What Color Hair Did Julius Caesar Have

Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar was born in 100 BC. His family unit was one of the most important in Rome. Like almost young men of noble birth Caesar became an officeholder in the Roman Regular army.

Suetonius wrote: "Caesar was a almost skilled swordsman and horseman... If Caesar's troops gave ground he would often rally them in person, communicable individual soldiers past the throat and forcing them round to face up the enemy again... He fixed the daily pay of the soldiers at double what it had been... and gave each man a Gallic slave."

His career nearly came to an end when at the age of twenty-five he was captured past pirates. Instead of killing him they demanded a ransom. His family paid the coin and he was released. Caesar was furious that he should be humiliated in this manner and with some friends he managed to find the pirates and had them all crucified. Later he boasted that he had warned the pirates that if they let him go he would have them killed.

Caesar had political ambitions and when he was elected aedile in 65 BC he spent a fortune providing gladiatorial contests for the Roman public. He was now deeply in debt but it helped him become a well known effigy, and in 59 BC he was elected consul.

Once in power he brought in a new nib that provided land for old soldiers. When the Senate refused to pass the measure Caesar took the bill to the Public Associates. This action gained him the support of the army and the people of Rome. It too created a lot of powerful enemies in the Senate, peculiarly when he resorted to employing men to beat up senators who disagreed with him.

At the terminate of his term as consul, Caesar became commander of the Roman Army in Narbonese Gaul. The Gauls were excellent cavalrymen and on occasions capable of defeating the Romans. Still, the Gauls were made upward of a collection of smaller tribes who establish it difficult to piece of work together.

Caesar was confident that in the long term, his well-organised forces would exist able to defeat the Gauls that controlled central and northern Europe. First he defeated the Helvetii that inhabit present mean solar day Switzerland. He followed this with victories over the Gauls that lived in northern Europe. Later reaching the English Channel in 55 BC Caesar decided to invade Britain.

Caesar'due south war machine campaign made him very rich. The wealth that he had plundered from northern Europe had inverse him from a human deeply in debt into a multi-millionaire.

To make sure everybody knew about his military victories, Caesar wrote a book about his campaigns and had it published in Rome. The Senate became concerned nigh his growing popularity. To forestall Caesar from gaining power they appointed another famous Roman soldier, Pompey, to take control of the country. The Senate then passed a move insisting that Caesar should retire from office.

Caesar reacted by ordering his men to march on Rome. At Corfinium, in 48 BC Caesar defeated troops loyal to the Senate. When news reached Rome of Caesar'due south victory, his enemies fled. Velleius reported: "Caesar, victorious over all his enemies, returned to Rome, and pardoned all who had borne arms against him, an act of generosity almost beyond conventionalities. He entertained the urban center with the magnificent spectacle of a gladiatorial bear witness, a sham battle of cavalry, infantry, and fifty-fifty mounted elephants."

Pompey decided to retreat to Macedonia, where he knew he could rely on the loyalty of his troops. Nonetheless, Caesar's troops, highly experienced subsequently their campaigns against the Gauls, were vastly superior to Pompey's soldiers who had not fought for twelve years. After a serial of defeats, Pompey escaped to Egypt.

Frightened that Caesar would now invade Egypt, Ptolemy XIII arranged the execution of Pompey on 28th September. The head of Pompey was sent to Caesar to prove he was not being protected past the Egyptians. When Caesar arrived in Alexandria 2 days later, Ptolemy presented him with Pompey's severed caput. Caesar was appalled by this act of violence against a leading Roman citizen. Caesar reacted past seizing the Egyptian capital.

At first he intended to demand a large sum of coin in return for leaving the country. However, while in Egypt, Caesar met Cleopatra, the country's twenty-one-year-old queen. Caesar, who was at present l-ii and had already been married three times before, fell deeply in love with Cleopatra. After defeating King Ptolemy Xiii, Caesar restored Cleopatra to her throne, with some other younger brother Ptolemy 14 as new co-ruler.

On 23 June 47 BC Cleopatra gave nascence to a child, Ptolemy Caesar (nicknamed "Caesarion"). Cleopatra claimed that Caesar was the father and wished him to name the boy his heir, but Caesar refused, choosing his grandnephew Octavian instead.

When Caesar returned to Rome he appointed 300 of his supporters as members of the Senate. Although the Senate and Public Assembly still met, it was Caesar who at present made all the important decisions. By 44 BC Caesar was powerful enough to declare himself dictator for life. Although in the past Roman leaders had become dictators in times of crisis, no one had taken this much power.

A whole range of magnificent buildings named after Caesar and his family unit were erected. Hundreds of sculptures of Caesar, most of them made by captured Greek artists, were distributed throughout the Roman Empire. Some of the statues claimed that Caesar was at present a God. Caesar also became the offset living man to appear on a Roman coin. Fifty-fifty the month of the year that he was born, Quintilis, was renamed July in his laurels.

Caesar began wearing long ruby boots. As the ancient kings used to wear like boots, rumours began to spread that Caesar planned to make himself male monarch. Caesar denied these charges but the Roman people, who had a strong dislike of the kingship system, began to worry nigh the way Caesar was dominating political life.

Cleopatra, Ptolemy Fourteen and Caesarion visited Rome in summertime 46 BC. They stayed in ane of Caesars country houses. Members of the Senate disapproved of the relationship between Cleopatra and Caesar, partly because he was already married to Calpurnia Pisonis. Others objected to the fact that she was a foreigner. Cicero disliked her for moral reasons: "Her (Cleopatra) manner of walking... her clothes, her free style of talking, her embraces and kisses, her beach-parties and dinner-parties, all testify her to be a tart."

Later Plutarch attempted to explain why some men constitute her attractive: "Her actual beauty, it is said, was not in itself remarkable... but the attraction of her person, joining with the charm of her conversation... was something bewitching. Information technology was a pleasure but to hear the sound of her voice, with which, like an instrument of many strings, she could laissez passer from one language to some other, so that in that location were few of the nations that she needed an interpreter... which was all the more surprising because most of her predecessors, scarcely gave themselves the problem to acquire the Egyptian tongue."

Caesar attempted to gain the full back up of the people past declaring his intention to lead a military entrada against the Parthians. Nonetheless, many had doubts most the wisdom of trying to increment the size of the Roman Empire. They believed it would be ameliorate to concentrate on organising what they already had.

Rumours began to spread that Caesar planned to brand himself rex. Plutarch wrote: "What made Caesar hated was his passion to be king." Caesar denied these charges but the Roman people, who had a strong dislike of the kingship system, began to worry about the way Caesar made all the decisions. Even his friends complained that he was no longer willing to listen to advice. Finally, a group of senators decided to kill Caesar.

Fifty-fifty some of Caesar's closest friends were concerned virtually his unwillingness to heed to advice. Eventually, a group of threescore men, including Marcus Brutus, rumoured to be one of Caesar's illegitimate sons, decided to assassinate Caesar.

Plans were made to carry out the assassination in the Senate just three days before he was due to leave for Parthia. When Caesar arrived at the Senate a group of senators gathered round him. Publius Servilius Casca stabbed him from behind. Caesar looked round for help but now the residue of the group pulled out their daggers. One of the beginning men Caesar saw was Brutus and was reported to take alleged, "You too, my son." Caesar knew it was useless to resist and pulled his toga over his head and waited for the last blows to arrive.

Afterwards Cicero commented: "Caesar subjected the Roman people to oppression... Is there anyone, except Antony who did non wish for his decease or who disapproved of what was washed?... Some didn't know of the plot, some lacked backbone, others the opportunity. None lacked the will."

Principal Sources

(one) Cicero, part of a letter to his friend Cornelius Nepos (l BC)

Do y'all know of a man who... tin speak meliorate than Caesar? Or anyone who makes so many witty remarks?

(2) Suetonius, Julius Caesar (c. AD 110)

Caesar was a most skillful swordsman and horseman, and showed surprising powers of endurance. He always led his army, more often on foot than in the saddle, went bareheaded in sun and rain alike, and could travel for long distances at incredible speed... If Caesar'southward troops gave ground he would often rally them in person, catching individual fugitives past the throat and forcing them round to confront the enemy again... He always addressed his soldiers not with "My men", but with "Comrades" ... which put them into a ameliorate sense of humor. He fixed the daily pay of the regular soldiers at double what it had been and occasionally gave each man a slave.

(3) Plutarch, Julius Caesar (c. AD 110)

What made Caesar hated was his passion to be king.

(four) Jordanes, The Origin of the Deeds of the Goths (c. AD 550)

Then came Caesar... who conquered all kingdoms and even seized islands beyond our earth.

(five) Cicero, oral communication (43 BC)

Caesar'southward grapheme was a combination of genius, retention, thoroughness, culture, intellect and industry.

(6) Julius Caesar, The Ceremonious War (c. 48 BC)

History proves that by practising cruelty you lot earn zip only hatred. Nobody has e'er accomplished a lasting victory by such means.

(vii) Julius Caesar, The Gallic War (c. 52 BC)

There was too a great crowd of women and children in the German language camp... They began to flee in all directions, and were hunted down by the cavalry which I sent out for the purpose... A large number were killed, and the balance plunged into the water and perished, overcome by the forcefulness of the current in their terror-stricken and exhausted land.

(8) Julius Caesar, Analogy (c. 60 BC)

As the sailor avoids the rock, so should yous (the historian) avoid the give-and-take that is obsolete or rare.

(9) Hirtius, one of Caesar's generals in the Gallic War (c. 42 BC)

Caesar saw that his clemency was so well known that no one would think him a cruel human if for once he took astringent measures. So he decided to deter all others past making an instance of the defenders of Uxellodunum. All who had borne artillery had their hands cut off and were and then permit go, so that everyone might see what penalization was meted out to evildoers.

(x) Velleius, Compendium of Roman History (c. Advert 20)

Caesar, victorious over all his enemies, returned to Rome, and pardoned all who had borne artillery confronting him, an human action of generosity almost beyond belief. He entertained the urban center with the magnificent spectacle of a gladiatorial prove, a sham battle of cavalry, infantry, and even mounted elephants.

(11) Plutarch, Julius Caesar (c. Advertizement 110)

When his friends advised him to have a guard, and several offered their services, he would not hear of information technology; only said it was better to endure death once than e'er to live in fright of information technology.

(12) Suetonius, Julius Caesar (c. AD 110)

Information technology was nearly ten o'clock when he set off for the senate. As he went, someone handed him a note containing details of the plot against his life, but he merely added information technology to the bundle of papers in his left hand... As soon as Caesar took `his seat the conspirators crowded around him as if to pay their respects... Cimber caught hold of his shoulders. "This is violence!" Caesar cried, and at that moment one of the Casca brothers slipped behind him and with a sweep of his dagger stabbed him just below the throat... he was leaping abroad when another dagger caught him in the breast. Twenty-three dagger thrusts went home as he stood there.

(thirteen) Cicero, On the Country (c. 43 BC)

Caesar subjected the Roman people to oppression... Is there anyone, except Antony who did not wish for his death or who disapproved of what was done?... Some didn't know of the plot, some lacked courage,

others the opportunity. None lacked the will.

Questions

1. Study source 2. How does this source help to explicate why Julius Caesar was a successful

soldier?

2. Why did Julius Caesar get such an important effigy in the Roman Empire between 58 BC and 51 BC?

three. Who ruled Rome between fifty BC and 44 BC, the Senate or Julius Caesar?

four. Julius Caesar was aware of the importance of self-promotion. What methods did Julius Caesar use to spread data about himself?

6. Read about Cicero. Show how this information helps to explain the views expressed past Cicero in sources one, 5 and xiii.

7. How do sources 3, 11 and 13 help to explicate why Caesar was killed?