Caesar

Julius Caesar
100? 44 B.C.
Youth
By: Peter Scully Aaron Bugg
With video by: Bill Callahan Patrick Hanthorn
His Name
Gaius Julius Caesar

Julius was the family name.
Gaius was his given name, one of only eight names which could be given to boys.
The name of Gaius branch of the Julius family was Caesar, which originally meant hairy. Hair.
The Julius family claimed to be descended from Romulus, Aeneas, and thence Venus, which would make them all partly divine. However, his immediate family was anything but godlike.
Although patricians, the Caesars were so poor that they lived among the plebeians in an insula (bad apartment) in the Subura, a very poor part of Rome.
The Caesars had a good name among the upper class, but that was all.
Young Caesar would have associated with both plebeians and patricians.
For all of his political ties, there had been no consul in Caesars immediate family for years.
Thus he would have been ambitious, but would have realized that one needs both the senate and the people to become truly powerful.
Apart from this, Caesar had a healthy family life. Historians say that he had a very good mother, Aurelia, whom he loved very much.
It is likely that Caesar was beaten as a child, but this was not uncommon, as strict obedience was extremely important to the Roman family at the time.
His father was something of a nobody, though he did serve as praetor, and he died when Caesar was 15.
He did have some very prominent relatives, however.
His uncle by marriage was none other than six time consul Gaius Marius.
Marius fame and fortune would help to get the Caesars back on track.
Uncle Marius
Marius protg, Lucius Cornelius Sulla was a very ambitious man. He proved himself at least equal to Marius throughout the wars they fought together.
Marius became jealous and had him transferred to the general Catulus, under whom he achieved even more greatness.
The Villain
Later, when Sulla returned to Rome after much political success in the East, he took charge of the opposition to Marius in the senate.
The tension built up nearly to an open riot, when a series of revolts on the Italian peninsula intervened.
These revolts, called the Social War, called many of Romes generals (including Marius and Sulla) to the field.
Sulla outshone them all, and he was elected consul in 88 B.C.
As consul, Sulla decided to take an army to Asia Minor in an attempt to conquer Bithynia
Insanely jealous, Marius pulled some strings in the senate and was granted command of the army himself.
Sulla was furious when he learned of the decision. Rather than calmly return the army, he marched on Rome.
In 87 B.C., Marius and his ally Cinna captured Rome and massacred many of Sullas supporters. Sulla went into exile.
The teenage Julius Caesar was named Flamen Dialis, high priest of Jupiter, for life.
This is an extremely prestigious position, full of wealth and ritual. However, the Flamen Dialis could not touch metal, ride a horse, or see a corpse; so obviously Caesar didnt stay long.
Marius was elected consul for the seventh and final time, along with his ally, Cinna.
Shortly after, Marius died. Cinna took over the faction against Sulla.
Caesar married Cinnas daughter, Cornelia, making him the son in law of Sullas worst enemy.
Caesar was in a dangerous position. With Marius dead, he would have to be careful and protect himself from Sulla.
When Cinna died in 81 B.C., Sulla marched on Rome one last time.
Sulla assumed supreme executive power, naming himself dictator, much like Julius Caesar would do just years later in crossing the Rubicon.
He defeated the last of Marius supporters at the battle of Colline Gate in the outskirts of Rome herself. He was helped in this battle by both Pompey and Crassus.
Sulla, now dictator, demanded publicly that Caesar divorce Cornelia. Caesar refused. Sulla stripped Caesar of the title Flamen Dialis and impounded Cornelias dowry.
Caesars friends and relatives among the Vestal Virgins persuaded Sulla not to kill Caesar.
Although Sulla reportedly said:
In releasing Julius Caesar, the world will one day find him more dangerous than Gaius Marius.
Although officially pardoned, Caesar thought it wise to leave Italy.
Caesar joined the army in Asia Minor, where he earned the corona civica, the highest personal honor attainable by a legionnaire.
He was given many public honors, such as being allowed to wear a laurel crown on all occasions and to sit on the senate without age restriction.
There was a rumor among the Roman troops of the region that Caesar was gay.
Hence the references to him as the Queen of Bithynia
Once when he was sent to gather a fleet from the king of Bithynia, he spent so much time at his court that he was accused of improper relations with the king.
Some historians believe that this is why he was such a womanizer later in lifeto dispel this rumor that had followed him from his youth.
Caesar returned to Rome and slowly began to climb the cursus honorem.
In 77 B.C., Caesar successfully prosecuted the ex-consul Dolabella for extortion during his governorship. Caesar had begun to make a name for himself in Rome It was said of him that he was second only to Cicero in eloquence.
And now a story to illustrate the type of man Caesar had become.
Mediterranean
Sorry.
On his way to Rhodes to study rhetoric in 76 B.C., Caesar was captured by pirates.
While waiting for the ransom money to arrive, he was friendly with his captors.
Immediately on his release Caesar saw to it that the pirates were hunted down and crucified.
http://heraklia.fws1.com/early_life/index.html
Ancient Rome Video I. The History Channel series, hosted by Joe Mantegna.
Fuller, JFC. Julius Caesar, Man, Soldier, and Tyrant. Reprint ed. Da Capo publications, 1991.

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Julius Caesar

With video by: Bill Callahan Patrick Hanthorn

Gaius Julius Caesar

He did have some very prominent relatives, however.

Sulla outshone them all, and he was elected consul in 88 B.C.

Although Sulla reportedly said:

Although officially pardoned, Caesar thought it wise to leave Italy.

Hence the references to him as the Queen of Bithynia

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