Caesar began his military career in 81 B.C. as a soldier in the was against Mithridates, King of Pontus, in Asia Mior. It was during this campaign that he won the corona civica (civic crown) for saving the life of a fellow citizen in battle. In 74 B.C., as a militart tribune, he assisted in overthrowing Sulla's constitution.

It was while govenror of Gaul that caesar made military history destined to rank him among the greatest generals of all time. As proconsul of Cisalpine Gaul, Transalpine Gaul, and Illyricum, Caesar had no leagal right to exercise all his power outside the boundaries if these provinces. however, on the ground that the Gallic migrations - that started when he arrived in Gaul - would eventually become a threat to the provinces and to Rome itself, Caesar acted swiftly and decisively, and fought the Gauls with consummate generalship. In seven years of the Gallic War, he completed the conquest of Gaul, Romanized th region, and invaded Germany and Britain.

The cival War was the next important episode in Caesar's exploits as a general. with the death of Crassus in 53 B.C., and a cooling of relationships between Caesar and Pompey . the Triumvirate had come to a virtual end. Pompey began to view Caesar's successes in the field with distrust and alarm. In 49 B.C. war broke out between these two mighty leaders and once again Caesar displayed his military genius, this time fighting against the Roman generals . Pompey was defeated at Pharsalus in Greece in 48 B.C., and fled to Egypt where he was murdered.

The next war that occupied Caesar's time was called the Alexadrine War, in which Caesar supported the claims of Cleopatra to rule in common with her brother Ptolemy. This was ended victoriously for Caesar in 47 B.C.

Other famous militart successes of Caesar were:
1. The Battle of Zela in 47 B.C. in Pontus, and are in Asia Minor, where Caesar easily defeated King Pharnaces.

2. The battle of Thapus in North Africa, 46 B.C., where Caesar won a complete victory over the remnants of the Pompein forces.

3. The Battle of Munda in Spain, 45 B.C. where Caesar annihilated the army commanded by the sons of Pompey.

LAST DAYS AND DEATH

By 45 B.C. caesar was undisputed master of the Roman world, and the Senate, whose membewrs were now mainly of his own choosing, conferred many honors upon him. He became Dictator for life (a titel heretofore bestwoed in times of emergencey for a six month period) and Imperator (the origin of the word emperor).

With so much authority centered in one man, it was inevitable that some influential Romans, moved by envy and fear, and would form an opposition. On th Ides of March ( March 15), 44 B.C., w2hile presiding over a meeting of the Senate, Caesar was assassinated by a group of Roman citizens headed by Cassius and Brutus.

ANECDOTES ABOUT CAESAR

CAESAR AND SULLA

When Caesar married Cornelia (whose father was a leader of the Populares) in 83 B.C., he was threatened with death by the dictator Sulla unless he divorced her. Caesar refused and fled from Rome, but was later pardoned. However, Sulla, suspicious of Caesar whose uncle was Sulla's Archfoe Marius, said of Caesar, "i see in him many a Marius."

CAESAR AND THE PIRATES

On his was to Rhodes in 76 B.C., Caesar was captured by pirates and held for ransom. while a prisoner he vowed that he would return some day and crucify them. The pirates laughed at what they considered a hug joke. Shorthly after his release, Caesar manned some vessels, overpowered the pirates, and, true to his word, he had the crucified.

CAESAR AND BIBULUS

When caesar was consul in 59 B.C. his colleague in office was Marcus Bibulus. Bibulus was a very weak executive, compared to the towering Caesar, and made vain attempts to oppose him. Bibulus was content to shut himself up in his house and was so rarely seen in public that the term of office came to be jokingly known as the consulship of Julius Caesar.