic, party. They had one daughter, Julia,
who later became the wife of Pompey. IN 67 B.C. Cornelia died, and Caesar married
Pompeia, a cousin of Pompey. This marraige ended in divorce a few years later,
and in 59 B.C. Caesar entered into his final marraige, with Calpurnia, daughter
of Lucius Piso.
POLITICAL CAREER:
The two dominant political parties in Rome in Caesar's time were the Optimates ( the aristocratic party) and the Populares ( the popular, or democratic, party ). The Optimated, under the leadership of Sulla, wanted power kept in the hands of the Senate. The Poulares. led by Marius, Championed the rights of the common people. Though aristocratic by birth, Caesar nevertheless joined the Populares and thus incurred the anger of Sulla.
In 68 B.C., by being elected quaestor, Caesar started on the cursus honorum,
a series of political offices leading to the consulship. In 62 B.C. he became
praetor, and in 59 B.C. was elected consul. As quaestor he was sent to Spain,
where he attended to the financial duties of that office. As praetor he presided
as judge over a Roman court.
Between the time that he was quaestor and the time that he was consul, Caesar
held several other inportant positions. in 65 B.C., as aedile, he was in charge
of public games and amusements. Although not a requirement in the cursus Honorum,
the aedileship nevertheless gave Caesar an oppurtunity to bestow favors on the
people and thus win them over to his politcal side. His lavish personal spending
then the wealthiest man in Rome.
In 63 B.C. Caesar was appointed to the lifetime poest of pontifex maximus, the
head of the Roman state religion. this was chiefly an honarary position. Finally,
in 61 B.C. he held the office of the propraetor (governor) in Spain, where he
demonstrated his administrative and military ability.
On his return from Spain, in 60 B.C., Caesar, together with Pompey and Crassus,
entered into a political alliance known as the First Triumvirate, or Caesar
became proconsul (governor) of Gaul in 58 B.C., a position that he hel for ten
years.