Julius Caesar

Gaius Julius Caesar was born on July 12th in the year 100 BC, to a family who claimed to be descendants of the god Venus. They were of noble heritage, but not particularly wealthy or influential. He was the nephew of Roman general, Gaius Marius. 

In adulthood, Caesar had a wife, Cornelia, and a daughter, Julia. When Cornelia died at a young age, Caesar married Pompeia, a relative of Pompey the Great. 

He became an aedile as a young politician, a particularly important position in Roman government for aspiring leaders, because the aedile was in charge of public games, such as circus and chariot racing. This allowed Caesar to become a household name and gain the support of the masses early on. 

Caesar went on to become the governor of Spain, and had many successful military campaigns. He soon became consul and formed an alliance with Pompey and Crassus, forming the First Triumvirate - essentially a coalition government. He then was appointed to go on a military campaign in Gaul, where he won his battles and gained land for Rome in the Gallic Wars. 

After Crassus’ death in a foreign battle, Pompey stood alone as the consul of Rome, with Caesar in Gaul. Pompey gained the Romans’ support and favor while he was sole leader, and demanded Caesar to give up his army and return to Rome. 

Although Caesar had lost Roman popularity, he had the loyalty of the Roman army, so he famously did not give up his troops and crossed the Rubicon River with an active standing army, starting the first Roman civil war. 

Ptolemy, hoping that Caesar would not continue to eventually expand Rome’s borders towards Egypt, gifted Caesar Pompey’s head, as a sign of peace.

Caesar, however, took this as a sign of disrespect - that he was not the one able to finish off his enemy. So he joined an ongoing Egyptian civil war, siding with Cleopatra against Ptolemy. 

Caesar had an affair with Cleoptra during the war, which led to an illegitimate son, Caesarion. 

He became dictator of Rome when he returned, and he declared himself “dictator for life” (“dictator perpetuo.”)

Other senators, led by an angered politician, Brutus, ultimately killed Caesar - stabbing him 23 times.

He was assassinated on March 15th, 44 BC

Julian Calendar - an update of the Roman Calendar. Though eventually replaced by the Gregorian Calendar which we use today, we still have the month of July, which is named after Caesar in honor of his birthday.