Julius Caesar

Gaius Julius Caesar was born in Rome in 100 BC .He was a Roman general and statesman who laid the foundations of the Roman Imperial Republic. He was known not only for being a cunning strategist but also for his remarkable power of speech and leadership skills. Caesar was also a gifted writer.

Caesar was born into the famous and prestigious Julian group of people in the Roman Republic. But his childhood days were filled with problems. His Uncle Marius was a Roman dictator who ruled with an iron fist. He was thrown out of power by his rival Sulla in 78 BC which caused the family to leave Rome.

Caesar was 22 years old when he returned to Rome. He had to work hard to become prominent among other powerful ruling Romans. After some time Caesar formed alliance with Pompey the Great and Marcus Licinius Crassus who was a rich patrician.

Caesar’s first major test of leadership came in his battels during the ‘Gallic Wars’. Which were fought between the Romans and other tribes in Gaul. In his very first year as governor, Caesor knew he could increase his political power by increasing the lands ruled by the Roman Empire . However , the other two leaders in the alliance , Pompey and Crassus , became jealous of Caesar’s victories and growing popularity among the Roman people.

Pompey had Crassus removed and started plotting against Caesar, but soon Pompey was assassinated by Caesar . Caesar became Rome’s dictator . His power grew. However, his title threatened many rich and powerful members of Rome’s ruling class. On March 15, 44 BC, a group of Roman leaders assassinated Caesar.

Views about Caesar’s achievements are divided. Some think of him as a dishonest dictator , who was obsessed with power . They blame him for the end of the Roman Empire . Others believe that the Roman power had already been destroyed before Caesar. They think that a new type of government had to be created to save the Roman Empire. They think Caesar’s ways of governing Rome did some good to the region.

One of the most powerful political and military leaders in history , Gaius Julius Caesar helped grow the Roman Empire . Caesar’s victory in a civil war around 40 BC made him the most powerful ruler of Rome, but political jealousies among his enemies made them assassinate him. Caesar’s story has become the inspiration for many plays and works of art.