Caesar's story. Caesar Gaius Julius - biography, facts from life, photographs, background information

After the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BC, his great-nephew Octavian, the future Emperor of Rome, who was only 19 years old at the time, was forced to leave the city. But the Senate began to look for Caesar's murderers, and when his will was opened, it turned out that Caesar had adopted Octavian and left him most of his inheritance. Having learned about this, Octavian returned to Rome and announced that he accepted the inheritance and would fight against the murderers of Caesar, which actually meant a struggle for power in Rome, for the place of emperor.

The sixth month of the Roman calendar, Sextile, was renamed in his honor and called August.

In those years, Rome was formally governed by the Senate, which consisted of about 900 representatives of noble families. But in fact, real power passed into the hands of 40-year-old Mark Antony, a commander and friend of Caesar, who had the army under his command. A significant part of the money left by Caesar was given to him by Caesar's wife, Calpurnia. And Antony refused to share with Octavian, explaining that the money allegedly had to be spent on bribery in the Senate.

Octavian was forced to sell his property in order to begin a campaign against Antony. He looked for people in the Senate who would support him, reproached Antony for seizing Caesar's money, and accused him of connivance - he gave Caesar's murderers the opportunity to leave Rome with impunity. As a result, Octavian gained confidence in Cicero, a famous orator whose opinion was taken into account in the Senate. Cicero supported Octavian, called him “divine youth” and made 14 speeches in the Senate against Antony. Cicero exposed and accused Mark Antony, claiming that if he became emperor, he would disperse the Senate and execute many.

Having gained confidence in the Senate, Octavian immediately sent loyal people to Antony’s troops, convincing the soldiers to go over to his side, promising everyone a generous reward. Thanks to Cicero, Octavian received the position of propraetor, and Anthony was declared an enemy of the fatherland. And immediately Octavian was entrusted with the command of the troops, which he led against the troops of Mark Antony and achieved victory over them, but he did not pursue his enemy. Realizing that he could not achieve power in Rome alone, Octavian proposed... an alliance to Anthony. He agreed. And already the two of them met with another supporter of Caesar, Marcus Lepidus, and the three of them agreed to jointly act... against the Senate. They formed the so-called Second Triumvirate and compiled proscription lists where they included their enemies - the name of Cicero was listed first.

It was on the instructions of Octavian that Cicero was killed. And the triumvirate began a war against the Roman governors in the provinces, against everyone who opposed them. The senators did not immediately understand that the “divine youth” was a hypocritical, two-faced man, that on the way to power he was ready to eliminate anyone - enemy and friend.

Octavian Augustus, as researchers later wrote, had neither special oratorical abilities nor the gift of a commander, but he knew how to select loyal people whom he placed in high positions and commanded them. After the collapse of the triumvirate, Octavian organized a campaign against Anthony, who went to Egypt and stayed with Cleopatra. And again Anthony was proclaimed an enemy of the fatherland. He was unable to withstand the advancing troops of Octavian and committed suicide.

After returning from the Egyptian campaign in 27 BC, Octavian enjoyed a triumph and a grand celebration in Rome. From that moment on, he became first in the Senate, retaining command of 75 legions and the title of emperor with the name Caesar Augustus, which meant “divine,” and proclaimed the restoration of the republic.

Bust of Julius Caesar from the collection of the British Museum. Photograph of Roger Fenton, commissioned by the British Museum. Approximately 1856 Royal Photographic Society

Julius Caesar is probably the most famous character of ancient history, and indeed of all ancient history. Only Alexander the Great can compete with him. Countless volumes of scientific works, popular biographies and fiction have been written about Caesar. He was played in films by such outstanding actors as John Gielgud, Rex Harrison, Klaus Maria Brandauer and Ciaran Hinds. Around any outstanding historical figure, sooner or later a husk of myths and legends grows. Caesar did not escape this either.

Myth 1. His name was Caius Julius Caesar

Let's start with the name. Caesar, like almost every Roman boy from a good family, had three names: first, praenomen, or personal name (Gaius) - there were very few of them in Ancient Rome, Gaius was one of the most common; secondly, a nomen, or family name (Iulius), and thirdly, a cognomen, originally a nickname with some dictionary meaning, attached to a branch of the clan and becoming hereditary (Cicero - Pea, Naso - Nosy). What the word Caesar meant is unknown. There were many explanations: Caesar himself claimed that it was “elephant” in the “Moorish language,” and Pliny the Elder raised the word to the verb caedo, “to cut, cut,” arguing that the very first Caesar (not ours, but one of his ancestors) was born from a cut uterus, that is, as a result of a procedure later known as a caesarean section. Already thanks to the glory of our Julius Caesar, his cognomen in various forms entered many languages ​​of the world as a synonym for ruler - Caesar, Kaiser, Tsar.

The variant Kai (not Gaius) Julius Caesar has been around in everyday speech for a very long time. It is also found in literature: for example, in the fantastic story “Ghosts” by Turgenev, in “The Golden Calf” by Ilf and Petrov, or in “The White Guard” by Bulgakov. A search through the corpus of Russian literature texts produces 18 results for the query “Caius Julius” versus 21 for “Gai Julius,” almost equally divided. Ivan Ilyich in Tolstoy recalls an example from the “Logic” of the German Kantian philosopher Johann Gottfried Kiesewetter: “Caius is a man, people are mortal, therefore Caius is mortal” (in Kiesewetter: “Alle Menschen sind sterblich, Caius ist ein Mensch, also ist Caius sterblich” ). This is also, of course, “Caius” Julius Caesar. In languages ​​with Latin-based graphics, the variant Caius instead of Gaius also continues to be found - not only in novels, but also, for example, in the books of the modern British popularizer of antiquity Adrian Goldsworthy. This writing is the result not so much of a misunderstanding, but of a peculiar ancient Roman idea of ​​fidelity to tradition.

Although the sounds [k] and [g] have always been different in Latin, this difference was not initially reflected in writing. The reason was that the Etruscan (or some other Northern Italic) alphabet, from which Latin developed, did not have a stop [g]. When the volume of written information began to increase and literacy began to spread (in antiquity, in principle, there were not many free people who could not read and write at least at a primitive level), it became necessary to somehow distinguish between letters denoting dissimilar sounds, and C was attached tail. As linguist Alexander Piperski notes, the letter G is an innovation with a diacritic like the letter E, only more successful from a historical perspective. The letter E, as you know, was popularized by Karamzin, and Roman lovers of antiquities recorded that G was introduced into the alphabet by a certain Spurius Carvilius, a freedman and the first owner of a private elementary school in Rome, in the 3rd century BC. e.

The capital C, representing the sound [g], was often used as the initial of the names Guy and Gnaeus (C and CN, respectively). Such initials were found in dedicatory inscriptions, on tombstones, and in other contexts of increased importance. The Romans were very neurotic about this kind of thing and preferred not to change anything about them. Therefore, in the inscriptions starting from the 2nd century BC. e. we often see the letter G where it should be (for example, in the word AVG, an abbreviation for Augustus), but at the same time the name Guy is abbreviated in the old fashioned way as S. The same with the name Gnei, which is abbreviated as CN (however, the form “Knei” ", as far as I know, is not found anywhere in Russian).

Most likely, it was this ambiguity that caused the split of the popular Roman name into the correct Guy and the erroneous Kai. Kai from Andersen's "The Snow Queen" is most likely not related to Caesar - this is a common Scandinavian name, and there are many other etymological hypotheses about its origin, mainly going back to the Frisian languages.

Myth 2. We know what he looked like

Let's look at some sculptural portraits.

The first is the so-called Tusculan portrait, excavated in 1825 by Lucien Bonaparte (brother of Napoleon I). It is kept in the Museum of Antiquities of Turin. Several more sculptural images, stored in the National Roman Museum, the Hermitage, the New Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen, etc., belong to the same type.

Tusculan portrait from the Museum of Antiquities of Turin. Dated to 50–40 BC.© Gautier Poupeau / Wikimedia Commons

Copy from a Tusculan portrait. 1st century BC e. - I century AD e.© J. Paul Getty Trust

Copy from a Roman original of the 1st century AD. e. Italy, 16th century© State Hermitage Museum

The second common type of portrait of Caesar is the so-called bust of Chiaramonti (now kept in the Vatican Museums). Adjacent to it is another bust from Turin, sculptures from Parma, Vienna and a number of others.

The famous “Green Caesar” is kept in the Berlin Antique Collection.

Finally, in the fall of 2007, another alleged bust of Julius Caesar was raised from the bottom of the Rhone River near the French city of Arles.

You can also see a good selection of sculptural portraits of Caesar here.

It is noticeable that even within the same type, the portraits are not very similar to each other, and if you compare one type with another, it is not at all clear how they can be the same person. At the same time, ancient Roman portrait sculpture was distinguished by a very high level of realism and consistently achieved portrait resemblance. To be convinced of this, just look at the numerous portraits of later emperors - Augustus, for example, or Marcus Aurelius. They cannot be confused with each other or with anyone else.

What's the matter? The fact is that almost all the ancient sculptural portraits that have come down to us are not signed and their attribution is a highly guess-working matter. Signed portrait images were found only on coins, and Caesar was the first Roman whose image appeared on coins during his lifetime (this happened in 44 BC, and already on March 15 of this year, on the ever-memorable Ides of March, he was killed ). Caesar's denarius, minted by the mint official Marcus Mettius, became the model for all later coins of imperial times.

The 55-year-old Caesar was depicted on the denarius with the realism characteristic of the late Republican era: a very long neck with folds, a protruding Adam's apple, a wrinkled forehead, a thin face, in some versions - wrinkles in the corners of the eyes, a wreath, which, according to rumors, Caesar camouflaged his baldness. But still, a coin is a special genre, and the attribution of a sculptural bust on the basis of a stylized numismatic picture is an unreliable matter. Of course, archaeologists from Arles wanted as many people as possible to know about the Roman bust of outstanding quality - which is undoubtedly a rare find - and this should also help finance the work. And for such a purpose, the “bust of Julius Caesar” is more suitable than the “bust of an unknown Roman.” The same caution must be applied to all other sculptural images of Julius Caesar.

In how the public imagines a character, reputation is often more important than credibility. If you do a Google image search for Emperor Vitellius, the first thing you see is a bust from the Louvre depicting an obese, arrogant man with a triple chin. This correlates well with the image of the emperor, who, according to Suetonius, “was most distinguished by gluttony and cruelty.” But the surviving coins show a completely different face - a man also not thin, but certainly not with a snub nose.

Bust of a man (pseudo-Vitellius). Copy from an earlier sculpture. 16th century© Wikimedia Commons

Denarius of Emperor Vitellius. '69© Wikimedia Commons

Myth 3. He could do several things at once.

Have you ever heard your mother or grandmother say, “Don’t read while you eat, you’re not Gaius (or Caius) Julius Caesar”? At the heart of this warning is the idea that Caesar could multitask and that this kind of multitasking was a unique ability that most people did not have.

Firstly, this meme is most common in Russia. In Western European cultures there is no such stable expression, although the fact itself is known and sometimes mentioned. However, finding it in sources is not so easy. Suetonius says nothing about this in his biography of Caesar. Plutarch, with reference to a certain Oppius, notes that Caesar “during the campaign, he also practiced dictating letters while sitting on a horse, simultaneously employing two or even ... an even larger number of scribes.” This remark is inserted between a mention of his dashing physical dexterity (“He could, by moving his arms back and placing them behind his back, let his horse fly at full speed” - if you think this is not so difficult, I remind you that ancient horsemen did not use stirrups) and a story about the invention of SMS (“They say that Caesar was the first to come up with the idea of ​​​​conversing with friends about urgent matters through letters, when the size of the city and exceptional busyness did not allow meeting in person”).

Pliny the Elder speaks in somewhat more detail about this feature in his monumental work Natural History. He finds the liveliness of mind that distinguished Caesar unprecedented: “They report that he could write or read and at the same time dictate and listen. He could dictate four letters to his secretaries at a time, and on the most important issues; and if he was not busy with anything else, then seven letters.” Finally, Suetonius, in his biography of Augustus, notes that Julius Caesar, during the circus games, “read letters and papers or wrote answers to them,” for which he was subject to criticism, and Augustus made efforts not to repeat this PR mistake of his adoptive father.

We see that we are not talking about real parallel processing, but (as happens with computers) about quickly switching from one task to another, about competent distribution of attention and prioritization. The life of a public person in antiquity posed tasks to his memory and attention that were incomparable with those that modern people have to solve: for example, any speech, even many hours, had to be learned by heart (opportunities for improvisation, of course, existed, but the general outline in any case had to keep it in my head). Nevertheless, even against this background, Caesar’s abilities made an indelible impression on his contemporaries.

Napoleon Bonaparte, whose desire to imitate and surpass Caesar is well documented, was also famous for his ability to dictate up to seven letters at once and, according to the memoirs of one of his secretaries, Baron Claude François de Meneval, attributed this superpower to his virtuoso mastery of the technique, which in modern managerial jargon is called compartmentalization . “When I want to take my mind off something,” Napoleon said, according to Meneval, “I close the box in which it is stored and open another. The two things never mix and never bother or tire me. When I want to sleep, I close all the drawers." This system of spatial visualization of topics or tasks also dates back to classical antiquity.

Bonus track. Where was Julius Caesar killed?

Caesar was killed on his way to a Senate meeting. This fact, combined with the authority of Shakespeare (who places the assassination scene somewhere near the Capitol - that is, perhaps in the Forum, over the western part of which Capitol Hill rises), gives many the erroneous impression that he was killed directly in the Senate building . The Senate building still stands on the Forum and is even called the Julian Curia. But during the time of Caesar he was not there: the old curia burned down during the unrest that preceded his reign, he ordered a new one to be built, but did not have time to see it (it was completed under Augustus; the building that has survived to this day is even later, from the time of Emperor Diocletian) .

While there was no permanent meeting place, senators gathered wherever they could (this practice has always existed and did not stop after the construction of the curia). On this occasion the place of the meeting was the portico of the newly erected Theater of Pompey; there the conspirators attacked Caesar. Today this point is located in a square called Largo di Torre Argentina. In the 1920s, the ruins of four very old temples from the Republican era were discovered there. Under Augustus, the site of Caesar's murder was walled up as if it were cursed, and a public latrine was built nearby, the remains of which can still be seen today.

Sources

• Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus. The Life of the Twelve Caesars. Divine Julius.
• Caius Pliny Sec. Natural history.
• Plutarch. Comparative biographies. Alexander and Caesar.
• Balsdon J.P.V.D. Julius Caesar and Rome.
• Goldsworthy A. Caesar: Life of a Colossus.

  New Haven; London, 2008.

• A Companion to Julius Caesar.

Name: Gaius Julius Caesar

Age: 56 years old

Place of Birth: Rome, Italy

A place of death: Rome, Italy

Activity: Ancient Roman commander

Family status: was married

Gaius Julius Caesar - biography

Words symbolizing power still remind us of him - tsar, Caesar, Kaiser, emperor. Julius Caesar Guy was endowed with many talents, but he remained in history thanks to the main one - his ability to please people

Origin played a significant role in Caesar's success - the Julian family, according to the biography, was one of the most ancient in Rome. Julia traced their ancestry back to the legendary Aeneas, the son of the goddess Venus herself, who fled from Troy and founded the dynasty of Roman kings. Caesar was born in 102 BC, when his aunt's husband Gaius Marius defeated an army of thousands of Germans at the borders of Italy. His father, whose name was also Gaius Julius Caesar, did not reach heights in his career. He was proconsul of Asia. However, Caesar the Younger’s relationship with Marius promised the young man a brilliant career.

At the age of sixteen, Guy the Younger married Cornelia, daughter of Cinna, Marius's closest ally. In 82 or 83 BC. they had a daughter, Julia, Caesar’s only legitimate child, despite the fact that he began to father illegitimate children in his youth. Often leaving his wife bored alone, the descendant of Venus wandered around the taverns in a cheerful company of drinking companions. The only thing that distinguished him from his peers was his love of reading - Guy read all the books in Latin and Greek that he could find, and more than once amazed his interlocutors with his knowledge in various fields.

Being a fan of ancient sages. he did not believe in the permanence of his life, peaceful and prosperous. And he turned out to be right - after the death of Mary, a civil war broke out in Rome. The leader of the aristocratic party, Sulla, came to power and began repressions against the Marians. Guy, who refused to divorce Cinna's daughter, was deprived of his property, and he himself was forced to go into hiding. “Look for the wolf cub, there are a hundred Maries sitting in it!” - demanded the dictator. But by that time Caesar had already left for Asia Minor, to the friends of his recently deceased father.

Not far from Miletus, his ship was captured by pirates. The smartly dressed young man attracted their attention, and they asked for a large ransom for him - 20 talents of silver. “You value me inexpensively!” - Caesar answered and offered 50 talents for himself. Having sent his servant to collect the ransom, he spent two months as a “guest” with the pirates.

Caesar behaved very impudently with the robbers - he forbade them to sit in his presence, called them boors and threatened to crucify them on the cross. Having finally received the money, the pirates were relieved to let the impudent man go. Caesar immediately rushed to the Roman military authorities, equipped a couple of ships and overtook his captors in the same place where he was held captive. Having taken their money, he actually crucified the robbers - however, those who were sympathetic to him, he first ordered to be strangled.

Sulla had died by that time, but his supporters from the Optimates party retained influence, and Caesar was in no hurry to return to the capital. He spent a year in Rhodes, where he studied eloquence - the ability to make speeches was necessary for the politician, which he firmly intended to become.

From the school of Apollonius Molon, where Cicero himself studied, Guy emerged as a brilliant orator, ready to conquer the capital. He made his first speech in 68 BC. at the funeral of his aunt, the widow Maria, he passionately praised the disgraced commander and his reforms, causing a stir among the Sullans. It is curious that at the funeral of his wife, who died during an unsuccessful birth a year earlier, he did not utter a word.

The speech in defense of Marius was the beginning of his election campaign - Caesar put forward his candidacy for the post of quaestor. This insignificant post provided the opportunity to become a praetor, and then a consul - the highest representative of power in the Roman Republic. Having borrowed from anyone a huge sum, a thousand talents, Caesar spent it on luxurious feasts and gifts to those. on whom his election depended. At that time, two generals, Pompey and Crassus, were fighting for power in Rome, to whom Caesar alternately offered his support.

This earned him the position of quaestor and then aedile, the official in charge of the festivities in the Eternal City. Unlike other politicians, he generously gave the people not bread, but entertainment - either gladiator fights, or musical competitions, or the anniversary of a long-forgotten victory. Ordinary Romans were delighted with him. He earned the sympathy of the educated public by creating a public museum on Capitol Hill, where he exhibited his rich collection of Greek statues. As a result, he was elected without any problems to the position of Supreme Pontiff, that is, priest.

Believing in nothing but my luck. Caesar had difficulty remaining serious during lavish religious ceremonies. However, the position of pontiff made him inviolable. This saved his life when the Catalina conspiracy was discovered in 62. The conspirators were going to offer Caesar the post of dictator. They were executed, but Guy survived.

In the same year 62, he became praetor, but accumulated so many debts that he was forced to leave Rome and go to Spain as governor. There he quickly made a fortune, ruining rebellious cities to the ground. He generously shared the surplus with his soldiers, saying: “Power is strengthened by two things - troops and money, and one is unthinkable without the other.” Grateful soldiers declared him emperor - this ancient title was given as a reward for a major victory, although the governor did not win a single such victory.

After this, Caesar was elected consul, but this position was no longer the limit of his dreams. The republican system was living out its last days, things were moving toward autocracy, and Guy was determined to become the true ruler of the Eternal City. To do this, he had to enter into an alliance with Pompey and Crassus, whom he briefly reconciled.

In 60, a triumvirate of new allies seized power. To seal the alliance, Caesar gave his daughter Julia to Pompey, and he himself married his niece. Moreover, rumor attributed to him a relationship with the wives of Crassus and Pompey. And other Roman matrons, according to rumors, were not spared the attention of the loving descendant of Venus. The soldiers sang a song about him: “Hide your wives - we are leading a bald libertine into the city!”

He really went bald at an early age, was embarrassed about it, and obtained permission from the Senate to constantly wear the triumphant laurel wreath on his head. Bald. according to Suetonius. was the only flaw in Caesar's biography. He was tall, well built, had fair skin, black and lively eyes. He was moderate in food, and he also drank very little for a Roman; even his enemy Cato said that “Caesar was the only one who carried out a coup d’etat while sober.”

He also had another nickname - “the husband of all wives and the wife of all husbands.” According to rumors, in Asia Minor, young Caesar had an affair with the king of Bithynia, Nicomedes. Well, the morals in Rome at that time were such that this could well be true. In any case, Caesar never tried to silence the scoffers, professing the completely modern principle of “no matter what they say, as long as they say it.” They said mostly good things - in his new post, he still generously supplied the Roman mob with spectacles, to which he now added bread. People's love was not cheap, the consul again fell into debt and, in irritation, called himself “the poorest of citizens.”

He sighed with relief when, after a year as consul, he had to resign, according to Roman custom. Caesar got the Senate to send him to rule Schlia - present-day France. The Romans owned only a small part of this rich country. In eight years, Caesar managed to conquer all of Scotland. But, oddly enough, many Gauls loved him - having learned their language, he asked with interest about their religion and customs.

Today, his “Notes on the Gallic War” is not only the main source of biography about the Gauls, who went into oblivion not without the help of Caesar, but one of the first examples of political PR in history. Caesar boasted in them. that he took 800 cities by storm, exterminated a million enemies, and enslaved another million, giving their lands to Roman veterans. Grateful veterans told on all corners that Caesar walked with them on campaigns, encouraging those lagging behind. He rode his horse like a natural rider. He slept in a cart under the open sky, only covering himself with a canopy when it rained. At a halt, he dictated two or even three letters to several secretaries on different topics.

Caesar's correspondence, which was so lively in those years, was explained by the fact that after the death of Crassus in the Persian campaign, the triumvirate came to an end. Pompey increasingly distrusted Caesar, who had already surpassed him in both fame and wealth. At his insistence, the Senate recalled Caesar from Gillia and ordered him to report to Rome, leaving the army on the border.

The decisive moment has arrived. At the beginning of 49, Caesar approached the border river Rubicon north of Rimini and ordered five thousand of his soldiers to cross it and march on Rome. They say that at the same time he uttered another historical phrase - “the die is cast.” In fact, the die was cast much earlier, even when young Guy was mastering the intricacies of politics.

Even then he realized that power is given into the hands only of those who sacrifice everything else for it - friendship, family, a sense of gratitude. Pompey's former son-in-law, who helped him a lot at the beginning of his career, now became his main enemy and, not having time to gather his strength, fled to Greece. Caesar and his army went after him and... without allowing him to come to his senses, he defeated his army at Pharsalus. Pompey fled again, this time to Egypt, where local dignitaries killed him, deciding to earn Caesar's favor.

He was quite happy with this outcome, especially since it gave him the opportunity to send an army against the Egyptians, accusing them of murdering a Roman citizen. Having demanded a huge ransom for this, he was going to pay off the army, but everything turned out differently. Young Cleopatra, the sister of the ruling king Ptolemy XTV, who came to the commander, unexpectedly offered herself to him - and at the same time her kingdom.

Before leaving for Gaul, Caesar married for the third time - to the rich heiress Calpurnia, but was indifferent to her. He fell in love with the Egyptian queen as if she had bewitched him. But over time, she also experienced a real feeling for the aging conqueror of the world. Later, Caesar, under a hail of reproaches, received Cleopatra in Rome, and she listened to even worse reproaches for going to him, the first of the Egyptian rulers to leave the sacred Nile Valley.

In the meantime, the lovers found themselves besieged by the rebel Egyptians in the harbor of Alexandria. To save themselves, the Romans set the city on fire. destroying the famous library. They managed to hold out until reinforcements arrived, and the uprising was suppressed. On his way home, Caesar casually defeated the army of the Pontic king Pharnaces, reporting this to Rome with the famous phrase: “I came, I saw, I conquered.”

He had to fight twice more with Pompey's followers - in Africa and Spain. Only in 45 he returned to Rome, devastated by civil wars, and was declared dictator for life. Caesar himself preferred to call himself emperor - this emphasized his connection with the army and military victories.

Having achieved the desired power, Caesar managed to do three important things. First, he reformed the Roman calendar, which the sarcastic Greeks called “the worst in the world.” With the help of Egyptian astronomers. sent by Cleopatra, he divided the year into 12 months and ordered an extra leap day to be added to it every four years. The new Julian calendar turned out to be the most accurate of the existing ones and lasted for one and a half thousand years, and the Russian Church still uses it. Second, he gave amnesty to all his political opponents. Third, he began to mint gold coins, on which, instead of gods, the emperor himself was depicted in a laurel wreath. After Caesar, they began to officially call him the Son of God.

From this it was only a step to the royal title. Flatterers had long offered him the crown, and Cleopatra had just given birth to his son Caesarion, who could become his heir. It seemed tempting to Caesar to found a new dynasty, uniting the two great powers. However, when his closest ally Mark Antony publicly wanted to put a golden royal crown on him, Caesar pushed him away. Maybe he decided that the time had not yet come, perhaps he didn’t want to turn from the only emperor in the world into an ordinary king, of which there were many around.

The little that was done is easy to explain - Caesar ruled Rome peacefully for less than two years. The fact that he was remembered for centuries as a great statesman is another manifestation of his charisma, which affects his descendants as strongly as his contemporaries. He planned new reforms, but the Roman treasury was empty. To replenish it. Caesar decided on a new military campaign, which promised to make the Roman emperor the greatest conqueror in history. He decided to crush the Persian kingdom, and then return to Rome by the northern route, conquering the Armenians, Scythians and Germans.

When leaving the capital, he had to leave reliable people “on the farm” in order to avoid a possible rebellion. Caesar had three such people: his devoted comrade-in-arms Mark Antony, his adopted son, Gaius Octavian, and the son of his longtime mistress Servilia, Mark Brutus. Antony attracted Caesar with the decisiveness of a warrior, Octavian with the cold prudence of a politician. It is more difficult to understand what connected Caesar with the already middle-aged Brutus, a boring pedant, an ardent supporter of the republic. Nevertheless, Caesar promoted him to power, publicly calling him his “dear son.” Perhaps, with the sober mind of a politician, he understood that someone should remind him of the republican virtues, without which Rome would rot and perish. At the same time, Brutus could reconcile his two comrades, who clearly did not like each other.

Caesar, who knew everything and everyone. didn't know - or didn't want to know. -that his “son”, along with other Republicans, is preparing a conspiracy against him. The Emperor was informed about this more than once, but he brushed it aside, saying: “If this is so, then it is better to die once than to constantly live in fear.” The assassination attempt was scheduled for the Ides of March - the 15th day of the month, when the emperor was supposed to appear in the Senate. Suetonius' detailed account of this event creates the impression of a tragic action in which Caesar, as if to perfection, played the role of a victim, a martyr of the monarchical idea. At the Senate building, he was given a warning note, but he waved it off.

One of the conspirators, Decimus Brutus, distracted the burly Anthony at the entrance so as not to interfere. Tillius Cymbrus grabbed Caesar by the toga - this is a signal to the others - and Servilius Casca dealt him the first blow. Then the blows rained down one after another - each of the killers tried to make their contribution, and in the melee they even wounded each other. Then the conspirators parted, and Brutus approached the barely alive dictator, leaning against a column. The “Son” silently raised the dagger, and the struck Caesar fell dead, having managed to utter the last historical phrase: “And you, Brutus!”

As soon as this happened, the horror-stricken senators, who became unwitting spectators of the murder, rushed to run. The killers also fled, throwing away their bloody daggers. Caesar's corpse lay in an empty building for a long time until the faithful Calpurnia sent slaves to fetch him. The dictator's body was burned in the Roman Forum, where the temple of the divine Julius was later erected. The month of the quintiles was renamed July (Iulius) in his honor.

The conspirators hoped that the Romans would be faithful to the spirit of the republic. but the firm power established by Caesar seemed more attractive than republican chaos. Very soon the townspeople rushed to look for the emperor's killers and put them to brutal death. Suetonius ended his story about the biography of Gaius Julia with the words: “Of his murderers, none lived more than three years after that. They all died in different ways, and Brutus and Cassius killed themselves with the same dagger with which they killed Caesar.”

Gaius Julius Caesar is the greatest commander and statesman of all times and peoples, whose name has become a household name. Caesar was born on July 12, 102 BC. As a representative of the ancient patrician Julius family, Caesar plunged into politics as a young man, becoming one of the leaders of the popular party, which, however, contradicted family tradition, since members of the family of the future emperor belonged to the optimates party, which represented the interests of the old Roman aristocracy in the Senate. In Ancient Rome, as well as in the modern world, politics was closely intertwined with family relationships: Caesar’s aunt, Julia, was the wife of Gaius Maria, who in turn was the then ruler of Rome, and Caesar’s first wife, Cornelia, was the daughter of Cinna, the successor of all that same Maria.

The development of Caesar's personality was influenced by the early death of his father, who died when the young man was only 15 years old. Therefore, the upbringing and education of the teenager fell entirely on the shoulders of the mother. And the home tutor of the future great ruler and commander was the famous Roman teacher Mark Antony Gnifon, the author of the book “On the Latin Language”. Gniphon taught Guy to read and write, and also instilled a love of oratory, and instilled in the young man respect for his interlocutor - a quality necessary for any politician. The lessons of the teacher, a true professional of his time, gave Caesar the opportunity to truly develop his personality: read the ancient Greek epic, the works of many philosophers, get acquainted with the victories of Alexander the Great, master the techniques and tricks of oratory - in a word, become an extremely developed and versatile person.

Surrender of the Gallic leader Versirengetorix to Caesar. (Painting by Lionel Royer. 1899)

However, young Caesar showed particular interest in the art of eloquence. Before Caesar stood the example of Cicero, who made his career largely thanks to his excellent mastery of oratory - an amazing ability to convince listeners that he was right. In 87 BC, a year after his father’s death, on his sixteenth birthday, Caesar donned a one-color toga (toga virilis), which symbolized his maturity.
The matured Caesar began his career by becoming a priest of the supreme god of Rome, Jupiter, and asked for Cornelia's hand in marriage. The girl’s consent allowed the young politician to receive the necessary support in power, which would become one of the starting points that predetermined his great future.

However, the political career of young Caesar was not destined to take off too quickly - power in Rome was seized by Sulla (82 BC). He ordered Guy to divorce his young wife, but upon hearing a categorical refusal, he deprived him of the title of priest and all his property. Only the protective position of Caesar's relatives, who were in Sulla's inner circle, saved his life.

However, this sharp turn in fate did not break Caesar, but only contributed to the development of his personality. Having lost his priestly privileges in 81 BC, Caesar began his military career, going to the East to take part in his first military campaign under the leadership of Minucius (Marcus) Termus, the purpose of which was to suppress pockets of resistance to power in the Roman province of Asia (Minor). Asia, Pergamon). During the campaign, Caesar's first military glory came. In 78 BC, during the storming of the city of Mytilene (Lesbos island), he was awarded the “oak wreath” badge for saving the life of a Roman citizen.

However, Caesar decided not to devote himself exclusively to military affairs. He continued his career as a politician, returning to Rome after Sulla's death. Caesar spoke at trials. The young speaker’s speech was so captivating and temperamental that crowds of people from the street gathered to listen to him. Thus Caesar multiplied his supporters. Although Caesar did not win a single judicial victory, his speech was recorded, and his phrases were divided into quotes. Caesar was truly passionate about oratory and constantly improved. To develop his oratorical talents, he went to Fr. Rhodes to learn the art of eloquence from the famous rhetorician Apollonius Molon.

In politics, Gaius Julius Caesar remained loyal to the popular party - a party whose loyalty had already brought him certain political successes. But after in 67-66. BC. The Senate and consuls Manilius and Gabinius endowed Pompey with enormous powers, Caesar began to increasingly speak out for democracy in his public speeches. In particular, Caesar proposed to revive the half-forgotten procedure of holding a trial by a popular assembly. In addition to his democratic initiatives, Caesar was a model of generosity. Having become an aedile (an official who monitored the state of the city's infrastructure), he did not skimp on decorating the city and organizing mass events - games and shows, which gained enormous popularity among the common people, for which he was also elected great pontiff. In a word, Caesar sought in every possible way to increase his popularity among citizens, playing an increasingly important role in the life of the state.

62-60 BC can be called a turning point in the biography of Caesar. During these years, he served as governor in the province of Farther Spain, where for the first time he truly revealed his extraordinary managerial and military talent. Service in Farther Spain allowed him to get rich and is paying off the debts that for a long time did not allow him to breathe deeply.

In 60 BC. Caesar returns to Rome in triumph, where a year later he is elected to the post of senior consul of the Roman Republic. In this regard, the so-called triumvirate was formed on the Roman political Olympus. Caesar's consulate suited both Caesar himself and Pompey - both claimed a leading role in the state. Pompey, who disbanded his army, which triumphantly crushed the Spanish uprising of Sertorius, did not have enough supporters; a unique combination of forces was needed. Therefore, the alliance of Pompey, Caesar and Crassus (the winner of Spartacus) was most welcome. In short, the triumvirate was a kind of union of mutually beneficial cooperation of money and political influence.

The beginning of Caesar's military leadership was his Gallic proconsulate, when large military forces came under Caesar's control, allowing him to begin his invasion of Transalpine Gaul in 58 BC. After victories over the Celts and Germans in 58-57. BC. Caesar begins to conquer the Gallic tribes. Already in 56 BC. e. the vast territory between the Alps, Pyrenees and the Rhine came under Roman rule.
Caesar rapidly developed his success: he crossed the Rhine and inflicted a number of defeats on the German tribes. Caesar's next stunning success was two campaigns in Britain and its complete subordination to Rome.

Caesar did not forget about politics. While Caesar and his political companions - Crassus and Pompey - were on the verge of a break. Their meeting took place in the city of Luca, where they again confirmed the validity of the agreements adopted, distributing the provinces: Pompey got control of Spain and Africa, Crassus - Syria. Caesar's powers in Gaul were extended for the next 5 years.

However, the situation in Gaul left much to be desired. Neither thanksgiving prayers nor festivities organized in honor of Caesar's victories were able to tame the spirit of the freedom-loving Gauls, who did not give up trying to get rid of Roman rule.

In order to prevent an uprising in Gaul, Caesar decided to adhere to a policy of mercy, the basic principles of which formed the basis of all his policies in the future. Avoiding excessive bloodshed, he forgave those who repented, believing that the living Gauls who owed their lives to him were more needed than the dead.

But even this did not help prevent the impending storm, and 52 BC. e. was marked by the beginning of the Pan-Gallic uprising under the leadership of the young leader Vircingetorix. Caesar's position was very difficult. The number of his army did not exceed 60 thousand people, while the number of rebels reached 250-300 thousand people. After a series of defeats, the Gauls switched to guerrilla warfare tactics. Caesar's conquests were in jeopardy. However, in 51 BC. e. in the battle of Alesia, the Romans, although not without difficulty, defeated the rebels. Vircingetorix himself was captured and the uprising began to subside.

In 53 BC. e. A fateful event for the Roman state occurred: Crassus died in the Parthian campaign. From that moment on, the fate of the triumvirate was predetermined. Pompey did not want to comply with previous agreements with Caesar and began to pursue an independent policy. The Roman Republic was on the verge of collapse. The dispute between Caesar and Pompey for power began to take on the character of an armed confrontation.

Moreover, the law was not on Caesar’s side - he was obliged to obey the Senate and renounce his claims to power. However, Caesar decides to fight. “The die is cast,” Caesar said and invaded Italy, having only one legion at his disposal. Caesar advanced towards Rome, and the hitherto invincible Pompey the Great and the Senate surrendered city after city. Roman garrisons, initially loyal to Pompey, joined Caesar's army.

Caesar entered Rome on April 1, 49 BC. e. Caesar carries out a number of democratic reforms: a number of punitive laws of Sulla and Pompey are repealed. An important innovation of Caesar was to give the inhabitants of the provinces the rights of citizens of Rome.

The confrontation between Caesar and Pompey continued in Greece, where Pompey fled after the capture of Rome by Caesar. The first battle with Pompey's army at Dyrrhachium was unsuccessful for Caesar. His troops fled in disgrace, and Caesar himself almost died at the hands of his own standard-bearer.

Cleopatra and Caesar. Painting by artist Jean-Léon Gérôme (1866)

The next battle was Pharsalus, which took place on August 9, 48 BC. e., became much more successful for Caesar, ending in the complete defeat of Pompey, as a result of which he was forced to flee to Egypt. Caesar began to subjugate Greece and Asia Minor. Now Caesar's road lay in Egypt. However, Pompey no longer posed any threat to Caesar - he was killed by the Egyptians, who sensed the direction in which the wind of political change in the world was blowing.

The Senate also felt the global changes and completely went over to Caesar’s side, proclaiming him a permanent dictator. But, instead of taking advantage of the favorable political situation in Rome, Caesar delved into solving Egyptian affairs, being carried away by the Egyptian beauty Cleopatra. Caesar's active position on domestic political issues resulted in an uprising against the Romans, one of the central episodes of which was the burning of the famous Library of Alexandria. However, Caesar did not abandon his interventionist intentions, and Cleopatra ascended the throne, and Egypt came under Roman protection. This was followed by nine months, during which Caesar, smitten by the beauty of Cleopatra, abandoning all state and military concerns, remained in Alexandria.

However, Caesar's carefree life soon ended. A new turmoil was brewing in Rome and on the outskirts of the empire. The Parthian ruler Pharnaces threatened Rome's possessions in Asia Minor. The situation in Italy also became tense - even Caesar’s previously loyal veterans began to rebel. Army of Pharnaces August 2, 47 BC. e. was defeated by Caesar’s army, who notified the Romans of such a quick victory with a short message: “He has arrived. Saw. Won."

And in September 47 BC. e. Caesar returned to Rome, his presence alone was enough to stop the unrest. Returning to Rome, Caesar celebrated a magnificent triumph dedicated to victory in four operations at once: Gallic, Farnacian, Egyptian and Numidian. Caesar's generosity was unprecedented: in Rome 22,000 tables were laid with refreshments for citizens, and the games, in which even war elephants participated, surpassed in entertainment all the mass events ever organized by Roman rulers.

Vasily Surikov. Assassination of Julius Caesar. Around 1875

Caesar becomes dictator for life and is given the title "emperor". The month of his birth is named after him - July. Temples are built in his honor, his statues are placed among the statues of the gods. The oath form “in the name of Caesar” becomes mandatory during court hearings.

Using enormous power and authority, Caesar develops a new set of laws (“Lex Iulia de vi et de majestate”) and reforms the calendar (the Julian calendar appears). Caesar plans to build a new theater, a temple of Mars, and several libraries in Rome. In addition, preparations begin for campaigns against the Parthians and Dacians. However, these grandiose plans of Caesar were not destined to come true.

Even the policy of mercy, steadily pursued by Caesar, could not prevent the emergence of those dissatisfied with his power. So, despite the fact that Pompey's former supporters were forgiven, this act of mercy ended badly for Caesar.

Rumors spread among the Romans about Caesar's desire to further absolutize power and move the capital to Asia Minor. Many of those who considered themselves unfairly deprived in the distribution of ranks and titles, as well as citizens who were sincerely concerned about the fate of the Roman Republic, formed a conspiracy, the number of participants of which reached approximately 60 people. So Caesar suddenly found himself in political isolation.

On March 15, 44 BC, two days before the date of his march to the East, at a meeting of the Senate, Caesar was killed by conspirators led by former supporters of Pompey. The plans of the assassins were realized in front of numerous senators - a crowd of conspirators attacked Caesar with daggers. According to legend, having noticed his loyal supporter young Brutus among the murderers, Caesar exclaimed doomedly: “And you, my child!” (or: “And you, Brutus”) and fell at the feet of the statue of his sworn enemy Pompey.

Literature:
Grant M. Julius Caesar. Priest of Jupiter. - M.: Tsentrpoligraf, 2005.
Plutarch. Comparative biographies. Julius Caesar. M., 1964. T. 3.
Utchenko S. L. Julius Caesar. M., 1984.
Freeman Philip Julius Caesar. - St. Petersburg: AST, Astrel, 2010

Most modern people are familiar with the name Julius Caesar. It is mentioned as the name for a salad, one of the months of summer, and in movies and television. How did this conquer people so that they remember who Caesar was, even two thousand years after his death?

Origin

The future commander, politician, and writer was from the patrician Yuli family. At one time, this family played a significant role in the life of Rome. Like any ancient family, they had their own mythical version of origin. The line of their surname led to the goddess Venus.

Guy's mother was Aurelia Cotta, who came from a family of wealthy plebeians. From the name it is clear that her family was named Aurelius. The father was the eldest. He belonged to the patricians.

Intense debate continues regarding the year of the dictator's birth. Most often referred to as 100 or 101 BC. There is also no consensus on the number. As a rule, three versions are called: March 17, July 12, July 13.

To understand who Caesar is, one should look at his childhood. He grew up in a Roman area that had a rather bad reputation. He studied at home, mastering the Greek language, literature, and rhetoric. Knowledge of Greek allowed him to receive further education, since most scientific works were written in it. One of his teachers was the famous rhetorician Gniphon, who once taught Cicero.

Presumably in 85 BC. Guy had to lead the Yuli family due to the unexpected death of his father.

Personality: appearance, character, habits

Quite a lot of descriptions have been left about the appearance of Guy Julius; many sculptural portraits have been made of him, including those during his lifetime. Caesar, whose photo (reconstruction) is presented above, was, according to Suetonius, tall, with fair skin. He was well built and had dark, lively eyes.

The politician and military leader took care of himself quite carefully. He cut his nails, shaved, plucked his hair. Having a bald spot on the front of his head, he hid it in every possible way, combing his hair from the crown of his head to his forehead. According to Plutarch, Caesar's physique was very frail.

Ancient authors are unanimous that the dictator had energy. He responded quickly to changing circumstances. According to Pliny the Elder, he communicated with many people through correspondence. If desired, the dictator could simultaneously read and dictate letters to several secretaries to different addressees. At the same time, he could write something himself at that moment.

Gaius Julius practically did not drink wine and was very unpretentious in food. At the same time, he brought from his military campaigns elements of luxury, such as expensive dishes. He bought paintings, statues, beautiful slaves.

Family and personal life

Julius Caesar, whose biography is being discussed, was officially married three times. Although there is also information that before these marriages he was engaged to Cossucia. His wives were:

• Cornelia is from the consul's family.
• Pompeia is the granddaughter of the dictator Sulla.
• Calpurnia is a representative of a wealthy plebeian family.

Cornelia and the commander had a daughter, whom he married to his comrade-in-arms Gnaeus Pompey. As for his relationship with Cleopatra, it took place while Gaius Julius was in Egypt. After this, Cleopatra gave birth to a child, to whom the Alexandrians gave the name Caesarion. However, Julius Caesar did not recognize him as his son and did not include him in his will.

Military and political activities

The beginning of his career was the position of Flamin of Jupiter, which Guy took in the 80s BC. To do this, he broke the engagement and married the daughter of Cornelius Cinna, who nominated him to this honorable position. But everything quickly changed when the government changed in Rome, and Guy had to leave the city.

Many examples from his life allow us to understand who Caesar is. One of them is when he was captured by pirates demanding a ransom. The politician was ransomed, but immediately after that he organized the capture of his kidnappers and executed them by crucifying them.

Who was Julius Caesar in Ancient Rome? He held the following positions:

• pontiff;
• military tribune;
• Quaestor for financial matters in Further Spain;
• caretaker of the Appian Way, which he repaired at his own expense;
• curule aedile - was involved in organizing urban construction, trade, and ceremonial events;
• head of the permanent criminal court;
• Pontifex Maximus for life;
• Governor of Further Spain.

All of these positions required large expenses. He took funds from his creditors, who provided them with understanding.

First triumvirate

After a successful governorship in Farther Spain, the politician was awaiting Triumph in Rome. However, he declined such honors for reasons of career advancement. The fact is that the time had come (due to age) when he could be elected consul to the Senate. But this required personally registering your candidacy. At the same time, a person awaiting Triumph should not appear in the city ahead of time. He had to make a choice in favor of a further career, refusing the honors due to the winner.

After studying who Caesar was, it becomes clear that his ambition was more flattered by taking a seat in the Senate in the first year when it was permissible by law. At that time it was considered very honorable.

As a result of long political combinations, the politician reconciled his two comrades-in-arms, resulting in the first triumvirate. The expression means "the union of three husbands." The year of its creation is not known for certain, since this union was secret. Historians suggest that this happened in 59 or 60 BC. It included Caesar, Pompey, Crassus. As a result of all actions, Gaius Julius managed to become consul.

Participation in the Gallic War

With his triumvirate, Julius Caesar, whose biography is presented in the article, began to disappoint the citizens of Rome. However, due to his departure to the province, all discontent was to fall on Gnaeus Pompey.

At this time, the province of Narbonese Gaul was formed on the territory of present-day France. Caesar arrived in Genava, where Geneva is now located, to negotiate with the leaders of one of the Celtic tribes. Under the onslaught of the Germans, these tribes began to settle in the territory of Guy and had to fight for the lands of the province with the Gauls and Germans. At the same time, he conducted an expedition to Britain.

After a series of victories, Caesar succeeded by 50 BC. subjugate all of Gaul to Rome. At the same time, he did not forget to follow the events in the Eternal City. Sometimes he even intervened in them through his proxies.

Establishment of dictatorship

Returning to Rome, the commander came into conflict with Gnaeus Pompey. In 49-45 BC. this led to the Civil War. Guy Caesar had many supporters throughout Italy. He attracted a significant part of the army to his side and headed to Rome. Pompey was forced to flee to Greece. The war unfolded throughout the republic. The commander and his legions alternated victories and defeats. The decisive battle was the Battle of Pharsalus, which was won by Caesar.

Gney had to flee again. This time he headed to Egypt. Julius followed him. None of the opponents expected that Pompey would be killed in Egypt. Here Gaius Julius was forced to linger. At first, the reason was that the wind was unfavorable for the ships, and then the commander decided to improve his financial situation at the expense of the Ptolemaic dynasty. Thus, he became involved in the struggle for the throne between Ptolemy the Thirteenth and Cleopatra.

He spent several months in Egypt, after which he continued his campaign to restore the territory of Rome, which began to fall apart due to the Civil War.

Caesar became dictator three times:

1. In 49 BC, for a period of 11 days, after which he resigned.
2. In 48 BC, for a period of one year, after which he continued to rule as proconsul and later consul.
3. In 46 BC. became dictator without formal justification for a period of 10 years.

All his power rested on the army, so the election of Caesar to all subsequent positions was a formality.

During his reign, Gaius Julius Caesar (photo of the sculpture can be seen above) together with his associates carried out many reforms. However, it is quite difficult to determine which of them relate directly to the time of his reign. The most famous is the reform of the Roman calendar. Citizens had to switch to the solar calendar, which was developed by the scientist from Alexandria Sosingen. So, from 45 BC. appeared today known to everyone

Death and will

Now it is clear who Julius Caesar is, whose biography ended rather tragically. In 44 BC. a conspiracy was formed against his autocracy. The dictator's opponents and supporters were afraid that he would call himself king. One of the groups was led by Marcus Junius Brutus.

At a meeting of the Senate, the conspirators realized the plan to destroy Caesar. 23 were found on his body after the murder. The citizens of Rome burned his body in the Forum.

Gaius Julius made his nephew Gaius Octavian his successor (by adopting him), who received three-quarters of the inheritance and became known as Gaius Julius Caesar.

During his reign, he pursued a policy of sacralization and clan. Apparently, the success of his actions to popularize himself exceeded his expectations. Perhaps that is why in the modern world, Gaius Julius Caesar is known both to schoolchildren and representatives of the art world.