"I came, I saw, I conquered" (Andrews). This was spoken by one of the
greatest leaders to ever rule Rome. Julius Caesar was born on July 13, 102 B.C.
to one of the original patrician families of Rome. He was educated by a tutor,
Marcus Antonius Gnipho, whom provided Julius with an excellent education.
Julius married Cornelia, the daughter of the Consul Lucius Cornelius Cinna.
Later in life he was titled the dictator for life and ruled the Roman Empire.
In 60 B.C. Caesar allied himself with general Pompey and politician
Crassus. A Year later, with their help he was elected consul. For the next decade
these 3 men worked together ruling Rome as triumvirate. In 59 B.C. Caesar
took a military command in a Gaul, which was in inhabited by Indo-Europeans
known as Celts. He conquered the Celts, and brought them under Roman rule.
As a result of his victories Caesar was hailed as a military hero by Rome's lower
classes. Not everyone was so happy about Caesar's growing popularity. The
senators were quite alarmed and now viewed him as a political threat. By 50
B.C. the triumvirate had crumbled and Crassus was dead. He was killed in
battle while leading Roman forces to Asia.
Pompey became Caesar's political rival. In 49 B.C. with Pompey's
backing, the Senate ordered Caesar to relinquish his army, and return to Rome.
Caesar disregarded this order, with no intention of surrendering to his enemies.
He organized five thousand loyal troops and lead them across the Rubican, the
stream which separated his military provinces from Roman Italy.
According to legend Caesar has seen a vision that encouraged him to
cross, and exclaimed to his troops, "Let us accept this as a sign from the
gods, and follow where they beckon, in vengeance on our double-dealing
enemies. The die is cast!" (Farah 163)
By ignoring the order given by the Senate, Caes...