The Defeat of Ptolemy XIII to the Defeat of Pompey's Sons

My small forces in Alexandria would not withstand the forces of Ptolemy XIII. I had to send for reinforcements. Reinforcements from Pergamum came, and with the reinforcements, I could claim the victory over Ptolemy. I forced Ptolemy XIII and Arsinoe IV, the older and younger sister of Cleopatra to flee the city. I heard news after Ptolemy fled that he drowned when he attemped to swim across the Nile. After the victory, I placed Cleopatra on the throne of Egypt, and though I was intimate with Cleopatra, I made her marry her younger brother, Ptolemy XIV, to be co-ruler of Egypt. Though I enjoyed a triumph on the Nile and was introduced to the lifestyle of an Egyptian pharaoh, my destiny was with my beloved Republic. I did not marry Cleopatra in fear of what the political implications would be. The Roman people would think of me as "Un-Roman." I did not cut ties with Cleopatra, and she was with child, my child. She had a son who she named Caesarion, or "Little Caesar." Cleopatra visited Rome more than once, and when she would come to Rome, she would stay at my villa across the Tiber.
When I returned to Rome, I was appointed dictator for another year. I then went to lands in the East and defeated the king of Pontus. The victory was very quickly won. I was so pleased because the victory eclipsed and even mocked Pompey's victories in the East many years ago. Within the years of being  a dictator, I tried to be friends with several senators, who may have opposed me in the past, such as Cicero. I visited his house, and I stayed a few days. I brought a legion with me, but Cicero did not find it to interrupt our time. I could tell Cicero enjoyed entertaining people at his house. He had his servants entertain my men while Cicero and I enjoyed many conversations. I much enjoyed our visit.
Another person I saw as a great man, Brutus, I had to visit next. I saw Brutus as a son because of the close relationship I have with Servilia, his mother. I wanted to be closer to him, but yet, his family name gives him a lot of influence. Because of my new title, his family background is troubling for my political future and for the future of Rome. I met up with Brutus over a dinner, and I offered him a position of governor in one of Rome's prominent territories. In the end, he refused. Then, Brutus divorced his wife, Claudia, to marry his Uncle Cato's daughter, Porcia. His mother hated the idea and the affection the boy had for Porcia, who is his cousin. Moreover, this caused a problem between us when I went after Cato after defeating the king of Pontus. Cato committed suicide when I defeated his forces. It was after Cato's death and defeat that I was appointed dictator of Rome for ten years. I knew that Pompey's sons would try to take their revenge, and therefore, I decided to hunt them down. I defeated all the remaining foes from the war between Pompey and me in the Battle of Munda.

Sources Used:

Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars, Penguin Classics Revised Edition, December 18, 2007. Print

Caesar, Julius, Aulus Hirtius, and Jane F. Gardner. "Introduction by Jane F. Gardner." The Civil War of Caesar. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1976. N. pag. Print.

The Civil War in Egypt & the Siege of Alexandria

After the death of Pompey, I found myself caught in Egypt. It seemed Civil War was brewing between the decedents of Ptolemy XII Auletes in Alexandria. It seemed that oldest son of Ptolemy conspired to rid his sister, Cleopatra, from the throne. Cleopatra had to leave Egypt, and she fled to Syria. Ptolemy XIII's reasons behind conspiring against his sister, and co-ruler, is her rising popularity among the Egyptian people. In Syria, Cleopatra was able to raise an army to fight this civil war with her brother and his conspirator, Pothinus. Another spawn of the house of Ptolemy, Arsinoe IV, also claimed the throne amongst the battle between Ptolemy XIII, Ptolemy XIV, and Cleopatra. This Egyptian civil war became chaos quickly.
I visited Ptolemy XIII and Pothinus to get to the bottom of the murder of Pompey Magnus. Apparently, they first accepted Pompey's request for refuge in Alexandria, but in order to gain favor of me, they had Pompey killed in order to present Pompey when I arrived. I was not pleased with Ptolemy XIII. I ordered for Pompey's body to be found, and I, and my legion with me in Egypt, held a Roman funeral for my former brother. From the murder of Pompey, I had no satisfaction with having Ptolemy XIII on the throne in Egypt. Egypt is very important to the Republic because it is a glorious ally, and they have large exports to Rome of wheat and other goods. The civil war could interfere with Roman goods and trade that is essential to the Roman people. It is in Rome's best interest to put this civil war to rest before it directly affects Rome.
With the death of Pompey on Ptolemy XIII's hands, I chose to side with Cleopatra. She is much more favorable by the Egyptian people and to me. There is something about Cleopatra, and it is not just her good looks. She has wits about her that I have never seen. I feel if I were a lesser man, she would be able to control me under her thumbs. By siding with Cleopatra, Ptolemy's forces attacked me in Alexandria. Achillas joined Pothinus, and their forces combined to 20,000 soldiers and an estimated 2,000 cavalry. I sent an ambassador to negotiate with Achillas, but he had my ambassador killed. The youngest daughter of Ptolemy XII, Arsinoe, left me to join Achillas. Soon after Arsinoe joined Achillas, she had him killed and placed another man in his place to command their army. They came to a truce to exchange Arsinoe for Ptolemy XIII, but the truce was not a truce at all. The civil war continued right after the exchange.

Sources Used:

Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars, Penguin Classics Revised Edition, December 18, 2007. Print

The Defeat and Assassination of Pompey Magnus

I was completely outnumbered by Pompey's legions, and it seemed to be my darkest hour. When at times I saw Pompey's legions breaking through areas of my formations, I thought the worst. Regardless, my men fought even harder. My legions have been to the farthest corners of the Republic, they have fought the most barbaric people that exist in the known world, and nothing defeated them before. This situation was no different. From nearly catastrophic to an incredible victory, my army defeated Pompey Magnus at Pharsalus. After the defeat, Pompey retreated to Egypt he believed to have influence in the house of Ptolemy with the Pharaoh Ptolemy XII Auletes. The Pharaoh approached Pompey, Crassus, and I years ago to obtain a loan from the Republic. Pompey must have thought that he could retreat to Alexandria to collect on the debt that Egypt owes the Republic to refinance another attempt to raise an army to defeat me.
After the victory at Pharsalus, Rome appointed me dictator. To me, it seemed like a harsh title. It made me sound like my intentions were to completely eradicate the Republic and create a thrown for myself. My intentions have always been clear, and my intentions have never been to be a tyrant or king. Those who gossip that I will make myself king were not with me during the early days of my political career when the Senators from the beginning tried to force me out of politics. I am well versed in the history of the Senate, and it has not always been so glorious. The Senate have always had deep pockets. I challenge any Roman who regards me as a tyrant to look at where I came from. Many years ago, I was born into the house of the Julii. I became a priest, but after Sulla defeated my uncle Marius, Sulla took away all of my estate. I have built myself up from nothing. My pockets were as empty as every Roman citizen, and I believe each of them knew that. Of course, I still came from Patrician roots, but because of Sulla, I was able to relate to the common Roman people. It helped the Romans favor me more. The Roman people supported me all through my political career, and in favor of them and all Roman citizens in the providences, I defeated a backstabber and Senators who would have me shunned at the expense of the Roman people.
I learned of Pompey's death as I was pursuing him to Egypt. It saddened me as I began to think of him as a brother. I was also outraged that he was assassinated. I wanted to capture Pompey so he could stand before me to see the person he betrayed. The young pharaoh of Egypt had one of Pompey's ex-legionnaires assassinate Pompey as he was landing in Alexandria. I arrived in Alexandria right after the murder of Pompey. The Egyptians, at my arrival, presented me the head of Pompey Magnus and seal-ring. At the sight of an old brother, tears and rage came upon me. I yelled out to my highest ranking officer, and I ordered him to kill the assassin of Pompey Magnus.

Sources Used:
Caesar, Julius, Aulus Hirtius, and Jane F. Gardner. The Civil War of Caesar. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1976. Print.

Alea iacta esto

As I was crossing the Rubicon, word came to me by my scouts that Pompey Magnus and most of the Senate had fled south of Rome. This speaks volume about their confidence in Pompey to hold the city. When my legion and I approached the city after passing the Rubicon, I held the belief that Rome would be the hardest to take back from the Senate and Pompey, and that there would be a confrontation on the field of Mars. I could have not rolled a better hand than this. Rome's gates were open for my legion and I to simply return home. Of course, I had to wear my armor because at no point in time would I take off my armor as long as I felt there was a threat of assassins who favored Pompey and the Senate's agenda. Apparently, Pompey's legions had been dormant too long, and my veteran force seemed too experienced. Pompey's army has not seen action in many years. My legions are behind me all the way. I have stressed to my legion(s) what is at stake, and they share my ideology. Too long has the Senate and Roman politicians made me out to be the bad guy. Too long has the Senate benefited on the Roman people's misfortunes. There has to be something done, and I, Gaius Julius Caesar, am in perfect position to finally fulfill my destiny, to bring the Republic back to its former glory.
After spending a few days in Rome, I pursued Pompey. I knew that Pompey would not fight, but I had my reasons to pursue Pompey. The Senate and Pompey's agenda would hurt the public more than anything, and they must be stopped. Secondly, Pompey betrayed me. Once a brother and husband to my late daughter, Julia, Pompey sided with the Senate who has always had their eyes on me from the time I set foot in Roman politics. Pompey knew this, he exploited his way of gaining the Senate's approval, and he saw this as an opportunity to rise as pro-consul and favored by the Senate. However, he will never be the favorite of the people. I entered Rome as a conquering hero after the Senate and Pompey left. They seemed more like cowards to the people. I gave the people gifts of bread from the finest bakeries of Italia and gold from Gaul. The Roman people have never been so happy as to when they see me in the streets of Rome.
I went after Pompey with my 13th legion, though I was greatly outnumbered against Pompey's forces, and I wanted to capture Pompey and his legions before they could escape further from Rome. I left for Pompey, who was leaving for Hispania, and I left Marcus Antonius (Mark Antony) in control of Rome and it's well being as I leave Italia to pursue Pompey. After my legions marched for twenty-seven days, my army defeated Pompey's officers, and after the victory in Hispania, I returned east to Greece to fight Pompey.

Sources Used:
Caesar, Julius, Aulus Hirtius, and Jane F. Gardner. The Civil War of Caesar. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1976. Print.

The Senate -vs- Caesar, Caesar Crosses into Italy

Many troubles found me while I remained in Gaul. It seemed the deaths of my daughter, my grandson, and my mother were just the start of more troubles that I would find from my fellow Roman politicians. It seemed even Pompey Magnus may even deny our friendship after he denied my proposal to marry my blood, Octavia. While political turmoil seem to be brewing in Rome, I had to win over the esteem of Gaul authorities and kings to much pain to myself. I offered them gifts, including thousands of prisoners or lending them Roman troops when they requested their assistance. With the brewing conflict, I did not ask for the permission of the Senate before making this generous proposal to the authorities or kings. I went further with my generosity and presented wonderful public works for principal cities in Greece and Asia. I couldn't stop in Greece or Asia, and therefore, I sent a magnificent public work to Rome, Gaul, and Hispania. Romans and foreigners loved the spectacles I sent to their cities. I had the people wanting more and more.
After the spectacles, Marcus Claudius Marcellus, who then became a Consul, proposed to the Senate and the People that I  should relieve my command of my legions in Gaul and my Governorship since the war ended victorious before my term as Governor expires. Furthermore, he advised that there should be a replacement governor and that the legions in Gaul be disbanded. Marcellus didn't stop there. He then publicly stated that I should be prohibited from running for another term as Consul without appearing in Rome. To make the matter worse, Pompey had a bill passed through the Senate that regulated the privileges of Roman magistrates, but he forgot to include my situation of exception into the clause. This would exclude my opportunity to run for Consul as an absentee, which I had done for the last several years with the friendship of Pompey. Crassus, whom Pompey and I had a triple pact with, had been killed in battle at Carrhae with the Parthians. Crassus' death, my daughter Julia's death, and the death of her son, caused Pompey and I's friendship to crumble. However, I did not think he would betray me in such a fashion as to enact laws to create turmoil for me politically. Pompey had the new law engraved on a bronze tablet, and then he placed the tablet into Rome's treasury. Marcellus requested to the Senate that the colonists who for the past few years I have liberated and created Roman citizens in Gaul to forfeit their citizenship because their citizenship had only furthered my political gain and not that of Rome's.
All of this news infuriated me, and I stated, "Now that I am the leading Roman of my day, it will be harder to put me down a peg than degrade me to the ranks." It was not hard to convince the tribunes of the people to veto Marcellus' bill. I further damaged Marcellus by enlisting the help of one of his closest colleagues, Servius Sulpicius. Regardless of Marcellus' or his cousin Gaius' policy towards me, I was once more voted a Consul. I bribed several prominent tribunes to obtain the consulship.
I realized that Pompey and I's friendship has faltered, and the new consul-elects are standing against me. I went before the Senate, practically begging, to write an address to not cancel the privileges voted to me by the Roman people without forcing the other military leaders to resign their commands at the parallel time that I would resign my command. However, the Senate misinterpreted this request. They understood this to mean that I would mobilize my battle-hardened troops sooner than Pompey could rally his troops who hadn't seen battle for many years. I offered the Senate a deal that I would disband eight of my legions if I were to keep two legions and to be the governor of Cisalpine Gaul - or Illyricum with one legion.
The Senate did not intervene, and my opponents refused any deal that I was willing to give where the public good was concerned. The only alternative was to cross into Cisalpine Gaul with all my legions armed, and I halted at Ravenna. I had to protect the rights of all Romans, both Italia and Rome's loyal providences. I had to prepare for war if the Senate, or my opponents, were to take any serious actions against my interests and the interest of the people.

Sources Used:

Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars, Penguin Classics Revised Edition, December 18, 2007. Print

Family Tragedies to the Edge of Civil War

Over the years of the Gaul campaign, tragedy struck me at home while I was away. My dearest mother died. Not long after, my daughter, Julia died during child birth while delivering my grandson, who also died. I was grief stricken. My mother was very influential in my life, and my only daughter dies giving birth to what would have been my first grandchild, a grandson. It was a devastating blow in a time when Gaul was suffering many defeats to my legions.
The assassination of Publius Clodius had the Roman people outraged. The Senate answered harshly towards me passing a motion through the Senate that there should only be one Consul, and their Consul of choice was my dear friend, Pompey Magnus. The tribunes of the Roman people wanted me to be a colleague to Pompey. I asked whether they would let me continue my conquest of Gaul and to persuade the people that my Governorship of Gaul was nearly at an end. I would hate to leave Gaul when my work is not yet completed. Graciously, the people granted my request. With the conquest of Gaul, I would gain a lot of popularity from the people, not that my success in Gaul had not already obtained me great popularity from the people. I declared my decision to run for my second Consulship. With money from my spoils of Gaul, I built a new forum. In the forum, I held gladiatorial entertainment and a public banquet in memorial of my daughter Julia and my still born grandson.
In order to preserve my friendship with Pompey and to renew family ties, I offered Pompey my sister's granddaughter, Octavia. Octavia was already married to Gaius Marcellus, but in return, he would divorce Octavia to marry Pompey's daughter. I won a lot of favor from Pompey's friends and most of the Senate by offering them loans from very low to interest free rates. I also gave gifts to others who may not have even asked for them. All of these actions were a benefit to me because they endeared these people to me. My beneficiaries would rely upon me to help them in their difficulties, such as legal, debt, or those who lived past their wealth. However, I had my limits. Some Romans that would come to me for help would have records that were so heinous, people whose tastes were so expensive, people with criminal records, and people whose pockets were completely empty. I told people frankly, "What you need is a civil war."

Sources Used:

Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars, Penguin Classics Revised Edition, December 18, 2007. Print

I Came, I Saw, I Conquered

Yet, another concern came to me during my governorship of Gaul. A Germanic leader of the Suebi tribe, Ariovistus, demanded that the Sequani, a neighboring tribe, give the Ariovistus land to accommodate the people he ruled. If they were to have the lands he demands, the Suebi could attack the rest of Gaul. This must be stopped.
After the victory of the Helvetii, many of the tribes of Gaul congratulated me on my victory over the Helvetii, and they wanted to meet with me to speak of Ariovistus' actions. Diviciacus was the head speaker of the Gallic assembly of tribes, and he expressed many concerns with me over the hostages and conquests that Ariovistus has taken. Diviciacus proposed that I fight the Suebi tribe and their leader to remove the threat of Germanic invasion into Gaul or else the Gallic tribes would have to seek new lands. This was a grand opportunity, not only just for me, but to add to the glory of Rome. This action would help protect the allegiances between the Aedui and Rome with the opportunity to expand the Republic's borders, it would strengthen my soldiers, it would bring more loyalty from my soldiers, and it would establish myself as the commander of Rome's troops in Gaul. It was a marvelous opportunity that seemed destined for me to take.
Once again, the Senate worked against me. They declared Ariovistus a "king and friend of the Roman people" to prevent me from declaring war on the Suebi tribe. They did the Aedui, who have only been allies to Rome, a great wrongdoing. I could not ignore their cries. Ariovistus tried to assure me that the hostages of the Aedui would be safe as long as the Aedui pay their yearly tribute. That did not stop him, and when Ariovistus' attacks pushed Gallic tribes across the Rhone, I obtained the justification I needed to wage war on the Ariovistus and the Suebi tribe.
We marched for Vesontio, a large settlement of the Sequani who the Suebi planned to attack. Some of my officers tried to hold their positions, but when I said that the only legion I could count on was the 10th, the officers and their legions put their pride before their political standings. However, I pushed my legions to arrive in Vesontio before Artiovistus' even arrived. Ariovistus arrived and requested a meeting between the two of us. As I began to meet him, Suebi horsemen began to throw stones at my mounted escorts. A few days later, the Suebi leader asked for another meeting. Therefore, I sent Valerius Procillus, a trusted fiend, and Caius Mettius, a merchant who traded with Ariovistus, to meet. Ariovistus found my choice to be insulting, and he threw Caius and Valerius in chains along with the convoy. Ariovistus camped two miles behind me, which was only a problem because it cut off my supplies and communication to my allies. I could not entice the leader of the German tribe into battle, and my solution was to place a smaller camp closer to the encampment of Suebi. He attacked the smaller camp, but the legions repulsed their attack. The next morning, I ordered my troops to form a triplex acies advancing towards Ariovistus and the Suebi. I lined up on the right flank of the formation. Ariovistus lined up his seven tribal formation against the triplex acies. I would have to give credit for the victory against Ariovistus to Publius Crassus who led the cavalry charge who changed the tide of the battle in our favor, and the charge broke the German line. As the German line broke, the tribes along the line began to flee. The legions successfully killed most of Ariovistus' 120,000 men. The Seubi returned home, and they never engaged against my armies again. I was victorious.
My next campaign in Gaul was against the Belgae in 57 BC. By then, my legions had become skilled veteran force. After constant encounter, I defeated Belgae after they had suffered heavy losses, and they surrendered when I threatened to have all of their towns burned to the ground. All of the client tribes of the Belgae surrendered or fled. In 56 BC, I focused my legions against the Veneti tribe in Armorica who assembled a confederacy against the Roman providence. After constant land and sea campaigning, we were victorious against the tribes in Armorica. In 54, I brought a large force across the sea to defeat the powerful tribe of Catuvellauni, and from the success, I forced the tribe to pay tribute to Rome. The victories over the Catuvellauni and Veneti were great propaganda victories for myself and the glory of Rome.
In 54 and 53 BC, subjugated Gauls created an uprising under the leadership of Ambiorix. Quintus Tullius Cicero narrowly survived an attack that whipped out fifteen Roman cohorts by the Atuatuca Tungrorum. If it weren't for my timing, Cicero would have been killed. By the end of 53 BC, my legions crushed the uprising and restored order. However, another uprising came about when the Arverni tribe of central Gaul led by Vercingetorix united many of the Gallic tribes and lands under him. Vercingetorix's troops never fought my forces face to face, but instead, he made a campaign to rid me of my supplies. With haste, I captured the town of Avaricum, but unfortunately, I suffered a defeat at Gergovia. Vercingetorix always stayed mobile, and he never fought me openly. Finally, Vercingetorix held out for a battle at Alesia. I successfully besieged him and defeated a large reinforcement army of Gallic tribes after they had ran out of food. This defeat marked the end of the fighting between my legions and the Gallic and German tribes. I captured Vercingetorix and kept him as a captive for all the Roman people to see. Rome proclaimed a thanksgiving of twenty days to honor me for having reconquered Gaul.

Sources Used:
Caesar, Julius, S. A. Handford, and Jane F. Gardner. The Conquest of Gaul. London: Penguin, 1982. Print.

Caesar Goes to War - The Gallic Wars - The Defeat of the Helvetii

To understand the providence better, I will illustrate the inhabitants of Gaul. Gaul is composed of three areas. The people who inhabit Gaul are the Belgae, Aquitani, and people who call themselves Celts. However, we refer to the Celts simply as "Gauls." All of the people of Gaul have separate languages, laws, and customs. The Aquintani are across the river Garonne, which separates them from the Celts, and they are separated from the Belgae by the Marne and Seine rivers in Gaul. The bravest of the three people of Gaul are the Belgae. The Belgae are the farthest removed from the highly developed Roman civilization in the Roman Providence of Gaul. The Helvetii are the bravest of the Celts who are constantly at war with the Germans across the Rhine River.
The wealthiest and highest ranked Helvetii is a man named Orgetorix. He convinced his people to emigrate and conquer the rest of Gaul. The Helvetii territory is surrounded by natural barriers: the Rhine, the Jura mountain range, and by the Lake of Geneva and the Rhone. These borders separate the Helvetii and Roman Providence. Orgetorix explained to his people that these borders restricted them from obtaining their destiny of their conquest of Gaul. The Helvetii people agreed that their territory was small and restrictive. The Helvetii were impelled by the words of Orgetorix, and they prepared for emigration. They bought cattle and wagons. They harvested all their crops and established peace with their neighbors for safe travel. The Helvetii planned for the third year after their decision to emigrate to start their journey. The Helvetii eventually summoned Orgetorix, and he stood trial in chains. He was condemned by his people, which meant that he would die at the stake. Orgetorix collected all his slaves, ten thousand people, and he brought them to his trail. By means of his slaves, he escaped trial. The Helvetii people were angry with him, and they called upon many men to seek justice. In the process, Orgetorix died, and the Helvetii people believed he had committed suicide. The Helvetii continued their migration. They burned all twelve towns and four hundred of their villages in their territory to the ground. The Helvetii took three months supply of flour with them. However, they decided to settle in the wrong location near the Rhone. I was informed of the situation that the Helvetii were attempting to pass through my providence. I hastily travelled through the providence raising troops, and I had the bridge at Geneva burned. The Helvetii heard of my arrival, and they sent out an embassy to meet me with their most illustrious people. Their intentions were to march through the providence because they had no other route to migrate out of their old territory. They asked for my consent, but I could not give it. The consul Lucius Cassius and his Roman army had been killed by the Helvetii many years before. The people were hostile to Rome, and they could not be granted to pass. They could damage local property, and I could not have that on my consulship. However, I could not tell the people a "no" right away because I had to wait for the troops to be assembled. I told the embassy of Helvetii to come back for their request on April 13th. My legions were assembled, and they fortified a distance of eighteen miles between Lake Geneva and the Jura mountains. I had effective means by fortifying the area the troops had garrisoned with sixteen feet high ramparts with trenches running parallel. Redoubts were placed at intervals along the ramparts with pickets. When the embassy returned to meet me, I told them their wishes were contrary to Roman demands. The Helvetii tried to pass, but my troops stopped them. They resulted in passing through other Gaul territory. The result was the building of the bridge over the Saone to pursue the Helvetti. Later, the Battle of Bibracte was fought between the Helvetii and my legions. After hours of hard fighting, we obtained a victory. I accepted their surrender, but six thousand of their tribesmen fled. However, other tribes returned these fugitives back to me. I ordered those who surrendered to go back to their homeland to rebuild.

Sources Used:
Caesar, Julius, S. A. Handford, and Jane F. Gardner. The Conquest of Gaul. London: Penguin, 1982. Print.

Old Enemies - Same Consulship - Creating "Alauda" Legionnaires

Near the end of my consulship, Gaius Memmius and Lucius Domitius, two praetors, demanded to the Senate that there should be an inquiry into the conduct of Pompey, Crassius, and myself as consuls. I went to the Senate to refer to the matter, but they would not discuss it with me. After three wasted days of waiting to hear about the inquiry, I left for Gaul. Those were three days I could have spent helping to preserve the Rome's glory in Gaul. It was three days that could have been spent to better my career, but instead, I was at home. The Senate, after I had left, charged my quaestor with various irregularities for their first step towards their attempt at impeaching me. Soon after, Lucius Antistius, a tribune of the Roman people, stood in the Forum, and he arraigned me. However, I appealed to the whole college of Roman Tribunes, pleading that my absence was of national importance, the glory of Rome. They put off the trial. Furthermore, to prevent this incredibly dense situation to ever reoccur, I made a point of placing chief magistrates of every year under certain obligations to me. I also refused to support any further candidates from being elected unless they did not cause me any trouble or speak against me. The new candidates had to see my cause, and they have to defend my cause while I was absent from Rome. If they did not defend my cause while I'm away, I would not be able to bring glory to the Republic, and if I cannot succeed, Rome would not succeed. I made sure that the candidates would not go back on their promises by oath, and sometimes, they singed a contract to me.
However, it became difficult when Lucius Domitius campaigned for consul, and he openly stood against me and threatened my cause. Domitius threatened to remove me from my military command, though he failed while he was a praetor. I called upon Crassus and Pompey to meet in Luca, a settlement in my governed providence, to convince them to prolong my governorship of Gaul for five years, and I asked them to oppose Domitius' candidature for consul. It was a success. In this success, I took upon the advantage, and I expanded my regular army by raising more legions at my own expense. Some recruits for the legions were Gallic. One man recruited from Transalpine Gaul referred to the raising of the army as "Alauda," meaning that I trained and equipped Gallic men in Rome's providence in Roman style. I would then make all the Gallic men into full Roman citizens.


Sources Used:

Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars, Penguin Classics Revised Edition, December 18, 2007. Print

Marriage to Calpurnia, Julia's Bethroal to Pompey, and Governor of Gaul

It was a great time being Consul to the greatest Republic in the world. I married Calpurnia, the daughter of Lucius Piso, who was my successor to the Consulship I hold. It was not the only marriage between Roman consuls. I betrothed my dearest daughter, Julia, to wed my co-consul, Gnaeus Pompey. The small problem was that Julia was engaged to Servilius Caepio. Servilius had recently expressed his support for me in my efforts against Bibulus. It was a horrible blow that I had to commit against such a supporter, but I need to make important ties with Pompey. To hold ties with a co-consul would present significant opportunities in the future. I always go to Pompey to present debates in the Senate. He flouted the tradition that a consul would continute throughout his consulship term, a year, to preserve precedence and order established for speakers on the Kalends of January in the Senate.
It wasn't long after the weddings that I secured the goodwill of my father-in-law, Piso, and the goodwill of Pompey. It was then I began to look at the providences of Rome: Hispania, Africanus, Gaul, etc. After short consideration of all the possible providences, the good choice was Gaul. Only Gaul would provide a good conquest of wealth and triumph. However, I was appointed governor of Cisalpine Gaul and Illyricum. Vatinius proposed the governorship to me, but after Vatinius' proposal, the Senate added Transalpine Gaul to my jurisdiction. I believe the Senate proposed to add Transalpine Gaul to my jurisdiction because they feared that people would demand that I should have the providence if it were to be denied to me. I was so elated by this appointment that I couldn't help speak to others about it, including senators. Some people though that I was just 'stomping' upon my opponents by boasting, but perhaps, I couldn't help myself. Someone interjected with a sneer as I was speaking to others, and they stated that a woman would find the appointment not easy. I answered with pride, "Why not? Semiramis was supreme in Syria, and the Amazons once ruled over a large part of Asia."


Sources Used:

Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars, Penguin Classics Revised Edition, December 18, 2007. Print

In the Consulship of Julius and Caesar - Lucullus kneels before Caesar

With Bibulus at home most of the time, it enabled me to be Consul alone. It was an amazing feeling to be the only Consul with a voice. Neither the Senate or I had to listen to Bibulus and his bad omens to delay laws or motions in the Senate. I governed alone, and as well as, I did as I pleased, mostly. When I had to sign documents to be passed as laws or other forms through the Senate, I began to sign them as "In the Consulship of Julius and Caesar" as a joke. Apparently, it wasn't very funny to most of the senate or Bibulus for that matter. A lot of gossip among Romans went around about my sole consulship, and some of the gossip was quite humorous.
I put my sole consulship to good use. I partitioned that two districts of Campania and a plain of Stellas for agricultural purposes to Roman families with three or more children, and it would be farmed on behave of the commonwealth. These families would be selected by appointed commissioners rather than random picking through lots. The republicans asked for relief, but I cancelled a third of their obligations. Further, I gave them warnings not to let people bid too high for the contracts in the future. Most of the other pleas that I received, I granted with ease. None of the other pleas that I granted were opposed or had anyone intervene. It was a big victory of the Roman people.
When there is calm there will always be a storm coming. Marcus Cato tried delaying the proceedings with useless debate in the Senate. I had a lictor forcibly remove Cato from the Senate house, and the lictor took him to prison. Lucius Lucullus opposed me way too far in one day's proceedings that his methods were becoming unbecoming of the ways in which a senator or official of Rome should conduct himself in the Senate. Lucullus took it too far. I angrily threatened him with legal proceedings to the point that he fell to his knees and begged for my pardon with his rash actions.
Cicero, in one proceedings, made a wonderful speech about the evils of his time, and I granted a long awaited request of Cicero's to have one of his enemies, Publius Clodius, to transfer the status of Clodius from a patrician to a plebeian. By the time the speech was done and the request was granted, it was the ninth hour of the day and late into the proceedings.
I hatched a plan that Vettius announce of our rival factions had began to plan an assassination attempt on Pompey. Vettius mentioned some Roman names of the opposing factions, but everyone was suspicious of the affair that it led to absolutely nothing. To make sure the plan didn't backfire all the way on to me, I poisoned my agent to cover my tracks.


Sources used:

Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars, Penguin Classics Revised Edition, December 18, 2007. Print

The Agriarian Law - Tiberius and Caesar

As Consul, I had an idea that I thought necessary to the Republic and the Roman people. The idea was that there should be a daily record of the proceedings in the Senate. These proceedings should be taken by a man who will write them down, and that man should be in the business of publishing. That way, the Roman people would know what happens in the Senate, and the people can see how they run the Republic, good or bad. Another practice that had been made obsolete previous to my consulship is the practice of an orderly walking in front of the Consul or Consuls while the lictors walk behind the consuls into the Senate. I reinstated this practice because I knew how much the Senate did not want me to be Consul. A Consul has never been murdered on the Senate floor, but I wanted to take precaution by making an orderly walk in front of me, just in case an assassin by the Senate would approach my front. Call it paranoia, but I figure it as necessary due to my unpopularity in the Senate.
The next thing I saw too as a Consul was to put into effect the Agrarian Law. Wealthy senators and wealthy landowners had for many years dominated the ownership of lands in the Republic, and for the sake of the Roman people against these greedy land owners, I enacted the law so that the less fortunate would have better division between public lands, private lands, and common pastures. The wealthy would like to believe that the public lands that they rent were their own private lands. This practice must end. Similar attempts at reform of lands existed in the time of Tiberius Gracchus, and with that in mind, it is not hard to imagine why I put the practice of an orderly walking in front of me while in public to the Senate house. Greedy men would do anything to hold what they have, and as long as they take the public's land as their own, their must be division between them and what is owe to the Roman people. My former rival, now colleague- Bibulus, attempted to delay the passing of the Agrarian law, and he stated that the omens were not right for the passing of the law. What a load of horse dung. Bibulus had large pockets as the rest of the Senate does. I saw it as a necessity for Bibulus to be driven from the Senate house by force from the Forum due to his corrupt views and prevention of the Agrarian Law. 
The day after I had Bibulus thrown out of the Forum by force, Bibulus complained to the Senate, but no one heard his cries. He was so frustrated that he stayed at home with his resentment. Bibulus attempted to, on later laws, reject laws on bad omens, and once again, everyone did not listen to Bibulus.


Sources used:

Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars, Penguin Classics Revised Edition, December 18, 2007. Print

Caesar, a Consul of Rome and the Triple Pact

As I was in the candidacy for Consul to Rome, the Optimates did not like the idea of Lucius and I joining forces for consulship. I think that the Optimates fear me, and that if I were to join forces with Lucius, nothing would stop me from gaining what I wanted. However, they couldn't be more wrong. I, like the false accusations of the Catilinarian, would not to harm the Republic of Rome, and I want to be a part of greatness that is Rome. I want to live up to my roots and the House of the Julii.
There was a bribing game for the bid of the consulship in Rome between us, Caesar and Lucceius, and them, the Optimates and Bibulus. I heard later that Cato himself had put money into the bribing funds of the Optimates and Bibulus. One person overheard Cato saying that this bribery would be exceptional due to their beliefs that I was endangering Rome by being elected to Consul. Regardless of the bribe race, Bibulus and I were both elected Consuls. The Optimates prejudice towards me did not stop after the election of consuls. They swore that after my term of consulship was over they would put measures in Rome to where I would not receive a significant providence of Rome to govern. Some people rumored that after my consulship was up that I would be put in charge of Rome's forests and public pasturelands in Italia.
There was one person I could turn to who had just as much frustration with the Senate, Gnaeus Pompey. Pompey had been at odds with the Senate waiting for their approval of the steps he had taken to defeat the Mithridates. I believed the best way to put more distance between the Senate, who wanted me out of Rome, would be to resolve the problems of Pompey and Marcus Crassus. They had problems with each other because they could not agree on certain policies that put them at odds when they were both consuls. I brought them together, and with out triple pact, we swore to oppose policies that any of them would oppose in the Senate.

Sources Used:

Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars, Penguin Classics Revised Edition, December 18, 2007. Print

Accusations to Consul Elections

How foul and low must some people be to think that I had anything to do with the Catilinarian conspirators?! I'm outraged. Some rumors have gone through Rome stating that my name was among the list of conspirators handed to Novius Niger by an imformer, Lucius Vettius. Quintus Curius must be out of himself to have given the Senate a different list with my name on it. I have nothing but strengthened the Republic through my legitimacy through positions I have held and nothing less. Quintus Curius is nothing but swine who was the first to betray his band of thugs. Curius lied even more by stating that the list, that somehow appeared with my name on it, came directly from Catiline herself, and that he could produce a letter in my hand-writing that was directed towards her.
I object full-heartedly towards this accusation. I appealed to Cicero, the consul, to remember that I came towards him voluntarily to warn him about the whole conspiracy, and that Curius was not entitled to a bounty. When they found Vettius' statements to be forfeit, the crowd of Romans nearly tore him to pieces! I sent the man to jail along with Novius Niger.
After an interesting period with the Catilinarian conspiracy, the Republic appointed me to the providence of Further Hisapnia. I saw it as an opportunity to get away from the creditors who were at my throat. Once more, they attempted to keep me in Rome, possibly trying to take me to court. Furthermore, I saw the interests of our Spanish allies who needed help against aggression. However, I wasn't there long. Some would say that I "pacified" Rome's providence of Hispania, and returned to Rome really quickly. Due to this rapid pacification of Hispania, I demanded a triumph. I have also decided that I would stand for consulship of Rome. However, I was disappointed to hear that the consul election dates had already been announced to the public, which meant that I could not be a candidate for consul unless I entered the city as a Roman citizen. Rome once again spoke for me with an outcry against the regulations, and they wanted me to be exempt from the regulations because I was the govern of Hispania. The only misfortune to this outcry was that I had to forgo the triumph I demanded so that I could be included in the consulship elections. The other candidates in the consul elections are: Lucius Lucceius and Marcus Bibulus. I knew Lucius. I went to him as a friend, and suggested that we ally ourselves together. Lucius was a wealthy man, and with my influence, we could have joint candidacy.

Sources Used:

Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars, Penguin Classics Revised Edition, December 18, 2007. Print

The Roman People Favor Caesar

When I was a Praetor-elect, the Catilinarian conspiracy was known to the Republic and to the Senate. Catiline brought a group together to overthrow our great Republic, but Consul Cicero discovered the plot, and Catiline fled Rome. The senate wanted the deaths of all involved, but I proposed a different course. Each wrong-doer should be imprisoned, but in different towns that each other. Their ultimate punishment should be that their estates will be confiscated to the Republic they wanted destroyed. I insisted upon the Senate that if they pressed their views or ideas of prosecuting the Catilinarians, the people would gain a hatred to them. Most people had the same view as I, but the consul-elect, Decimus Silanus, had his own ideas. I blocked the proceedings, believing that my view was the right one, until Roman equites threatened my life. I had to give up my opposition, especially when they came armed, unsheathing their swords at me until most of my companions fled my side, leaving a few to huddle against me as my last line of defense against these equites. It wasn't that I was afraid of them, but I feared more foul play. I kept away from the senate house for whole year.
My first day of my praetorship was a busy one. Quintus Catulus was in charge of restoring the Capitol, and he had made so little progress that I felt in my power to question Catulus that answers are to be made to the Roman people. I made a decision that his commission should be taken from Catulus and given to someone who could get the restoration done. The Optimate party and the newly elected consuls heard me speaking to Catulus, and they offered Catulus dogmatic resistance to me. Of course, I had to withdraw my proposal.
Caecilius Metellus, a tribune, proposed bills that I believed should have been put through the senate. Of course, they were vetoes, but Metellus and I were behind the bill until the Senate suspended us. However, I kept my position, but I was warned I would be removed by force, if needed. I was fed up with the whole situation. I took off my Praetorian toga, and I went home, in a quicker pace. Since the Catilinarian incidents, politics seemed more of a nuisance to me. I decided to retire from politics. However, it didn't last long. The next day, a crowd of my fellow Romans appeared at my residence. They were up in arms because of how the senate wanted me out. My fellow Romans offered to put me back on the tribunal. I waved at them, humbled by their admiration for my position. The Senate were so surprised by the people's demonstration in front of my house that they hurriedly dealt with the situation. They sent a deputation of high officials of Rome to thank me, publically. After the thanks by the high officials, they asked for my presence in the Senate House. They showered praises on me, and they revoked their decree. Furthermore, they confirmed my praetorship. The people have spoken...

Sources Used:

Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars, Penguin Classics Revised Edition, December 18, 2007. Print

The Will of the People: Quaestor to Pontifex Maximus

To my dismay, the night after I had visited the statue of Alexander, I had a dream. In the dream, I raped my mother. I didn't know how to take this dream. I went to the soothsayers, and to my disbelief, they told me that the dream was a sign that I would one day rule the earth, "our universal mother." It was very encouraging for a dream that seemed so crazed.
I wasn't a Quaestor long. I laid down my position for better opportunities. I took up the position of Aedileship. I filled the Forum, the Comitium, and adjacent buildings, including the capitol with material for public shows, temporary colonnades. I exhibited shows, at my expense and of my colleague Marcus Bibulus, such as plays and exotic animal hunts. I put together a show of gladiators that terrified most of my political opponents to where they passed a bill that would limit the number of gladiators a Roman citizen could hold in the city of Rome. Most of my advertisements showed more gladiators were to fight in the shows, and it was a let down to most spectators to find fewer gladiators fighting than advertised.
The goodwill of the people and tribunes put me in charge of Egypt. It made it even more worth it that I obtained the position through popular vote. I wanted this position because of recent developments that the King in Alexandria had been forcibly removed from his thrown. The Senate and the people of Rome had known him to be an ally of the republic. The Optimates party opposed the matter. However, I took vengeance by replacing public monuments that were destroyed by Sulla many years ago. The statues commemorated my uncle Marius' victories over Jugurtha, the Cimbri, and the Teutones. I became president of the courts concerned with murder, and I prosecuted the barbaric behaved men who took bounties on heads of Roman citizens during the proscriptions, regardless if these men were exempt from Cornelian Laws. I bribed a man to bring a charge of treason against Gaius Rabirius. I was chosen by many to try Rabirius. I pronounced his sentence with too much satisfaction. In fact, my tone gave Rabirius an attempted appeal to the people. Regardless of my prejudice, Rabirius was convicted, and the Roman people ignored his appeal.
I was much obliged to leave my position in Egypt. I went for the office of "Pontifex Maximus." In all honesty, I used a lot of bribery to obtain this position. I had racked up so much debt that the morning that the voting poll was conducted, I told my mother if I hadn't become a Pontifex, I wouldn't return. Venus graced her descendant with a victory over my two rivals. It seemed that my opponents were much more distinguished and much older. The votes cast to me tallied way more than those who were cast for my rivals. Needless to say, I was able to return home that night a Pontifex, but in debt.


Sources Used:

Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars, Penguin Classics Revised Edition, December 18, 2007. Print

The Legend Arises: Subrara, Crucifying Priates, and Hispani

My return to Rome meant that I had to start over. Sulla had my inheritance, Cornelia's dowry, and my position of priesthood taken away from me. I bought a house in Subrura. Compared to my previous living, the house in Subrura was fit for a peasant, not a patrician and not a descendent of Aeneas. I chose to begin legal advocacy, and I became versed in speech.
(According to Suetonius) I was on my way to the Aegean Sea. Pirates along my path kidnapped me and took me for ransom. This kidnapping did not faze me. I was above these criminals. The whole thing seemed like a waste of my time. These petty thieves asked a ransom of twenty talents for me! TWENTY TALENTS! Pathetic! I told the pirates that twenty talents was a waste, and that they should make it fifty talents. No matter the cost of my ransom, I would take my revenge on these low-life thieves, and I promised the pirates I would crucify them. The pirates laughed and must have thought that I was not a man of my word. After my ransom was paid, I raised a fleet to go after the pirates. My fleet caught up with the pirates, and I imprisoned them for the crimes they committed against me. I had each pirate crucified. People criticized me for taking authority, but wasn't it I who the pirates kidnapped? It should be I who puts an end to these pirates. Romans should not be disgusted with me. The pirates are not Romans. We are above these people. I returned to military service in the East after I had gotten my revenge.
When I returned to Rome, I was elected Quaestor (69 B.C.E.). However, I lost my aunt Julia, and shorty after, I lost my Cornelia. I delivered an oration at my aunt Julia's funeral where I spoke about Marius and Julia. Most Romans were surprised to hear my uncle's name after a time when he was defeated by Sulla.
After the funerals of my aunt and my Cornelia, I took the opportunity to serve my new office as Quaestor in Hispani. It was there that I became angry with myself. I had come upon a statue of Alexander the Great. All of my life, I had read the campaigns of Alexander the Great. Alexander the Great had the world in his hand at the age of 33. I was so angry that I wept because I was disappointed in myself. I was 33, but I was no where near the prowess of Alexander.
When I returned to Rome, I married my second wife, Pompeia, who was a granddaughter of Sulla. I despised the marriage. I only did it to ease what tensions were left from Sulla. Later, I divorced her.

Sources Used:

Adrian Goldsworthy, Caesar: Life of a Colossus, Orion Publishing, April 18, 2013.

Plutarch, Lives: Demosthenes and Cicero, Alexander and Caesar, Harvard University Press, January 31, 1919. Print.

Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars, Penguin Classics Revised Edition, December 18, 2007. Print

Gaius Julius Caesar: The Early Years

I am Gaius Julius Caesar. I was born to the house of the Julii, decedents of Aeneas and son of the goddess Venus. My parents were Gaius Julius Caesar, the first, and Aurelia Cotta, who raised me after my father died when I was 15 years of age. I became head of my family at 16. My aunt married Gaius Marius, who would later be known as Marius the Great. At the same time, my uncle Marius was fighting a civil war with Lucius Cornelius Sulla. Marius gained influence over the Rome, and it was then that I became a high priest of Jupiter. After becoming high priest, I married my first wife, Cornelia, who was the daughter of my uncle’s ally by the name of Lucius Cornelius Cinna. Lucius and Marius’ influence did not last long, and eventually, Sulla defeated them. Because I was family to the defeated, I became a threat to Sulla’s new regime. Sulla took everything from me from my inheritance to Cornelia’s dowry. Moreover, I lost my position as a high priest of Jupiter. I did not divorce Cornelia, which forced me to seek refuge. Thanks to some of my family and the Vestal Virgins who were supporters of Sulla, I was no longer considered a threat in Sulla’s eyes. Some say that Sulla still felt threatened by me because he sensed much of my uncle in me. It was after this incident that I left Rome to join the army. I gained recognition in King Nicomedee’s court after assisting the king’s fleet in Bithynia, and I spent awhile there. However, I deny any rumors that I had an affair with the king. I believe the defeat of my uncle and Lucius Cornelius Cinna to be fate. If I had remained a high priest of Jupiter, I would not been able to have a military career. I did not return to Rome until years later (78 B.C.E.) after I obtained word that Sulla had died, and I knew that it was safe to return.

Sources Used:

 

Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars, Penguin Classics Revised Edition, December 18, 2007. Print.

Plutarch, Lives: Demosthenes and Cicero, Alexander and Caesar, Harvard University Press, January 31, 1919. Print.