Consider the following- Everyone knows about the assassination of Julius Caesar were he was stabbed by other Romans in the Senate building. But Julius Caesar did alot more then just turn Roman into a dictatorship to deserve it. Julius Caesar rose to prominence when he conquered Gaul (France). Caesars invasion lead to the death of several hundred thousands of Gauls. Under Julius Caesar and his armies they razed 800 cities, and subjugated nearly 300 tribes. Caesar often inflate the numbers combatants, and people he enslaved. In his writings he enslaved a million Gauls, and killed another million. At this time Caesar was the governor of Gaul but Pompey one of the Consuls these three men ruled Rome at the time. Pompey ordered Caesar to return to Rome as his term had ended as governor. Caesar feared he would be tried for what he did in Gaul if he came back to Rome not as a provincial governor. Governors of Provinces had immunity for their actions. Pompey order him to disband his army and return or he would be charged with insubordination, and treason. Caesar took on legion with him back to Rome. He crossed the Rubicon river which was the traditional boundary of the Roman frontier. Pompey raised troops and even outnumbered Caesar but fled South with the majority of the Senate. Caesar took Rome with little effort since Pompey had left minimum troops for his lieutenants to defend the city. Caesar and Pompey began to fight a civil war which spanned from Spain to Greece. Eventually Caesar beat Pompey and was named Dictator but resigned it shortly after. Eventually he served four more terms as Consul of Rome Pompeys former position. Eventually Caesar went campaigning in Spain. When he returned to Rome he was named Dictator for life for his many military victories in Egypt, Gaul, Spain, and other areas. He reformed many parts of Roman life. He eliminated a fourth of Romes debt, gave money to families that had more children, but he also reduced grain subsides, and limited the number of the poor who would get free grain from the Roman government, but to help the poor he banned all trade gilds (unions) who often controlled artisan entry into the labor market. These ,and other policies helped to appease Romes conservative elites. But Caesar was brutal to political opponents. There was riots as Roman citizens protested Caesars opulent events meant to entertain them like two armies of 400 captive each forced to fight to the death, hundred of animals in one event there was 400 loins forced to fight, and a mock naval battle in Rome. And he even made the former Queen of Egypt be paraded in chains though Rome and the Roman people ended up feeling bad for her. But Caesar saved his worst for his political rivals in the Senate. He often raped the wives of his political rivals. It was no surprise he was stabbed to death by many of these men in the senate. Caesar enjoyed much of his support from the lower, and middle classes but lost them during his dictator years. These was a statue and temple erected in the Roman forum and both were set on fire by rioting Romans.
Posted on: Tue, 22 Jul 2014 16:53:54 +0000
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