Cesear
...leader and helped make Rome the center of an empire that stretched across Europe. Caesar also won fame as an orator, politician, and writer. His victories in civil war helped him become dictator of the Roman people, but his power frightened many of his political opponents, and a group of them assassinated him.
Gaius Julius Caesar was born in Rome from an aristocratic family. At age seventeen1 , he had married Cornelia, daughter of Lucius Cornelius Cinne. Cinna had been an associate of Gaius Marius, a popular leader. Lucius Sulla, the aristocratic dictator of Rome, had ordered Caesar to divorce Cornelia. After Caesar's refusal to divorce Cornelia, he went to Greece to study philosophy and oratory. "Sulla later pardoned Caesar, and had returned to Rome" (Tingay, Graham). Later on, Cornelia gave birth to Julia, daughter of Caesar. At about 68 B.C. Cornelia died.
After Cornelia's death, Caesar became highly interested in public affairs and tried to gain the favor of the people. 65 B.C. Caesar was elected to the office of aedile and organized public games. He won favor because he had spent so much money to provide some recreation for the people, whereas he went into debt to do so. 62 B.C. Caesar became praetor, office next in rank to consul.
"Catiline, being a dissatisfied Roman politician, plotted a revolt." (Erich S. Gruen) Figuring out his plot, aristocrats sought to disgrace the entire group of popular leaders, including Caesar, but they failed to hurt his political prospects.
In 60 B.C. Caesar allied himself with Marcus Licinius Crassus and Gnaeus Pompey in the "Future Triumvirate" an alliance that held considerable power in Rome. Crassus was a man of wealth and a lot of political ambition. Pompey had returned from Asia Minor in 62 B.C. as a great military leader and the idol of the people. They had gained a major victory when...
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