Gaius Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar (100-44 BC), Roman general and statesman. Born into a patrician family, Caesar secured his alliance with the popular party by marrying Cornelia in 84. After Cornelia died in 68, Caesar married Pompeia, a relative to Pompey. He divorced Pompeia in 62 and three years later took his third wife, Calpurnia. Initially his career was mainly political; in 60 he formed a ruling triumvirate with Pompey and Crassus. Elected consul in 59, he made his military reputation with his campaigns in Gaul (58-50). He also invaded Britain twice, in 55 and 54, and became a popular hero. However in 50, following the death of Crassus, the triumvirate came to an end. Pompey became op-posed to Caesar’s ambitions and persuaded the Senate to ask Caesar to disband his armies. Caesar refused and invaded Italy in 49, crossing over the River Rubicon that separated his province from Italy. This was the start of the civil wars (49-45). Caesar defeated Pompey at Pharsalus (48), and then spent some time in Alexandria with Cleopatra, who bore him a son. After his defeat of Pharnaces at Zela (47), where he uttered the famous words “Veni, vidi, vici” (“I came, I saw, I conquered”), he defeated the remnants of Pompey’s forces and returned to Rome as dictator. During his dictatorship Caesar introduced a number of reforms, notably the Julian calendar, which forms the basis of our present calendar. Further reforms were prevented by his assassination in 44, on the Ides of March (15 March), by a group of republicans led by Brutus and Cassius. Caesar was also a distinguished orator and writer; his works include Commentaries on the Gallic and civil wars.
