Julius Caesar : The Great Expansionist

“I love the name of honor, more than I fear death,” a quote said by one of the most famous Roman leaders named Julius Caesar. Julius Caesar was born in July 100 BC and he died on March 15, 44B.C. Caesar was a general, politician, and a dictator. Caesar was loved by many people for guiding them and providing safety for them, but he was also hated by a countless number of people. That hate ended up in him being murdered. He gave Rome hope for a better future and a promise of new land, jobs, and wealth. Caesar accomplished many things for his country like win many victories, developed the Julian calendar, and redistributed land to the poor. He used many different tactics and strategies to win his wars. Through brilliant military tactics, Julius Caesar, ruler of Rome from 49 B.C. to 44 B.C., guided the people of Italy and Rome to achieve many victories, allowing him to become a powerful ruler, hero, and inspiration and leaving a legacy that still shapes the world today.

Between approximately 509 BCE and the third century CE the Roman empire continually expanded and became one of the largest in history. While this expansion was due to many reasons, not the least of which was greed, to a great extent it was made possible because of Rome's overwhelming military and its combination of a democratic and republic government. (Lee) (Ferril)

The Roman Empire conquered land at a previously unparalleled rate, within the known world, affecting its institutions from the rest of the Empire’s prevalence. From Hispania to Britannia sweeping across the mediterranean, gaining Egypt, ending in Persia; the absorption of Carthage and North Africa, and finally the civil war being won by Augustus, all brought upon the negative effects of their conquest. The Empire continued to grow from the year 200 B.C.E. to the year 200 C.E.; this growth had many effects upon the Empire. Although expansion and conquest are often good, seen as liberating, or wholly expansive in mathematical, philosophic, and scientific thought, this is not inherently the case. The Roman Empire’s expansion was not entirely as powerful and awe inspiring as many claim it to be; the greedily performed collection of lands resulted in many negative outcomes. These outcomes largely presented Rome with an issue they would never be able to recover from: empiric decay. The effects of militaristic expansion, of the Roman Empire, resulted in the decay of previously prosperous economic, political, and social institutions.

Augustus had constantly gained control over Rome and the Empire. Through his political moving around & misleading and tricking. According to Tacitus, senator and history expert of the Roman Empire. This source points to show the

Julius Caesar expanded the Roman Republic to its furthest extent at the time to engulf Gaul, present day France, into the empire. (Julius Caesar Gaul, 2012). Caesar's conquering of Gaul paved the way for vast riches to enter Rome. Having so many soldiers with so much wealth from Gaul returning all at once

During the reign of Augustus in 27 BC, progressive political ideologies were instituted that allowed the Roman Empire to last for centuries.  Augustus’s period of power was known as the “Pax Romana” and it was a time of peace and expansion into Egypt, Dalmatia, Pannonia, Noricum, Raetia, Africa, Germania and Hispania. Augustus strengthened the political organization of Rome through law and tax reform, protected borders and initiated building projects such as the Colosseum (Emmons, “Roman Empire”).  Additionally, Augustus created networks of roads, police, fire, and courier systems, and a standing army.  The relative freedom from conflict for such a lengthy period of time allowed Rome to prosper culturally, economically, and architecturally.

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

The driving forces in the play Julius Caesar are the characters Marcus Brutus, Julius Caesar, and Marc Antony. Julius Caesar is the center of the ordeal of leadership in Rome when the play begins. When Caesar returns to Rome he is looked upon by the fickle plebeians as a glorious and triumphant hero. The authority of his heroism is questioned when the honorable Marcus Brutus speaks to the townspeople during Caesar’s funeral. Brutus proves to be the better leader for Rome rather than Caesar or Antony. Brutus is wiser and more honorable than the other Romans. He was the only one truly looking out for the good of Rome and not himself.

Gaius Julius Caesar was born on July 13, 100 BCE (Fuller 56) in a world of political uncertainty. During that time, Lucius Cornelius Sulla was the political head of Rome. Caesar’s rise to power started at the age of 16, when he was elected by his uncle Gaius Marius and Lucius Cornelius Cinna, to the position of Priest of Jupiter (Fuller 56). Two years later, Caesar married Lucius Cinna’s daughter, Cornelia. Sulla marched back to Rome, from being in the east, to settle a civil war. During his return, Sulla made several changes that increased his political power and satisfied the people, but when Sulla returned to Rome, he insisted that Caesar divorce his wife because her father had been involved in the civil war. This was something that Caesar was not going to comply with, which enraged Sulla. Since Caesar refused to obey Sulla’s orders to divorce his wife, Sulla stripped Caesar of his priesthood, as well as all his wealth and property. Unbeknownst to Sulla, his punishments to Caesar would eventually help spark a desire in Caesar, to become a powerful dictator. Caesar did not feel safe under these circumstances, so he decided to leave Rome and go into hiding. When Caesar was tracked down and captured, Caesar paid for his freedom, and his mother pleaded with Sulla to allow his return to Rome (Fuller 56). Caesar returned to Rome, staying away from any involvement in any of the civil wars, however; he watched Sulla and learned that he could

Julius Caesar had an immense impact on the rise and success of the Roman Empire. Caesar created the First Triumvirate allowing Rome to be ruled most successfully. Caesar wanted to make Rome more powerful as a leader, so he partook in the conquest of Gaul to defeat other countries, expand the empire, and ultimately made Rome more powerful. Caesar was a great leader, formed allegiances with powerful leaders and those in the military bringing success to both the Roman government and military. Julius Caesar expanded the Roman Empire through his military strength and powerful leadership.

Power is a natural desire for humans. It is what structures society, makes the world turn, and to get more of it, people will do almost anything. Yet society often follows whoever is in power without a second thought. Because the Romans follow whoever is in power without considering that person’s morals and ideals, they are responsible for the anarchy that ensues after Caesar’s death.

Julius Caesar is a man famous for his death, but his death was in fact the least exciting part of his life. Stretching from 100 BC to 44 BC, he accomplished much with his life as both a politician and ruler during a prosperous time of ancient Rome that he created. Julius Caesar was an admirable leader of ancient Rome that carried his fame into modern times because of his interesting early life, ways as a military leader, and time as dictator.

One of Julius Caesar’s biggest accomplishments during his reign was the tremendous amount of land he conquered, and how he expanded the Roman empire. His biggest conquering was the acquiring of Gaul. Realizing the wealth that could be gained from this conquest, Caesar and the legions departed in 58 BCE

Many desire political power, but not all can achieve it. Politicians, both today and in Ancient Rome, use multiple strategies to gain ranking. According to ancient historians, a republic government dates back as far as 509 B.C. Within a republic, officials compete to gain the public’s vote. Author William Shakespeare found a connection between the Queen of England and the appointed dictator of Ancient Rome, Julius Caesar. Both the Queen and dictator were in similar situations, for the Queen had held power for a long period of time and Caesar was soon to become a dictator for life. According to noted literary critic, E.A.J. Honigmann,

Although, Augustus, in his will advises for his followers to restrain from large expansions and military campaigns, the borders of the Roman empire were never fixed nor strictly defined, they constantly changed and adjust, in result not only