After the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BC, his great-nephew Octavian, the future emperor of Rome, who at that time was only 19 years old, was forced to leave the city. But the Senate began to look for Caesar's killers, and when his will was opened, it turned out that Caesar adopted Octavian and left him most of his inheritance. Upon learning of this, Octavian returned to Rome and announced that he was accepting the inheritance and would fight against the murderers of Caesar, which in fact meant a struggle for power in Rome, for the place of the emperor.

The sixth month of the Roman calendar - sextile - was renamed in his honor and named August.

In those years, Rome was formally ruled by the Senate, which consisted of about 900 representatives of noble families. But in fact, the real rule passed into the hands of the 40-year-old Mark Antony, the commander and friend of Caesar, who had an army under his command. A significant part of the money left from Caesar was given to him by Caesar's wife, Calpurnia. And Anthony refused to share with Octavian, explaining that the money had supposedly been spent on bribery in the Senate.

Octavian was forced to sell his property in order to launch a campaign against Antony. He was looking for people in the Senate who would support him, reproached Antony for seizing Caesar's money, accused him of connivance - he made it possible for Caesar's killers to leave Rome with impunity. As a result, Octavian entered into the confidence of Cicero, a well-known speaker, whose opinion was considered in the Senate. Cicero supported Octavian, called him "divine youth" and delivered 14 speeches against Antony in the Senate. Cicero exposed and accused Mark Antony, argued that if he became emperor, he would disperse the Senate and execute many.

Having won confidence in the Senate, Octavian immediately sent loyal people to Antony's troops, urging the soldiers to go over to his side, promising everyone a generous reward. Thanks to Cicero, Octavian received the position of propraetor, and Antony was declared an enemy of the fatherland. And immediately Octavian was entrusted with the command of the troops, which he led against the troops of Mark Antony and achieved victory over them, but he did not pursue his opponent. Realizing that he could not achieve power in Rome alone, Octavian offered ... Anthony an alliance. He agreed. And already together they met with another supporter of Caesar, Marcus Lepidus, and the three of them agreed to act together ... against the Senate. They formed the so-called Second Triumvirate and compiled proscriptive lists where they brought their enemies - the first was the name of Cicero.

It was at the direction of Octavian that Cicero was killed. And the triumvirate began a war against the Roman governors in the provinces, against all who opposed them. The senators did not immediately understand that the "divine youth" was a hypocritical, two-faced person, that on the way to power he was ready to eliminate anyone - enemy and friend.

Octavian Augustus, as researchers later wrote, did not have any special oratorical skills or a military gift, but he knew how to select loyal people, whom he put in high positions and commanded them. After the collapse of the triumvirate, Octavian organized a campaign against Antony, who went to Egypt and stayed with Cleopatra. And again Antony was proclaimed an enemy of the fatherland. He failed to withstand the advancing troops of Octavian and committed suicide.

After returning from the Egyptian campaign in 27 BC, Octavian was in Rome for a triumph and a grand celebration. From that moment on, he became the first in the Senate, leaving behind the command of 75 legions and the title of emperor with the name Caesar Augustus, which meant "divine", proclaimed the restoration of the republic.

­ Brief biography of Gaius Julius Caesar

Gaius Julius Caesar - the great ancient Roman commander, statesman and politician, reformer, writer and thinker, successor of the patrician family of Julius. The name of this man has long since become the title of Roman emperors. Many rulers after him were called "Caesars", as if marking their great origin. The future commander was born presumably on July 12 (13) in 100 (102) BC. in Rome, in the family of the praetor and proconsul of Asia. Thanks to family connections, he had all the prerequisites for a brilliant career.

From childhood, he received an excellent education, knew how to express himself competently and was physically fit. In 84 BC. he was appointed priest of Jupiter, but two years later his position in society was complicated by the dictatorship of Sulla. Leaving Rome for Asia Minor, he participated in several military campaigns and in the capture of sea robbers. Julius Caesar's first wife was Cornelia, but after returning to Rome he married a relative of Gnaeus Pompey, who temporarily became his ally. In the post of aedile, which he was awarded in 66 BC. he was involved in the improvement of the city.

Soon, Caesar became quite popular among the people and a few years later rose to the rank of senator. The politician actively participated in palace intrigues in order to support the career of the chief consul. In 60 B.C. on the eve of the election, Caesar entered into a secret agreement with Pompey and Crassus, and a year later he took the post of consul. Its co-ruler was Mark Calpurnius Bibulus. Again, in order to strengthen his career, he married his daughter to Pompey. The people were pleased with him, especially those who received land after the agrarian reform.

In subsequent years, he participated in the Gallic War, which was aimed at conquering new lands for Rome. After the death of Crassus, their secret triumvirate fell apart, and Pompey turned from ally to rival. The Civil War began in the country, as a result of which in 49 BC. Caesar became the sole dictator. Pompey with the consuls and the Senate were forced to leave the capital. For the sake of revenge on his now sworn enemy, the commander went to Egypt, where he found a temporary refuge. Pompey was found and beheaded.

The connection of Caesar with Queen Cleopatra is attributed to the same period. On his return to Rome, he participated in the battle of Tapsus and celebrated his magnificent triumph. In the new field, he first of all introduced transformations that were beneficial to him. Then he carried out a reform of the calendar, named after him Julian. From now on, his statues were erected in temples, he wore luxurious vestments, sat only on gilded chairs, autocratically appointed and dismissed officials, behaved like a real dictator. The masses grew dissatisfied with his policies.

Also, everyone did not like his relationship with Cleopatra, who by that time already lived in Rome. Then the conspirators decided to kill him during the March meeting of the Senate. Gaius Julius Caesar was publicly assassinated in 44 BC. Among his killers was the young Mark Junius Brutus, who, according to contemporaries, was his illegitimate son. Caesar's body was thrown at the foot of the statue of his sworn enemy Pompey.

Guy Julius Caesar (Gaius Iulius Caesar) - commander, politician, writer, dictator, high priest. He came from an ancient Roman family of the ruling class and consistently sought all government positions, led the line of political opposition to the senatorial aristocracy. He was merciful, but sent a number of his main opponents to execution.

The Yuliev clan originated from a noble family, which, according to legend, descended from the goddess Venus.

The mother of Julius Caesar, Avrelia Kotta, was from a noble and wealthy family of Aurelius. My paternal grandmother was descended from the ancient Roman family Marcii (Marcii). Ancus Marcius was the fourth king of ancient Rome from 640 to 616. BC e.

Childhood and youth

Accurate data on the time of the birth of the emperor have not reached us. Today it is generally accepted that he was born in 100 BC. e., however, the German historian Theodor Mommsen (Theodor Mommsen) believes that it was 102 BC. e., and the French historian Jerome Carcopino (Jerome Carcopino) points to 101 BC. e. Both July 12th and 13th are considered birthdays.

The childhood of Gaius Julius took place in the poor ancient Roman district of Subura. Parents gave their son a good education, he taught Greek, poetry and oratory, learned to swim, rode horseback and developed physically. In 85 BC. e. the family lost its breadwinner and Caesar, after initiation, became the head of the family, since none of the older male relatives survived.

• We recommend reading about

The beginning of a career as a politician

In Asia

In the 80s BC. e. commander Lucius Cornelius Cinna (Lucius Cornelius Cinna) proposed the person of Gaius Julius to the place of flamines (flamines), the priest of the god Jupiter. But for this he needed to marry according to the solemn ancient rite of confarreation (confarreatio) and Lucius Cornelius chose Caesar as his wife his daughter Cornelia Cinilla (Cornelia Cinilla). In 76 BC. e. the couple had a daughter, Julia (Ivlia).

Today, historians are no longer sure about the rite of Julius's inauguration. On the one hand, this would prevent him from engaging in politics, but, on the other hand, the appointment was a good way to strengthen the position of the Caesars.

After the betrothal of Gaius Julius and Cornelia, there was a riot in the troops and the military attacked Cinna, he was killed. The dictatorship of Lucius Cornelius Sulla was established, after which Caesar, as a relative of the opponent of the new ruler, was outlawed. He disobeyed Sulla, refused to divorce his wife and left. The dictator searched for a disobedient for a long time, but, after the lapse of time, pardoned him at the request of his relatives.
Soon Caesar joined Marcus Minucius Thermus, governor of the Roman province in Asia Minor - Asia.

Ten years ago, his father was in this position. Julius became the horseman (equites) of Mark Minucius, who fought on horseback as a patrician. The first task that Therm gave to his contubernal was to negotiate with the Bithynian (Bithynia) king Nycomed IV. As a result of successful negotiations, the ruler gives Thermus a flotilla to take the city of Mytilene (Mytlene) on the island of Lesvos (Lesvos), which did not accept the results of the First Mithridatic War (89-85 BC) and resisted the Roman people. The city was successfully captured.

For the operation on Lesbos, Gaius Julius received the civil crown - a military award, and Mark Minucius resigned. In 78 BC. e. Lucius Sulla dies in Italy and Caesar decides to return to his homeland.

Roman events

In 78 BC. e. the military leader Marcus Lepidus organized a revolt of the Italians (Italici) against the laws of Lucius. Caesar then did not accept the invitation to become a member. In 77-76 years. BC e Guy Julius tried to sue the supporters of Sulla: the politician Cornelius Dolabella (Cornelius Dolabella) and the commander Anthony Hybrid (Antonius Hybrida). But he did not succeed, despite the brilliant accusatory speeches.

After that, Julius decided to visit the island of Rhodes (Rhodus) and the school of rhetoric of Apollonius Molon (Apollonius Molon), but on the way there he was captured by pirates, from where he was subsequently rescued by Asian ambassadors for fifty talents. Wanting revenge, the former captive equipped several ships and himself took the pirates prisoner, executing them by crucifixion. In 73 BC. e. Caesar was included in the collegiate governing body of the pontiffs, where his uncle Gaius Aurelius Cotta previously ruled.

In 69 BC. e. Caesar's wife, Cornelia, died during the birth of her second child, the baby also did not survive. At the same time, Caesar's aunt Julia Maria (Ivlia Maria) also dies. Soon Gaius Julius becomes a Roman ordinary magistrate (magistratus), which gives him the opportunity to enter the senate. He was sent to Far Spain (Hispania Ulterior), where he took over financial matters and the execution of orders for Propraetor Antistius Vetus.

In 67 BC. e. Caesar married Pompeia Sulla, Sulla's granddaughter. In 66 BC. e. Gaius Julius becomes caretaker of Rome's most significant public road, Via Appia, and finances its repairs.

College of Magistrates and elections

In 66 BC. e. Gaius Julius is elected magistrate of Rome. His responsibilities include the expansion of construction in the city, the maintenance of trade and public events. In 65 BC. e. he held such a memorable Roman games with the participation of gladiators that he managed to amaze his sophisticated citizens.

In 64 BC. e. Gaius Julius was the head of the Judicial Commission (Quaestiones perpetuae) for criminal trials, which enabled him to bring to justice and punish many of Sulla's henchmen.

In 63 BC. e. died Quintus Metellus Pius (Quintus Metellus Pius), vacating the lifelong seat of the Great Pontiff (Pontifex Maximus). Caesar decides to put forward his own candidacy for her. The opponents of Gaius Julius are the consul Quintus Catulus Capitolinus and the general Publius Vatia Isauricus. After numerous bribes, Caesar wins the election by a large margin and moves to live on the Sacred Road (via Sacra) in the government housing of the pontiff.

Participation in a conspiracy

In 65 and 63 years. BC e. one of the political conspirators Lucius Sergius Catilina (Lucius Sergius Catilina) twice made attempts to stage a coup. Marcus Tullius Cicero, being an opponent of Caesar, tried to accuse him of participating in conspiracies, but could not provide the necessary evidence and failed. Marcus Porcius Cato, the informal leader of the Roman Senate, also testified against Caesar and ensured that Gaius Julius left the Senate under threats.

First triumvirate

Praetor

In 62 BC. e., using the powers of the praetor, Caesar wanted to transfer the reconstruction of the plan of Jupiter Capitolinus (Iuppiter Optimus Maximus Capitolinus) from Quintus Catulus Capitolinus to Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, but the Senate did not support this bill.

After the proposal of the tribune Quintus Caecilius Metellus Nepos (Quintus Caecilius Metellus Nepos) supported by Caesar to send Pompey with troops to Rome to pacify Catiline, the Senate removed both Quintus Cicelius and Gaius Julius from their posts, but the second was quickly restored.
In the fall, the Catiline conspirators were put on trial. One of its participants, Lucius Iulius Vettius, who opposed Caesar, was arrested, as was Judge Novius Nigerus, who accepted the report.

In 62 BC. e. Caesar's wife Pompey arranged a celebration in their house dedicated to the Good Goddess (Bona Dea), which could only be attended by women. But one of the politicians, Publius Clodius Pulcher, got to the holiday, he dressed as a woman and wanted to meet Pompey. Senators found out about what happened, considered it a shame and demanded a trial. Gaius Julius did not wait for the outcome of the process and divorced Pompey so as not to expose his personal life to the public. Moreover, the spouses never had heirs.

In further Spain

In 61 BC. e. the trip of Gaius Julius to Farther Spain as a propraetor (propraetor) was postponed for a long time due to the presence of a large number of debts. The commander Marcus Licinius Crassus vouched for Gaius Julius and paid part of his loans.

When the new propraetor arrived at his destination, he had to face the dissatisfaction of the inhabitants with the Roman authorities. Caesar gathered a detachment of militia and began the fight against the "bandits". The commander with an army of twelve thousand approached the Serra da Estrela mountain range and ordered the locals to leave. They refused to move and Gaius Julius attacked them. The highlanders crossed the Atlantic Ocean to the Berlenga Islands, having killed all their pursuers.

But Caesar, after a series of thoughtful operations and strategic maneuvers, nevertheless conquers the popular resistance, after which he was awarded the honorary military title of emperor (imperator), the winner.

Guy Julius launched an active work in the daily affairs of the subordinate lands. He presided over court hearings, introduced reforms in taxation, and eradicated the practice of sacrifice.

During the period of activity in Spain, Caesar was able to pay off most of his debts thanks to rich gifts and bribes from the inhabitants of the wealthy south. At the beginning of 60 BC. e. Gaius Julius prematurely withdraws from his powers and returns to Rome.

Triumvirate

Rumors of the victories of the propraetor soon reached the Senate, and its members felt that the return of Caesar should be accompanied by a triumph (triumphus) - a solemn entry into the capital. But then, until the accomplishment of the triumphal event, Gaius Julius was not allowed, by law, to enter the city. And since he also planned to take part in the upcoming elections for the post of consul, where his personal presence was required for registration, the commander refuses to triumph and begins to fight for a new position.

By bribing voters, Caesar nevertheless becomes consul, and the military leader Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus wins the election with him.

In order to strengthen his own political position and existing power, Caesar enters into a secret agreement with Pompey and Crassus, uniting two influential politicians with opposing views. As a result of the conspiracy, a powerful alliance of military leaders and politicians appears, called the First Triumvirate (triumviratus - “the union of three husbands”).

Consulate

In the early days of the consulate, Caesar began to submit new bills to the Senate. The first was an agrarian law, according to which the poor could receive plots of land from the state, which it redeemed from large landowners. First of all, land was given to large families. To prevent speculation, the new landowners were not allowed to resell the plots for the next twenty years. The second bill concerned the taxation of tax-farmers in the province of Asia, their contributions were reduced by one-third. The third law concerned bribes and extortion, it was adopted unanimously, unlike the first two.

To strengthen the connection with Pompey, Gaius Julius married his daughter Julia to him. Caesar himself decides to marry for the third time, this time Calpurnia, the daughter of Lucius Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus, becomes his wife.

Proconsul

Gallic War

When Gaius Julius, after the expiration of the prescribed period, resigned his powers as a consul, he continued to conquer land for Rome. During the Gallic War (Bellum Gallicum), Caesar, having shown extraordinary diplomacy and strategy, skillfully took advantage of the disagreements of the Gallic leaders. In 55 BC. e. he defeated the Germans who crossed the Rhine (Rhein), after which he built a bridge 400 meters long in ten days and attacked them himself, the first in the history of Rome. The first of the Roman commanders invaded Great Britain (Great Britain), where he carried out several brilliant military operations, after which he was forced to leave the island.

In 56 BC. e. in Lucca (Lucca) a regular meeting of the triumvirs was held, at which it was decided to continue and develop political support for each other.

By 50 BC. e. Gaius Julius crushed all the uprisings, completely subjugating Rome to its former territories.

Civil War

In 53 BC. e. Crassus dies and the triumvirate ceases to exist. A struggle broke out between Pompey and Julius. Pompey became the head of the republican government, and the senate did not extend the powers of Gaius Julius in Gaul. Then Caesar decides to raise an uprising. Gathering soldiers with whom he was very popular, he crosses the border river Rubicone and, seeing no resistance, captures some cities. Frightened, Pompey and his close senators flee the capital. Caesar invites the rest of the Senate to jointly rule the country.

In Rome, Caesar is appointed dictator. Pompey's attempts to prevent Gaius Julius failed, the fugitive himself was killed in Egypt, but Caesar did not accept the head of the enemy as a gift, he mourned his death. While in Egypt, Caesar helps Queen Cleopatra (Cleopatra), conquers Alexandria (AIskandariya), in North Africa annexes Numidia (Numidia) to Rome.

Murder

The return of Gaius Julius to the capital is accompanied by a magnificent triumph. He does not skimp on rewarding his soldiers and commanders, arranges feasts for the citizens of the city, organizes games and mass spectacles. Over the next ten years, he is proclaimed "emperor" and "father of the fatherland." He issues many laws, among which are laws on citizenship, on the structure of the state, against luxury, on unemployment, on the issuance of free bread, changes the system of calculating time, and others.

Caesar was idolized and given him great honors, erecting his statues and painting portraits. He had the best security, he was personally involved in the appointment of persons to public office and their removal.

↘️🇮🇹 USEFUL ARTICLES AND SITES 🇮🇹↙️ SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS

Name: Gaius Julius Caesar

Age: 56 years old

Place of Birth: Rome, Italy

Place of death: Rome, Italy

Activity: ancient roman commander

Family status: was married

Gaius Julius Caesar - Biography

He is still reminded of the words symbolizing power - king, Caesar, Kaiser, emperor. Julius Caesar Guy was endowed with many talents, but remained in history thanks to the main one - the ability to please people

Origin played a significant role in Caesar's success - the Julius family, according to the biography, was one of the most ancient in Rome. The Julias traced their lineage to the legendary Aeneas, the son of the goddess Venus herself, who fled from Troy and founded the dynasty of Roman kings. Caesar was born in 102 BC, when the husband of his aunt, Gaius Marius, defeated a thousands of German army near the borders of Italy. His father, whose name was also Gaius Julius Caesar, did not reach heights in his career. He was proconsul of Asia. However, the relationship of Caesar Jr. with Marius promised the young man a brilliant career.

At the age of sixteen, Gaius Jr. married Cornelia, daughter of Cinna, Marius' closest associate. In 82 or 83 B.C. their daughter Julia was born, the only legitimate child of Caesar, despite the fact that he began to produce illegitimate children in his youth. Often leaving his wife to be bored alone, the descendant of Venus wandered around the taverns in a cheerful company of drinking companions. He was distinguished from his peers only by his love of reading - Guy read all the books in Latin and Greek that he could find, and more than once amazed his interlocutors with knowledge in various fields.

Being a fan of the ancient sages. he did not believe in the constancy of his life, peaceful and secure. And he turned out to be right - after the death of Mary, a civil war broke out in Rome. Sulla, the leader of the aristocratic party, came to power and began repressions against the Marians. Guy, who refused to divorce Cinna's daughter, was deprived of his property, and he himself was forced to hide. “Look for the wolf cub, there are a hundred Marievs in it!” the dictator demanded. But by that time Caesar had already departed for Asia Minor, to the friends of his recently deceased father.

Not far from Miletus, his ship was captured by pirates. A smartly dressed young man attracted their attention, and they asked for a large ransom for him - 20 talents of silver. "Inexpensive you appreciate me!" - answered Caesar and offered 50 talents for himself. Having sent his servant to collect a ransom, he spent two months "visiting" the pirates.

Caesar behaved very boldly with the robbers - he forbade them to sit in his presence, called them boors and threatened to crucify them. Having finally received the money, the pirates released the impudent man with relief. Caesar immediately rushed to the Roman military authorities, equipped a couple of ships and overtook his captors in the same place where he was held captive. Having taken money from them, he actually crucified the robbers - however, he ordered those who were sympathetic to him to be strangled.

Sulla had died by then, but his supporters from the optimates party retained influence, and Caesar was in no hurry to return to the capital. He spent a year in Rhodes, where he studied eloquence - the ability to make speeches was necessary for the polity he was determined to become.

From the school of Apollonius Molon, where Cicero himself studied, Guy emerged as a brilliant orator, ready to conquer the capital. He made his first speech in 68 BC. at the funeral of his aunt, the widow Maria, he ardently praised the disgraced commander and his reforms, causing a stir among the Sullans. It is curious that at the funeral of his wife, who died in an unsuccessful birth a year earlier, he did not say a word.

The speech in defense of Marius was the beginning of his election campaign - Caesar put forward his candidacy for the post of quaestor. This insignificant post made it possible to become a praetor, and then a consul - the highest representative of power in the Roman Republic. Having borrowed from whomever possible a huge amount, a thousand talents, Caesar spent it on sumptuous feasts and gifts to those. on whom his election depended. At that time, two commanders, Pompey and Crassus, fought for power in Rome, to whom Caesar alternately offered his support.

This earned him the position of quaestor and later aedile, the official in charge of the festivities in the Eternal City. Unlike other politicians, he generously gave the people not bread, but entertainment - either gladiator fights, or musical competitions, or the anniversary of a long-forgotten victory. Ordinary Romans were delighted with him. He earned the sympathy of an educated public by creating a public museum on Capitoline Hill, where he exhibited his rich collection of Greek statues. As a result, he was elected without any problems to the post of supreme pontiff, that is, a priest.

Don't believe in anything but your luck. Caesar had difficulty maintaining seriousness during magnificent religious ceremonies. However, the position of pontiff made him inviolable. This saved his life when the Catalina conspiracy was uncovered in 62. The conspirators were going to offer Caesar the post of dictator. They were executed, but Guy survived.

In the same year 62, he became praetor, but he accumulated so many debts that he was forced to leave Rome and go as governor to Spain. There he quickly amassed a fortune, ruining the recalcitrant cities to the ground. He generously shared the surplus with his soldiers, saying: "Power is strengthened by two things - the army and money, and one without the other is unthinkable." Grateful soldiers declared him emperor - this ancient title was given as a reward for a major victory, although the governor did not win a single such victory.

After that, Caesar was elected consul, but this position was no longer the limit of his dreams. The republican system was living out its last days, things were moving towards autocracy, and Guy was determined to become the true ruler of the Eternal City. To do this, he had to enter into an alliance with Pompey and Crassus, whom he briefly reconciled.

In 60, a triumvirate of new allies seized power. To seal the alliance, Caesar gave his daughter Julia to Pompey, and he himself married his niece. Moreover, rumor attributed to him a relationship with the wives of Crassus and Pompey. Yes, and other Roman matrons, according to rumors, were not spared the attention of the loving descendant of Venus. The soldiers sang a song about him: "Hide your wives - we are leading a bald libertine to the city!"

He really went bald early, was embarrassed by this and obtained permission from the Senate to constantly wear the triumphant laurel wreath on his head. Lysina. according to Suetonius. was the only flaw in Caesar's biography. He was tall, well built, his skin was light, his eyes were black and lively. In food he was moderate, he also drank very little for a Roman; even his enemy Cato said that "Caesar alone of all carried out a coup d'état while sober."

He also had another nickname - "the husband of all wives and the wife of all husbands." According to rumors, in Asia Minor, the young Caesar had an affair with the king of Bithynia, Nicomedes. Well, the morals in the then Rome were such that it could very well be true. In any case, Caesar never tried to shut the mouth of scoffers, professing a completely modern principle "whatever they say, if only they say." Mostly good things were said - in his new post, he still generously supplied the Roman mob with circuses, to which bread was now added. People's love was not cheap, the consul again got into debt and in irritation called himself "the poorest of the citizens."

He breathed a sigh of relief when, after a year in the office of consul, he, according to Roman custom, had to resign. Caesar made sure that the Senate sent him to manage Schllia - the current France. The Romans owned only a small part of this rich country. For eight years, Caesar managed to conquer all of Schllia. But, oddly enough, many Gauls loved him - having learned their language, he asked with interest about their religion and customs.

Today, his "Notes on the Gallic War" is not only the main source of biography about the Gauls, who went into oblivion not without the help of Caesar, but one of the first examples of political PR in history. In them, Caesar boasted. that he took 800 cities by storm, exterminated a million enemies, and enslaved another million, giving their lands to Roman veterans. Grateful veterans told on all corners that in the campaigns Caesar walked with them, encouraging those who were lagging behind. He rode like a born rider. He slept in a wagon under the open sky, only in the rain hiding under a canopy. At a halt, he dictated two or even three letters to several secretaries on various topics.

So lively in those years, Caesar's correspondence was explained by the fact that after the death of Crassus in the Persian campaign, the triumvirate came to an end. Pompey, however, increasingly distrusted Caesar, who had already surpassed him in fame and fortune. At his insistence, the senate recalled Caesar from Gillia and ordered him to report to Rome, leaving the army on the frontier.

The decisive moment has come. At the beginning of 49, Caesar approached the border river Rubicon north of Rimini and ordered five thousand of his soldiers to cross it and move on Rome. They say that at the same time he uttered another historical phrase - "the die is cast." In fact, the die had been cast much earlier, when young Gaius was learning the intricacies of politics.

Even then, he realized that power is given into the hands of only those who sacrifice everything else for it - friendship, family, a sense of gratitude. The former son-in-law of Pompey, who helped him a lot at the beginning of his career, now became the main enemy and, without having time to gather strength, fled to Greece. Caesar with his army went after him and. not letting him come to his senses, he defeated his army at Pharsalus. Pompey fled again, this time to Egypt, where local dignitaries killed him, deciding to earn the favor of Caesar.

Togo was quite satisfied with this outcome, especially since he gave him the opportunity to send an army against the Egyptians, accusing them of killing a Roman citizen. Demanding a huge ransom for this, he was going to pay off the army, but everything turned out differently. The young Cleopatra, the sister of the ruling king Ptolemy XTV, who appeared before the commander, unexpectedly offered herself to him - and at the same time her kingdom.

Before leaving for Gaul, Caesar married for the third time - to the rich heiress Calpurnia, but was indifferent to her. He fell in love with the Egyptian queen as if she had bewitched him. But over time, she also experienced a real feeling for the aging conqueror of the world. Later, under a hail of reproaches, Caesar received Cleopatra in Rome, and she listened to even worse reproaches for having gone to him, the first of the Egyptian rulers to leave the sacred valley of the Nile.

In the meantime, the lovers were besieged by the rebellious Egyptians in the harbor of Alexandria. To save themselves, the Romans set fire to the city. destroying the famous library. They managed to hold out until the arrival of reinforcements, and the uprising was crushed. On the way home, Caesar casually defeated the army of the Pontic king Pharnaces, reporting this to Rome with the famous phrase: "I came, I saw, I conquered."

He had to fight twice more with the adherents of Pompey - in Africa and Spain. Only in 45 he returned to Rome, devastated by civil wars, and was declared dictator for life. Caesar himself preferred to call himself emperor - this emphasized his connection with the army and military victories.

Having achieved the desired power, Caesar managed to do three important things. First, he reformed the Roman calendar, which the sarcastic Greeks called "the worst in the world." With the help of Egyptian astronomers. sent by Cleopatra, he divided the year into 12 months and ordered to add an extra leap day to it every four years. The new, Julian calendar turned out to be the most accurate of the existing ones and lasted one and a half thousand years, and the Russian church still uses it. Second, he gave amnesty to all his political opponents. Thirdly, he began to mint gold coins, on which, instead of the gods, the emperor himself was depicted in a laurel wreath. After Caesar, they began to officially call the Son of God.

From this there was only a step to the royal title. Flatterers had long offered him the crown, and Cleopatra had just given birth to his son Caesarion, who could become his heir. It seemed tempting to Caesar to found a new dynasty by uniting the two great powers. However, when the closest associate Mark Antony publicly wanted to put on him the golden royal crown, Caesar pushed him away. Maybe he decided that the time had not yet come, maybe he did not want to turn from the only emperor in the world into an ordinary king, of which there were many around.

The smallness of what was done is easy to explain - Caesar peacefully ruled Rome for less than two years. The fact that he was remembered for centuries as a great statesman is another manifestation of his charisma, which affects his descendants as strongly as his contemporaries. He planned new transformations, but the Roman treasury was empty. To replenish it. Caesar decided on a new military campaign, promising to make the Roman emperor the greatest conqueror in history. He decided to crush the Persian kingdom, and then return to Rome by the northern route, conquering the Armenians, Scythians and Germans.

Leaving the capital, he had to leave reliable people “on the farm” in order to avoid a possible rebellion. Caesar had three such people: his devoted comrade-in-arms Mark Antony, Gaius Octavian adopted by him, and the son of his longtime mistress Servilia Mark Brutus. Antony attracted Caesar with the decisiveness of a warrior, Octavian - with the cold prudence of a politician. It is more difficult to understand what connected Caesar with the already middle-aged Brutus, a boring pedant, an ardent supporter of the republic. Nevertheless, Caesar promoted him to power, publicly calling him his "dear son." Perhaps, with the sober mind of a politician, he understood that someone should remind him of the republican virtues, without which Rome would rot and perish. At the same time, Brutus could reconcile his two comrades, who clearly did not like each other.

Caesar, who knew everything and everyone. didn't know or didn't want to know. -that his "son", along with other Republicans, is plotting against him. The emperor was informed about this more than once, but he brushed it off, saying: "If so, then it is better to die once than to constantly live in fear." The attempt was scheduled for the Ides of March, the 15th day of the month when the emperor was to appear in the Senate. Suetonius' detailed account of this event gives the impression of a tragic action in which Caesar played the role of a victim, a martyr of the monarchical idea, as if by notes. A warning note was handed to him outside the Senate building, but he waved it off.

One of the conspirators, Decimus Brutus, distracted the burly Anthony at the entrance so as not to interfere. Tillius Cimbrus grabbed Caesar by the toga - this is a signal to the others - and Servilius Casca struck him the first blow. Then the blows rained down one after another - each of the killers tried to contribute, and in the dump they even wounded each other. Then the conspirators parted, and Brutus approached the barely alive dictator leaning against a column. The “son” silently raised the dagger, and the slain Caesar fell dead, having managed to utter the last historical phrase: “And you, Brutus!”

As soon as this happened, the terrified senators, who became unwitting spectators of the murder, rushed to run. The killers also fled, dropping their bloodied daggers. The corpse of Caesar lay in an empty building for a long time, until the faithful Calpurnia sent slaves for him. The body of the dictator was burnt in the Roman forum, where the temple of the divine Julius was later erected. The month of quintiles was renamed July (Iulius) in his honor.

The conspirators hoped for the loyalty of the Romans to the spirit of the Republic. but the firm power established by Caesar seemed more attractive than republican chaos. Very soon, the townspeople rushed to look for the murderers of the emperor and put them to cruel death. Suetonius ended his story about the biography of Gaius Julia with the words: “None of his murderers lived after that for more than three years. They all died in different ways, and Brutus and Cassius struck themselves with the same dagger with which they killed Caesar.

Guy Julius Caesar is the greatest commander and statesman of all times and peoples, whose name has become a household name. Caesar was born on July 12, 102 BC. As a representative of the old patrician family of Julius, Caesar plunged into politics as a young man, becoming one of the leaders of the popular party, which, however, contradicted family tradition, since the family members of the future emperor belonged to the optimates party, which represented the interests of the old Roman aristocracy in the Senate. In ancient Rome, as well as in the modern world, politics was closely intertwined with family relationships: Caesar's aunt, Julia, was the wife of Gaius Maria, who in turn was the then ruler of Rome, and Caesar's first wife, Cornelia, is the daughter of Cinna, the successor to all that same Maria.

The development of Caesar's personality was influenced by the early death of his father, who died when the young man was only 15 years old. Therefore, the upbringing and education of a teenager fell entirely on the shoulders of the mother. And the well-known Roman teacher Mark Antony Gnifon, the author of the book “On the Latin Language”, was the home mentor of the future great ruler and commander. Gnifon taught Guy to read and write, and also instilled a love for oratory, instilled in the young man respect for the interlocutor - a quality necessary for any politician. The lessons of the teacher, a real professional of his time, made it possible for Caesar to truly develop his personality: to read the ancient Greek epic, the works of many philosophers, to get acquainted with the victories of Alexander the Great, to master the techniques and tricks of oratory - in a word, to become an extremely developed and versatile person.

The surrender of the Gallic leader Versirengetorix to Caesar. (Painting by Lionel Royer. 1899)

However, the young Caesar showed particular interest in the art of eloquence. Before Caesar, there was an example of Cicero, who made his career largely thanks to his excellent command of oratory - his amazing ability to convince listeners that he was right. In 87 BC, a year after the death of his father, in the year of his sixteenth birthday, Caesar put on a one-color toga (toga virilis), which symbolized his maturity.
The matured Caesar began his career by becoming a priest of Jupiter, the supreme god of Rome, and asked for the hand of Cornelia. The consent of the girl allowed the young politician to get the necessary support in power, which will become one of the starting points that predetermined his great future.

However, the political career of the young Caesar was not destined to take off too quickly - power in Rome was seized by Sulla (82 BC). He ordered Guy to divorce his young wife, but, having heard a categorical refusal, deprived him of the title of priest and all his property. Only the patronizing position of Caesar's relatives, who were in the immediate environment of Sulla, saved his life.

However, this sharp turn in fate did not break Caesar, but only contributed to the formation of his personality. Deprived of priestly privileges in 81 BC, Caesar begins a military career, going to the East to take part in his first military campaign under the command of Minucius (Mark) Therma, the purpose of which was to suppress pockets of resistance to power in the Roman province of Asia (Malaya Asia, Pergamon). During the campaign, the first military glory came to Caesar. In 78 BC, during the storming of the city of Mytilene (the island of Lesvos), he was awarded the “oak wreath” sign for saving the life of a Roman citizen.

However, Caesar decided not to devote himself exclusively to military affairs. He continued his political career, returning to Rome after the death of Sulla. Caesar spoke at the trials. The speech of the young speaker was so captivating and temperamental that crowds of people from the street gathered to listen to him. So Caesar multiplied his supporters. Although Caesar did not win a single judicial victory, his speech was recorded, and the phrases diverged into quotations. Caesar was truly passionate about oratory and constantly improved. To develop his oratorical talents, he went to Fr. Rhodes to learn the art of eloquence from the famous rhetorician Apollonius Molon.

In politics, Gaius Julius Caesar remained loyal to the party of the populares, a party whose loyalty had already brought him certain political successes. But after in 67-66 years. BC. the Senate and consuls Manilius and Gabinius endowed Pompey with enormous powers, Caesar in his public speeches began to increasingly speak out for democracy. In particular, Caesar proposed to revive the forgotten procedure for conducting a trial by the people's assembly. In addition to democratic initiatives, Caesar was a model of generosity. Having become an aedile (an official who oversaw the state of the city infrastructure), he did not skimp on decorating the city and organizing public events - games and spectacles, which won him immense popularity among the common people, for which he was also elected a great pontiff. In a word, Caesar sought to strengthen his popularity among citizens in every possible way, playing an increasing role in the life of the state.

62-60 BC can be called a turning point in the biography of Caesar. During these years, he served as governor in the province of Farther Spain, where for the first time he truly revealed his outstanding managerial and military talent. Service in Far Spain allowed him to get rich and pay off debts that did not allow him to breathe deeply for a long time.

In 60 B.C. Caesar returns in triumph to Rome, where a year later he is elected to the post of senior consul of the Roman Republic. In this regard, the so-called triumvirate is formed on the Roman political Olympus. Caesar's consulate suited both Caesar himself and Pompey - both claimed a leading role in the state. Supporters of Pompey, who disbanded his army, which triumphantly suppressed the Spanish uprising of Sertorius, were not enough, a kind of composition of forces was needed. Therefore, the union of Pompey, Caesar and Crassus (the winner of Spartacus) was most welcome. In short, the triumvirate was a kind of union of mutually beneficial cooperation of money and political influence.

The beginning of Caesar's military career was his Gallic proconsulship, when Caesar received a large military force that allowed him to launch his invasion of Transalpine Gaul in 58 BC. After victories over the Celts and Germans in 58-57. BC. Caesar proceeds to conquer the Gallic tribes. Already in 56 BC. e. the vast territory between the Alps, the Pyrenees and the Rhine came under the rule of Rome.
Caesar rapidly developed success: he crossed the Rhine and inflicted a number of defeats on the Germanic tribes. The next dizzying success of Caesar was two campaigns in Britain and its complete subjugation to Rome.

Caesar did not forget about politics. While Caesar and his political companions - Crassus and Pompey - were on the verge of a break. Their meeting took place in the city of Luca, where they reaffirmed the validity of the agreements adopted, distributing the provinces: Pompey got control of Spain and Africa, Crassus - Syria. The powers of Caesar in Gaul were extended for the next 5 years.

However, the situation in Gaul left much to be desired. Neither thanksgiving prayers, nor the festivities organized in honor of Caesar's victories could tame the spirit of the freedom-loving Gauls, who did not abandon their attempts to get rid of Roman rule.

In order to prevent an uprising in Gaul, Caesar decided to pursue a policy of mercy, the basic principles of which formed the basis of all his future policies. Avoiding excessive bloodshed, he forgave the repentant, believing that the living Gauls, who owed him their lives, were more necessary than the dead.

But even this did not help prevent the impending storm, and 52 BC. e. was marked by the beginning of the Gallic uprising under the leadership of the young leader Vircingetorix. Caesar's position was very difficult. The number of his army did not exceed 60 thousand people, while the number of rebels reached 250300 thousand people. After a series of defeats, the Gauls switched to the tactics of guerrilla warfare. Caesar's conquests were in jeopardy. However, in 51 B.C. e. in the battle of Alesia, the Romans, though not without difficulty, defeated the rebels. Vircingetorix himself was captured and the uprising began to subside.

In 53 BC. e. a fateful event for the Roman state occurred: Crassus died in the Parthian campaign. From that moment on, the fate of the triumvirate was predetermined. Pompey did not want to comply with previous agreements with Caesar and began to pursue an independent policy. The Roman Republic was on the verge of collapse. The dispute between Caesar and Pompey for power began to take on the character of an armed confrontation.

At the same time, the law was not on the side of Caesar - he was obliged to obey the Senate and renounce his power claims. However, Caesar decides to fight. "The die is cast" - said Caesar and invaded Italy, having only one legion at his disposal. Caesar advanced in the direction of Rome, while the hitherto invincible Pompey the Great and the Senate surrendered city after city. Roman garrisons, originally loyal to Pompey, joined Caesar's army.

Caesar entered Rome on April 1, 49 BC. e. Caesar carried out a number of democratic reforms: a number of punitive laws of Sulla and Pompey were canceled. An important innovation of Caesar was the empowerment of the inhabitants of the provinces with the rights of citizens of Rome.

The confrontation between Caesar and Pompey continued in Greece, where Pompey fled after the capture of Rome by Caesar. The first battle with the army of Pompey at Dyrrhachia was unsuccessful for Caesar. His troops fled in disgrace, and Caesar himself almost died at the hands of his own standard-bearer.

Cleopatra and Caesar. Painting by the painter Jean-Léon Gérôme (1866)

The next battle of Pharsalus, which took place on August 9, 48 BC. e., became much more successful for Caesar, ending with the complete defeat of Pompey, as a result of which he was forced to flee to Egypt. Caesar began to subjugate Greece and Asia Minor. Now Caesar's road lay in Egypt. However, Pompey no longer posed any threat to Caesar - he was killed by the Egyptians, who felt in which direction the wind of political change was blowing in the world.

The Senate also felt global changes, which completely went over to the side of Caesar, declaring him an indefinite dictator. But, instead of taking advantage of the favorable political situation in Rome, Caesar delved into the solution of Egyptian affairs, carried away by the Egyptian beauty Cleopatra. Caesar's active position on domestic political issues resulted in an uprising against the Romans, one of the central episodes of which was the burning of the famous Library of Alexandria. However, Caesar did not leave his interventionist intentions, and Cleopatra ascended the throne, and Egypt came under Roman protection. This was followed by nine months, during which Caesar, smitten by the beauty of Cleopatra, leaving all state and military concerns, stayed in Alexandria.

However, Caesar's carefree life soon ended. A new turmoil was brewing in Rome and on the outskirts of the empire. The Parthian ruler Farnak threatened the possessions of Rome in Asia Minor. The situation in Italy also escalated - even the previously betrayed veterans of Caesar began to rebel. The army of Pharnaces August 2, 47 BC. e. was defeated by the army of Caesar, who informed the Romans of such a quick victory with a short message: “I have come. Had seen. Won."

And in September 47 BC. e. Caesar returned to Rome, his mere presence was enough to stop the unrest. Returning to Rome, Caesar celebrated a magnificent triumph, dedicated to the victory in four operations at once: Gallic, Farnak, Egyptian and Numidian. Caesar's generosity was unprecedented: 22,000 tables were laid in Rome with refreshments for the citizens, and the games, in which even war elephants participated, surpassed in entertainment all the mass events ever organized by the Roman rulers.

Vasily Surikov. Assassination of Julius Caesar. Around 1875

Caesar becomes dictator for life, he is given the title "emperor". The month of his birth, July, is named after him. Temples are erected in his honor, his statues are placed among the statues of the gods. The oath form "in the name of Caesar" becomes obligatory during court hearings.

Using great power and authority, Caesar develops a new code of laws ("Lex Iulia de vi et de majestate"), reforms the calendar (the Julian calendar appears). Caesar plans to build a new theater in Rome, a temple of Mars, and several libraries. In addition, preparations began for campaigns against the Parthians and Dacians. However, these grandiose plans of Caesar were not destined to come true.

Even the policy of mercy, steadily pursued by Caesar, could not prevent the emergence of those dissatisfied with his power. So, despite the fact that the former supporters of Pompey were forgiven, for Caesar this act of mercy ended badly.

Rumors spread among the Romans about Caesar's desire for further absolutization of power and the transfer of the capital to Asia Minor. Many of those who considered themselves undeservedly deprived in the distribution of ranks and ranks, as well as citizens sincerely concerned about the fate of the Roman Republic, formed a conspiracy, the number of participants in which reached about 60 people. So Caesar suddenly found himself in political isolation.

On March 15, 44 BC, two days before the date of his march to the East, at a meeting of the Senate, Caesar was killed by conspirators led by former supporters of Pompey. The plans of the killers were realized in front of numerous senators - a crowd of conspirators attacked Caesar with daggers. According to legend, noticing among the killers his faithful supporter of the young Brutus, Caesar doomedly exclaimed: “And you, my child!” (or: "And you, Brutus") and fell at the feet of the statue of his sworn enemy Pompey.

Literature:
Grant M. Julius Caesar. Priest of Jupiter. - M.: Tsentrpoligraf, 2005.
Plutarch. Comparative biographies. Julius Caesar. M., 1964. T. 3.
Utchenko S. L. Julius Caesar. M., 1984.
Freeman Philip Julius Caesar. - St. Petersburg: AST, Astrel, 2010