julius caesar - ed bispham

Key Figures in the Late Republic

  • Focus: Julius Caesar, Cicero, Marcus Porcius Cato

Julius Caesar

Background

  • Comes from an ancient patrician family (Julian family), claimed descent from Venus.

  • Despite noble lineage, the family had been politically insignificant until Caesar.

Political Orientation

  • Influenced by Gaius Marius (through his aunt’s marriage) → oriented toward popular causes.

  • Aligned with populares politics:

    • Empowerment of the people

    • Laws on popular freedom, land distribution, good governance

  • Populares methods could be seen as a means to an end for his personal ambition.

Early Career

  • Risk-taker: incurred massive debt, engaged in bribery to win offices.

  • 63 BC: Elected Pontifex Maximus

    • Popular election, aided by bribery.

    • Narrow win prevented bankruptcy and exile.

  • Formed alliances with popular figures, especially Pompey in the 60s BC.

Consulship and Reforms

  • Passed land distribution laws.

  • Ratified Pompey’s eastern conquest.

  • Secured military command in Gaul.

  • Introduced reforms with populares themes:

    • Law limiting provincial governor corruption

    • Acta Diurna: public records of Senate debates → accountability

  • Unusual for a consul to act like a tribune → promoted popular rights through legislation.

Military Career

  • Absent from Rome → campaigns in Gaul, Germany, Britain.

  • Gained wealth, experience, patronage, and aura of invincibility.

  • Political rival: Pompey (militarily talented, politically adept).

First Triumvirate

  • Alliance with Pompey and Marcus Licinius Crassus

  • Misleadingly called “First Triumvirate”

  • Purpose: promote personal agendas and dominate political decision-making.

Conflict with Senate

  • Senate wanted to restore traditional power-sharing.

  • Caesar refused to give up command → threatened with prosecution.

  • Rubicon (49 BC): Caesar crosses → initiates Civil War.

Character and Legacy

  • Ambitious, ruthless, clever, highly literate

  • Great self-publicist, skilled in prose

  • Challenges tradition and religious/political norms

  • Innovative: sees the Republic as unsuitable for empire, needs professional army & bureaucracy

  • Visionary but uncompromising → both strength and cause of death

  • Killed for pursuing a radical, inevitable vision of Rome’s future