Essay On Julius Caesar

In the determination of whether Julius Caesar was an intelligent, political hero or an egocentric, dictating villain, it is important to look at all of the facts. Born in 100 B.C.E. and assassinated in 44 B.C.E., Julius Caesar was legendary. He along Pompey, and Crassus created the first unofficial Triumvirate which was negotiated to appease both the Roman citizens and the power hungry rivals. Still, this agreement would not last long. After Pompey’s wife, Julia Caesar and daughter of Caesar’s daughter given to Pompey to establish the Trimvirate, dies in childbirth, civil war breaks out as Caesar leads his army against Rome. He fights until Pompey is murdered in Egypt. As Rome is “shattered,” Julius Caesar one person should rule. He

Around 71 B.C.,a few years before Augustus was born, Gaius Octavius started pursuing a job within the senate, but because of his latin instead of roman descent the pursuit of the job was very difficult for him. He continued pursuing the job in senate till around 70 B.C. when he won a quaestorship, a lower place in the government that entails supervising tax collection and doing special tasks for consuls in Rome, and joined the senate. Based on his latin descent winning a questorship was no small feat so it was no surprise when he was offered a spouse from one of Rome’s great trician clans. The only problem with this was he was already married to Ancharia who is not very well recorded in history so people have no firm evidence for why Gaius Octavius suddenly married Atia, a member of the Julian family making Julius Caesar his great-uncle. Together Atia and Gaius had two children, Octavius the younger and Gaius Octavian, named after his father, along with the one from Ancharia the second of the two being who we know as Augustus.

In the arising chaos of Caesar’s death, Mark Antony, Octavion, and others fought a series of five civil wars, which would end in the formation of the Roman Empire. The Roman middle and lower classes, with whom Caesar was popular, became angry that a small group of aristocrats had killed Caesar, especially after Antony gave a dramatic applause that appealed to the common people, a reflection of public opinion following Caesar's murder. About 43 B.C, the second triumvirate was formed between Octavion, Mark Antony, and Lepidus. Sometime after 43 B.C, Afterward, Mark Antony married Caesar's lover, Cleopatra, intending to use the fabulously wealthy Egypt as a base to dominate Rome. A third civil war broke out between Octavion and Antony. This final civil war resulted in the final ascendancy of Octavian, who became the first Roman emperor, under the name Caesar Augustus, a name that raised him to status of an idol.

     In the play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, William Shakespeare shows how friends often betray each other. Julius Caesar is about to be crowned king of Rome, when some well-known Romans decide that it is not a good idea for this to happen. They form a conspiracy and kill Caesar. Brutus, an honorable Roman and a very good friend of Caesar’s, betrays Caesar by killing him for the good of Rome. Antony, Caesar’s best friend and another honorable Roman, betrays Brutus by turning against the conspirators. Cassius, a respected Roman, and Brutus betray each other by arguing and destroying their friendship. All this betraying lead to many deaths in the play.

Following Caesar's assassination, which Cleopatra's presence in Rome may have provoked, Cleopatra had an affair with another Roman leader. Marc Antony was planning a campaign in Parthia and was in desperate need of money when he called upon Cleopatra to question why she had allied herself with some of Rome’s enemies. Antony’s need for money proved to be a lucky break for her. Plutarch claimed that Cleopatra went to this meeting deliberately scheming to seduce Antony and some even claim that she purposefully broke up the alliance between Antony and Octavian. Cleopatra's belief that Caesarion would be accepted as Caesar's heir if she was successful in eradicating Octavin may support this claim. At this meeting Cleopatra requested for Antony to take control of her troubled territory in Cyprus. She also

When Octavian stated “And yet, at first, I was so enthusiastic about him that I shared with him my command, married my sister to him, and have him legions,” he shows that he was the dominate male in his home and an authority figure in Rome during his speech to his troops (Document 2). He tells them of how men are superior to woman, but that Antony is allowing Cleopatra to take control of Rome and him. Antony has given her everything that the citizens of Rome have worked for and owned including land, riches, and even an island, all while he is still married to Octavian’s sister. Antony went as far as even “legitimizing the two children, Alexander Helios and Cleopatra Selena,” that he conceived with Cleopatra while still married (Document 1). Octavian tried to reason with Antony, showing that he still backed him but that he needed to come back to the Roman side because the Egyptian queen has brainwashed him, and turned him into a female servant. Once, Antony rejects the offer, Octavian condemned Antony and in return was condemned right back (Document 1). From that point, Octavian decided that he no longer has a choice, Rome needed to defend themselves from the Egyptian sorcerous, Cleopatra, and the bewitched Marc Antony. If they conquered them, then they would be free from all that has been done, but if they lose, then they have brought shame upon themselves (Document

Caesar Octavian Augustus helped the Expansion of the Roman Empire on the frontiers/ Conquest of Egypt. Octavian Augustus fought wars both on land and water, and spared many people. The success of his wars led to the successful military expansion of the Roman Empire. By waging wars on other places, Octavian took over land and expanded it. He also conquered many other places including Egypt. When Mark Antony and Cleopatra VII tried to battle Octavian at the Battle of Actium, Antony’s forces were wiped out and the next year, Alexandria was conquered by Octavian’s Troops.(Durant et al. Everitt, Hamilton, Suetonius) Mark Antony and Cleopatra later killed themselves leaving Egypt in the hands of Octavian. Augustus expanded his huge empire into northern Spain, large parts of central Europe and Germany. (Sizgorich) Octavian’s conquest of

After a 20-year period of transition from the republic and the assassination of Julius Caesar, Augustus returned to Rome forming an alliance with Mark Antony and Marcus Lepidus known as the Second Triumvirate which led to the establishment of the Roman Empire. The first 206 years of the Roman Empire were known

Antony tried to form his own senate and was planning to create a eastern empire with Cleopatra. Octavian would not have this happen and declared war. Italy and the western provinces joined Rome and in 31 B.C. Antony and Cleopatra were defeated in a naval battle but fled back to Egypt. Octavian in 30 B.C. engaged Antony again in Egypt from land and sea and defeated his army. Both Antony and Cleopatra committed suicide. With Egypt now under his control and all the lands he went throw pledging loyalty to him Octavian was now the solo ruler of the entire Roman world.

Antony and Cleopatra fought together. “Antony, with 500 ships and 70,000 infantry, made his camp at Actium, which lies on the southern side from the Ionian Sea into the Ambracian Gulf” (Brittannica.com). Octavian gathered his men and ships. He had a quarter more than men than Marc Antony men and ships. Antony had an advantage over Octavian when it came to fighting at sea. Marc thought it would be good to fight near western Greece where his men were set up and ready for attack. Antony was not aware of the strategic and force that Octavian was bringing on with him in this battle. Antony and Cleopatra side by side fought together but was conquered at every angle by Octavian naval ships and general in command Agrippa. Eventually Antony and Cleopatra was forced back to the grounds of Egypt. Fleeing in fear Antony and Cleopatra decide to commit suicide together. “Antony, thinking his lover was already dead he stabbed himself with a sword and then brought to die in Cleopatra’s arms” History.com. The queen was captured by Octavian men but escaped capture by poisoning herself with a snake bite. After battle Antony name was banned from anyone in the family to ever be renamed Marc Antony. All his statues and honors were striped of him and his name was forever banned in the roman

After this, Octavian joined Caesar in the Spanish expedition in 46 BC despite of his delicate health. He earned the admiration of Caesar during this daring journey. Then Octavian was sent by Caesar to Apollonia, Greece to finish his education. Octavian was only eighteen years old and living in Apollonia, when he heard the news of Caesar’s assassination. He found out that he was Caesar’s adopted heir, and faced an array of advice from family, friends, and army officers. In 44 BC he took the name Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus, after the murder of Julius Caesar.

to break free, Antony lost the battle but he and Cleopatra managed to flee the battle early

Octavian could then concentrate his efforts on moving against Marc Antony, for total control of the Roman Empire. The Battle of Actium in 31 BC was arguably one of the most important naval battles in the history of the Roman Empire. The following year in Egypt, Octavian and his army again defeat Antony. Consequently, Antony and Cleopatra (Anotny’s wife) commit suicide. With the victory at the Battle of Actium, Octavian was now sole ruler of Rome and all its provinces.

Pompey and Crassus were consuls in 70 BC and had rescinded the most offensively reactionary measures of Sulla’s legislation. During Pompey’s absence from 67 to 62 BC during his campaigns against the Mediterranean pirates, Mithridates, and Crassus, his jealous rival. Caesar married Ponpeia after Cornelia’s death and was appointed aedile in 65 BC As aedile, Caesar returned to Marius’ trophies to their former place of honor in the Capitol, thus laying claim to leadership of the populares. When Caesar was a praetor, he supported a tribune who wanted Pompey recalled to restore order in Rome. As a result, Caesar was suspended from office for a period and antagonized Catulus. Before leaving Rome to govern Further Spain for a year, Caesar divorced his wife Pompeia because of the allegation that she had been implicated in the offense of Publius Clodius. The latter was then awaiting trial for breaking into Caesar’s house the previous December disguised as a woman at the festival of the Bona Dea, which no man is allowed to attend. After his return from a successful year administrating Spain Caesar was elected consul for 59 BC through political alliance with Pompey and Crassus . This alliance was called the first triumvirate. Caesar’s purpose was to gain a big military command. Pompey for his part sought the ratification of his Eastern settlement and land allotments for his discharged troops. Crassus sought a revision of the contract for collecting taxes in the province of

Julius Caesar is and was one of the most influential people in history. He created laws, stuck wars, and developed new strategies for leadership and battles. "Caesar is widely considered to be one of the greatest military geniuses of all time, as well as a brilliant politician and one of the ancient world's strongest leaders (Julius Caesar pg.1)." He transformed the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire and he extended his land all the way through Gaul to The Atlantic Ocean, as well as fighting a civil war and being proclaimed as dictator for life.