Julius Caesar

Essay by giarcsolHigh School, 12th gradeA+, February 2006

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Julius Caesar was a great politician, conqueror, and ruler. His greatest accomplishments were for uniting Gaul and developing a huge empire. He was a very smart man who thought very highly of his own knowledge and skill. With this arrogance, many politicians and generals would come to be extremely jealous and hate Caesar. This only intensified because of his huge success throughout his life.

Julius Caesar was born on July 13, 100 B.C. in Rome. He was the son of Aurelia and Caius Caesar. Julius's family was of noble and political roots, though not rich or influential. His aunt Julia was the wife of Gaius Marius, who was the leader of the Popular faction. In 85 B.C. Julius's father died, and in that same year, Julius got engaged to Cossutia. She was a young wealthy woman from a very prominent family. This was soon broken off, in part because Cossutia's parents thought that Julius was not good enough for their daughter.

At eighteen, Julius married Cornelia, who was also from a wealthy background. They had a daughter named Julia at about the same time that Julius's uncle was overcome and killed. When the new, self-appointed dictator, Lucius Cornelius Sulla ordered Julius to divorce his wife in loyalty to the new regime, Julius refused and fled into hiding. Sulla respected his dedication and in the end, pardoned Caesar.

When Sulla died in 85 B.C., Caesar felt it was safe to return to Italy. In 75 B.C., Caesar decided to head to Rhodes for further education, but was captured by a group of Cilician pirates who held him ransom. When they sent for a ransom of 25 talents, Caesar refused and assured them he was at least worth 50 talents. He maintained a good relationship with the pirates until the ransom was...