Gaius Julius Caesar

An accurate depiction of Julius Caesar (https://ehistory.osu.edu/biographies/gaius-julius- ())

Gaius Julius Caesar Hero to the Roman People

Picture a man on an island, captured by pirates, reading them speeches and calling them names if they didn't listen. This man was Julius Caesar, the same person that brought the Roman republic to its knees. The celebrated general who became a dictator in Rome.~ Born in 100 BC on July 12 or 13th. Caesar was born into an aristocratic family who claimed to have descended from Venus herself. When he was sixteen,  he was caught in a struggle between two consuls (like today's president except two were elected.). Due to his connection with Marius (who lost the war), Caesar was forced to flee from Sulla.  He joined the army for the first time in Asia Minor, then going to Rhodes to study philosophy and oration. Had he never gone into the army or went to study, he was still a far cry from the greatness we know today. To achieve this greatness, Caesar had to have two attributes; one was the ability to sway the public and the money to do so. He acquired both of these things in due time. Caesar, a Roman general, through his charismatic aura and generosity made him a legendary figure throughout history.

Statue of Julius Caesar (http://www.romeacrosseurope.com/?p=970#sthash.YU3G ())

Julius Caesar's oration skills, along with his negotiation skills made him one of the most influential people in history.  "As a writer or speaker, he could easily hold his own against acknowledged masters such as Cicero; in statesmanship and politics, he was unsurpassed; in military skill, he had no peer" (Witkoski, Michael). There were two preferred ways to succeed and rise to the top in Rome. One of those qualities you could have was influence over politics; the other was military prowess. Before Caesar, no man had both of these things.  He had a way of knowing exactly how to convince someone to do something. This aura is best described in his first triumvirate.

This was the reconciling of Crassus and Pompey, the two men who then were most powerful in Rome. There had been a quarrel between them, which he now succeeded in making up, and by this means strengthened himself by the united power of both, and so under the cover of an action which carried all the appearance of a piece of kindness and good-nature, caused what was in effect a revolution in the government (Hagg and Harrison).

Crassus and Pompey were the two most powerful men in Rome. Crassus was perhaps the wealthiest in Roman history, Pompey, on the other hand, was the most military successful. Caesar was the odd man out. He had neither the military success of Pompey nor the money of Crassus and yet he was capable of convincing both of them to reconcile and surpass both of them with his plans. The Triumvirate had enough political clout to make Caesar consul in 60 BC. After a consulship, it was customary to become a proconsul (similar to governorship)  in one of Rome's many provinces. The Senate, hoping that he fail, picked Gaul for him. He established friendly relations with some of the tribes and helped them with their pursuits. One of Caesar's staff writes,"Caesar had one main aim, keeping the tribes friendly, and giving them neither the opportunity nor cause for war" (Goldsworthy). Caesar understood that to have the tribes as their allies in the Republic, he had to have a good relationship with the leaders. Caesar richly rewarded his defeated enemies and kept them as allies. He was so successful in his endeavor that Gaul remained in control of Rome for the next five hundred years. Caesar's skills as a negotiator helped him ascend to the top of the system.

Depiction of Julius Caesar by Clara Grosch (literature.wikia.com (Clara Grosch))

During his quest to get rid of the republic, Caesar showed his generosity many times in many different forms. Caesar's Gallic wars made him incredibly wealthy, but he didn't spend it all on himself. Plutarch puts it this way:

"This love of honor and passion for distinction were inspired into them and cherished in them by Caesar himself, who, by his unsparing distribution of money and honors, showed them that he did not heap up wealth from the wars for his own luxury, or the gratifying his private pleasures, but that all he received was but a public fund laid by for the reward and encouragement of valor, and that he looked upon all he gave to deserving soldiers as so much increase to his own riches"(Hagg and Harrison).

Caesar was not afraid to spend money. He did not care for personal riches. Instead, Caesar kept the money that he needed and gave the rest away. After the defeat of Pompey in 48 BC and his time in Egypt, "He returned to Rome, where he assumed the powers of a dictator and quickly pushed through a series of reforms. Most notable among these was his effort to reduce unemployment, a growing problem, by requiring that every landowner hire one free man for every two slaves working in his fields"("Caesar, Julius").  In Rome, the title dictator granted unlimited power but was used only in emergency situations. Due to the corruption of the Senate, unemployment was a massive problem. Larger farms owned by the aristocracy could outcompete smaller farmers. Most of the Roman population that had previously cultivated the land were driven into the city, unemployed. Caesar immediately fixed it by reforming the property laws bringing down the unemployment rate and indirectly funneled aristocratic money into the hands of the ordinary Roman. Less than a year later, his assassination on the Ides of March, 44 BC plunged Rome into a state of chaos, of which the king that the liberators feared came to life. Caesar, despite his status as a dictator, generously gave away fortunes and showed forgiveness to his enemies for the good of the republic.

Caesar with his legions (https://www.pinterest.com/napoleon1797/caesar/ ())

Caesar's magnanimity and skills as a public speaker make him someone to look up to. He was able to take over a system rigged against him. His talents with both rhetoric and military skill was a combination unheard of. No one before in Roman history had quite these traits. Despite having unparalleled power as a dictator, he gave back to the Roman people and was kind to his defeated enemies, even going as far as to give them back their previous positions. During his war with Ariovistus, Caesar's soldiers heard about the Germanic tribes. Soon panic spread among the ranks; some attempted to declare mutiny. Caesar then called a council of the all the officers of his army. In which he spoke to his centurions,

"Upon the delivery of this speech, the minds of all were changed in a surprising manner, and the highest ardor and eagerness for prosecuting the war were engendered; and the tenth legion was the first to return thanks to him, through their military tribunes, for his having expressed this most favorable opinion of them; and assured him that they were quite ready to prosecute the war. Then, the other legions endeavored, through their military tribunes and the centurions of the principal companies, to excuse themselves to Caesar, [saying] that they had never either doubted or feared or supposed that the determination of the conduct of the war was theirs and not their general's. "(McDevitte and Bohn).

Though the information in this quote is probably exaggerated due to political motive since Caesar wrote the commentaries, it shows the effect of Caesar and his speeches. His ability to turn an army ready to give up, to a fearsome fighting force the legions were known. To me, however, it was not Caesar's abilities as a military leader that inspires me, but his sheer will to keep on doing what he wanted to do. Even in the face of the impossible. He just kept doing what he wanted to do no matter the consequences. But most of all, he inspires me because he proved that even a snobby rich man could become one of the most heroic people in history.

Works Cited

"Caesar, Julius." Ancient Civilizations Reference Library, edited by Judson Knight and Stacy A.

McConnell, UXL, 2000. Student Resources in Context,

link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ2173110046/SUIC?u=dist214&xid=24c382c0. Accessed 2 May 2017.

Goldsworthy, Adrian. "Julius Caesar's Triumph in Gaul." HistoryNet, 22 June 2016, www.historynet.com/julius-caesars-triumph-in-gaul.htm. Accessed 15 May 2017.

Hagg, Tomas, and Stephen Harrison. "Plutarch and His Parallel Lives." The Art of Biography in  Antiquity, pp. 239-281., doi:10.1017/cbo9781139061322.008. Accessed 16 May 2017.

McDevitte, W. A., and W. S. Bohn, translators. "41." Gaius Julius Caesar Commentaries on the

Gallic War.