Aalen

Biography

Origin

César affirmed to have for Iule ancestor (or Ascagne), wire of Énée and of Créüse, brought in Italy by his/her father after the fall of Troy. This founder of Alba-the-Long was regarded as the creator of the old family of the Julii which, according to the emperor Claude, united then with the Patricien S of Rome. By this chalk-lining, César asserted, when he pronounced the funeral praise of his aunt Julia, an ascent going up with Venus.

The historically known Julii were a family patrician of minor importance, which exerted some Consul ATS but did not form part, in Ier front century J.C., of about fifty families of the nobilitas which provided the majority of the consuls. Julii knew reverses of fortune, and Jules César grows in a rather modest house of the low district of Subure, of bad reputation.

Caius Julius César, the future Jules César, is born towards 100 av. J. - C., wire of Caius and Aurelia Cotta, also of origin patrician. In spite of the historical sources, the exact date of this birth remains dubious: the July 12th or the July 13rd 100 av. J. - C., or 102 av. J. - C.. According to Tacit, by mixing maternal devotion and firm discipline, his/her Aurelia mother gives to Caius and its two Julia sisters an exemplary education. Cicéron will allot to this family education and assiduous studies the elegance of the Latin of César and the quality of its eloquence. Plutarque and Suétone will underline also its art of the relations in company throughout its life: kindness and courtesy towards its hosts, prodigality without reserve, good manners and good behavior in the banquets (Caton, which however hates it, grants to him that it is the only ambitious one which enivre not), brilliant and cultivated conversation. These qualities of seduction will be its first assets in the Roman public life.

His/her father, Caius, do not exceed, in his political career, the row of Préteur in 92 av. J.C, and die suddenly a morning by putting his shoes, César is then fifteen years old. His/her uncle, Sextus Julius Caesar III, obtains the Consul In 91 av. J.C but dies in the head office of Asculum at the time of the social Guerre.

The youth of César

The youth of Jules César falls under a context of violent political struggles which oppose the Optimates to the Populares . The first maintain a line preserving and aristocratic which places the Roman Sénat in the middle of the Republic. The seconds want to satisfy the social claims and to grant more political place to the Italians and to the provincial .

Jules César grows thus in the middle of bloody disorders (First civil war): street battles in Rome in 88 av. J.C between the partisans of Marius, chief of the populares , and those of Sylla, then victory of the legions of Sylla over the marianists with the doors of Rome in 82 av. J.C, followed pitiless manhunts against proscribed opposing side.

Its family relations place Jules César among the Populares in the Roman political game. His/her aunt Julia was the wife of the consul Marius and itself marries in 84 av. J. - C Cornelie Cinna the girl of Cinna, successor of Marius. In spite of these family alliances, Jules César does not seem to be himself joined to the marianists more the extremists at the time of the civil war which they carried out against Sylla. It is possible that César followed the moderate ones when they join in Sylla.

Sylla requires that César divorce Cornelie Cinna and thus breaks its last bonds with the marianists. César refuses, and must hide, until powerful guards, whose his/her uncle Aurelius Cotta, make bend Sylla and cease the tracking. Careful, César leaves Rome. He enlists towards 80 av. J. - C. in the army and joined with the Préteur Marcus Minucius Thermus the theater of military operations in Asia, where Lucullus besieges Mytilène, capital of Lesbos which had joined with Mithridate VI. César receives mission of requiring of the king Bithynie Nicomède IV the reinforcement of its fleet. Suétone is made the echo of a rumor on the reputation of César, reporting that it would have had passive sexual relationships with Nicomède, defect more méprisable with the eyes of the Romans. This suspicion, which can be a door and traditional joke between soldiers, rather than a reality indémontrable, will follow César, since the insulting comments of its adversaries until its final triumph.

At the time of the catch of Mytilène, César achieves an exploit which the historians do not specify, but who is worth to him in reward a civic crown, most glorious military decoration, usually decreed to have saved with the combat the life of a fellow-citizen. César is still used in Cilicie under the orders as Servilius Isauricus, then is demobilized.

With died of Sylla in 79 av. J. - C., César remains some time in Asia. At the time of its way on the Aegean Sea, it is removed by pirates of Cilicie who claim a ransom of twenty talents of gold. César states to be worth fifty of them, and promises to return to carry out the pirates after his release, which it does indeed. Then it improves its eloquence near famous the Greek Rhéteur Molon of Rhodos.

From return to Rome, it begins its public life by a blow from audacity: it attacks in justice the proconsul Gnaeus Cornelius Dolabella which has just completed its mandate, and misappropriation shows it. In spite of the eloquence of César and the many witnesses for the prosecution which it quotes, the target has too much political weight: Dolabella is discharged, probably by class solidarity with its judges all resulting from the Senate.

The rise of César

César develops its relations actively, spending much in receptions, and starts the traditional political course ( Cursus honorum ): military Powerful orator, Questeur in 69 av. J. - C. in Spain, then municipal official in 65 av. J. - C., it collects the favor of the people by restoring the capacity of the powerful orators of the plebs and by raising the statues of Marius. Charged with the organization of the plays, it borrows massively to give the spectacular ones, aligning according to Plutarque the record number of 320 pairs of Gladiateur S.

In parallel, César continues its legal activity, for causes which flatter the current of the Populares. In 64 av. J. - C., it brings lawsuits against former partisans of Sylla, makes condemn Lucius Liscius and Lucius Bellienus, paid to have brought back the head of proscribed. But it fails against Catilina, sworn refusing to condemn a member of the old family of the Cornelii . The following year in 63 av. J.C, with the assistance of the powerful orator of the plebs Titus Labiénus, César tries an extravagant legal blow by showing high treason the old senator syllanien Gaius Rabirius for old facts of thirty-seven years: the murder of the Powerful orator of the plebs Saturninus. The business is without precedent since the legendary lawsuit of Horace. Cicéron ensures the defense of Rabirius ( Pro Rabirio ), but the two judges appointed by the praetor are not other than César itself and its Sextus cousin. Rabirius is condemned, but called upon the Roman people, his judgment in front of the Comices is deferred then the business is finally abandoned. César is made elect in 63 av. J. - C. under Pontifex maximus thanks to a campaign financed by Crassus. He spends important money sums and contracts many debts, in order to gain the votes of the Comices tributes, against two frightening rivals (Servilius Isauricus and Q. Catulus), older and worthier than him. According to the use, César settles in the residence of the pontiff to the Regia, and will exert the function of large Pontiff until his mort.

Indicated urban praetor for the following year at the time of the Conspiracy of Catilina (63 av. J. - C.), it does not do anything to prevent it and is suspected of complicity. Salluste, which is a partisan of César, allots these suspicions to libelous operations of Q. Catulus and C.Pison, political adversaries of César. Appien considers for its part that Cicéron does not dare to blame César because of its popularity. At the time of the vote to the Senate on the fate of the accomplices of Catilina, César is opposed to their immediate execution by pleading the illegality of an execution without judgment, but its opinion is put in minority after the intervention of Caton.

Triumvirate and Consulate

The man more in sight on this date is Pompée, after his victory in the East against the king Mithridate VI Eupator. This countryside made it possible Rome to extend in Bithynie, the Pont and in Syria. Pumped returns covered from glory with its legions but in accordance with the rule, he lays off them after having received the triumph, in 61 av. J. - C..

With the pinnacle of glory, Pumped request of the grounds for its former soldiers and the confirmation of the advantages which he promised for the cities and princes d' Orient, but the Senate refuses. César opportunely exploits the disappointment of Pumped, brings it closer to Crassus, and forms with them the First triumvirate. This secret agreement seals an alliance between the three men, each one abstaining from carrying out harmful actions with the one of the three. César reinforces shortly after this alliance by marrying his/her Julia daughter in Pompée.

The civil war

César can be presented like the victim of the eagerness of the conservatives and in the form of a defender of the powerful orators of the plebs. Taking the initiative of the illegality, it decides in January 49 av. J. - C. to penetrate out of weapons in Italy, and crosses the Rubicon, river marking the border between Italy and the Gaulle cisalpine. Plutarque and Suétone put in scene this historical turning point and allot to César the quotation “ Alea jacta is ” (“the fate is thrown by it. ”), meaning that it tried the destiny. For César, there are nothing any more but two exits: death and dishonor or victory and capacity. He put on the audacity and the speed of his military displacements and on the experiment and the fidelity of his legions, and dissociates atrocities of the preceding civil war by his policy of leniency, not exerting neither proscriptions nor reprisals.

Triumph

When César returns to Rome, peace returned, Italy did not know the atrocities of the preceding civil wars. All the writers will rent the leniency of César, which accommodated without restriction the pompéiens which went and no proscription against the political community exerted. César can announce to the people that the annexation of Gaules and the Numidie and protectorate on the Egypt will make it possible to obtain corn and oil in abundance and definitively to solve the problems of supply of Rome.

In August and September 46, César celebrates by a quadruple Triomphe its victories over Gaules, the Bridge, Egypt and Numidie. The duration and the ostentation of the ceremonies, the hugeness of the spoils eclipse all the preceding triumphs. With each ceremony, César vêtu of Pourpre traverses in the tank the Crowned Voie, followed spoils, prisoners, soldiers who have any freedom to stress the jokes most dared on his account. To go up to the Capitole to offer a sacrifice to the Temple of Jupiter Capitolin, the tank of César passes between two lines of elephants which hold of the torches.

César offers to the people stage performances, races, tournaments of athletes, spectacles of hunting and gladiators, reconstitutions of terrestrial and nautical combat, the latter is the first Naumachie shown in Rome. Public banquets join together close to: 200000 guests. The sale of the spoils pays more than 600 million Sesterce S, and the money is distributed to flood: the 75 sums of money that César had promised are given to each citizen, with 25 sums of money moreover to compensate for the delay, the legionaries receive: 24000 sesterces each one, and of the batches of ground. The rents of less than 1000 sesterces in Rome and less than 500 sesterces in Italy are cancelled.

The majority of the claims of the Populares are now satisfied, and César undertakes the reforms necessary to the administration of the Roman world. It makes proceed to a census, and adjusts with the fall the number of allocatees of the distributions of corn. It compensates for this measurement by installing 80.000 poor citizens and of the soldiers demobilized in news colonies in the provinces, of which Carthage and Corinthe that it makes rebuild.

Absolute capacity

Peace lasts only a few months. In 46 av. J.C, the last forces of the party pompéien rise in Spain, carried out by Pompée the Young person, wire of Pumped, and Titus Labiénus. Consul for the fourth time, César arrives at forced marches to Spain front in December 46 J.C. This war is long and without mercy, with executions on both sides. César completes in April 45 av. J.C its last adversaries with Munda, in the keenest battle of the civil wars. Delayed by a disease, its young nephew Octave joined it in Spain in spite of the dangers of the way, gesture that César appreciates highly. In the last will which it writes, it states to adopt Octave and designates it as principal heir with like another heir Quintus Pedius, its other nephew who fought at his sides in Spain.

The plot

By appointing itself the higher magistrates, César stops the corrupting cycle of the ruinous electoral campaigns financed by the financial extortion on the provinces, and relieves finally the load of those; but this reduces the profits of the money brewers who are the Publicain S and replaces the political competition by arbitrary and an unworthy slavish flattery which cause oppositions: for the year 44 av. J.C, César indicates Marc Antoine as consul and Marcus Junius Brutus and Cassius like Préteur S. According to Plutarque, the disappointment of Cassius which hoped for the consulate is one of the reasons which lead it to plot. All the Roman historians present it like the principal instigator of the plot against César. Cassius gathers little by little a coterie of opponents, old pompéiens pardoned by César, but also, note the modern historians, of the césariens which were useful at the time of the war of Gaules. The latter fear probably military forwarding that prepares César against the Parthes which would be followed of a return by the Scythie and the Germanic one.

The plotters seek in Marcus Junius Brutus the chief symbolic system ideal: it bears the mythical name of Brutus which drove out Tarquin Superb the, the last king who reigned on Rome as a tyrant. Nephew and admiror of Caton, Brutus, often held for Stoical but actually much nearer to the Academy could in addition find in his philosophical convictions of the reasons to act against a " tyran". He married Porcia, girl of Caton and widow of Bibulus, and consequently he is the moral heir to the last republicans. However, César filled it favors and named it urban praetor. The plotters thus carry out a psychological approach: they strew each day the court which Brutus of anonymous messages chairs which call upon Brutus hunter of king: “Brutus, you sleep, you are not Brutus truth! ”. Then, Cassius convinces Brutus to act against César. Présenter Brutus like the inspirer of the plot against César makes it possible to federate other opponents.

The rumors of plot arrive in César, which is not concerned with it, guarantor who it is with the current, or even into pleasant: when it is informed it that Brutus plots, rétorque César while gripping itself It will await well the end of this carcass! .

February 14th 44 av. J.C, the Senate confers on César the perpetual dictatorship. Its capacity is from now on unbounded, even the intercessio of the powerful orators cannot be exerted on its Imperium . Any hope of an abdication like that of Sylla and one return to the Republic of before the war disappears. César makes surprising decisions then: he issues a general amnesty, and lays off his personal guard.

Another inconsistency with the eyes of the Roman historians, César neglects the Présage S: warnings of the soothsayers, warning statement for the period going until the Ides of march, nightmare of its wife Calpurnia ides day before. At most, learning the harmful signs observed on the victims offered in preliminary from the meeting to the senate, César is solved not to make any important decision this day.

The death of César

Entreated envisaged their attack with the Ides of march (March 15th of the year 44 av. J. - C.), at the beginning of the meeting of the Senate. Seul César is aimed, Marc Antoine who accompanies César is attracted with the variation by false solicitants, while César is surrounded by the group of entreated. Métellus makes sure that César does not carry any protection, and all attack it: it falls bored from 23 stabs.

Funeral and will

César designated in its will three heirs, the grandsons of his/her sisters, namely Gaius Octavius, Lucius Pinarius Scarpus and Quintus Pedius. It bequeathed the three quarters of its heritage to the first and the quarter remaining with the two different ones. In the last clause of its will, César adopted Gaius Octavius, the future emperor Auguste, and its name gave him. Lastly, it bequeathed to the Roman people his gardens close to the the Tiber and three hundred Sesterce S by tête.
March 20th, one to rough-hew was drawn up on the field of Mars, close to the tomb of his/her Julia daughter, and one imagines obviously the dramatic effect of this proximity. The body of César, lying on a bed of Ivory tightened Crimson and of Gold, was initially deposited in a gilded vault, built on the forum, in front of the platform with the harangues. At its head, its ensanglantée toga was exposed on a trophy. As the body rested, face towards the sky, and could not be considering, one raised above him a wax life size effigy, so that crowd could contemplate the twenty-three wounds (thirty-five according to other authors) which had been wildly inflicted to him with the body and the face. To underline the ignominie of this crime, Marc Antoine made read, as funeral oration, a list of the honors which had been reserved for César, as well as the oath which had lent the senators to defend his life. One sang worms among which returned, to cause the compassion, a quotation borrowed from the Jugement of the Weapons of Pacuvius: “Did they Have to be saved so that they became my murderers? ” (taking into account the leniency César had obstinately made proof with regard to Brutus, it was particularly quite selected).
Capsized by the skilful one and pathetic setting in scene, crowd in anger piled up around the funeral bed the wood torn off with the neighbouring shops and all that fell to him under the hand to build one to rough-hew apotheosis, as it had done a few years earlier for the funeral of Clodius. The veterans of its legions threw their weapons and certain women there the jewels which they carried. Jewish, which did not forget that César had enabled them to raise the walls of Jerusalem shot down by Pompée, met several nights of continuation around its tomb for the pleurer.
It is told that when Caïus Matius organized funerary plays in July -44 at the time of the birthday of its birth, a Comet started to shine in the sky (appearance also attested by the Chinese astronomers) and the Etna entered in eruption, making its death a cosmic upheaval. With the site where it was incinerated, its adoptive great nephew and wire, the future Auguste, made set up a temple. Sometimes nowadays, one comes from fort far to deposit some flowers, a poem, a candle and to perpetuate there the memory of that which wanted to be “the first in Rome”… The commemorative plaque affixed by the city for the visitors, borrows from Appien its account of the event:

… and one brought back it on the Forum, where the old palate of kings de Rome was; the plebeian ones gathered all the objects of wood and all the benches in which the Forum abounded, and all kinds of other similar things, then over the very abundant ornaments of the procession reflect, several still paid on their premises quantity of crowns and decorations military: then they lit to rough-hew it and spent the night presses some near him; it is there that a first furnace bridge was set up, and that now the temple of César is, which, judges one, deserves to be honoured like a god…

See also: funerary Rite of the Roman religion

After César

The plot did not achieve however its goals. The consul Marc Antoine had been saved, at the request of Brutus. Lépide, which stationed with troops near Rome and Octave which was in Epire were out of reach. On the other hand, the attack against César guided the applicants with his succession on the action to be taken: they symbolically made stripe the dictatorship Roman magistratures, and replaced it by a quinquennial triumvirate. The policy of leniency had proven its suicidal danger, the triumvirs began a wave of bloody proscriptions followed by 14 years of civil war, against the assassins of César, Sextus Pompée, then between triumvirs. Octave ends up carrying it in 31 av. J. - C., and became Auguste, single and absolute Master of the Empire. It confirmed and continued the reforms started by César, organizing an Empire pacified, stabilized and managed with more equity. Like Auguste and all the emperors with his continuation, Jules César was divinisé after his death.

Jules César writer

César was not only one large general and a great man of State, it also excelled in the art of public speaking and the writing. Various writings which it had composed, there remain to us only its Commentaires ( Commentarii rerum gestarum ):

De Bello Gallico , “Comments on the War of Gaules”, reporting the countryside of César as a Gaulle.
De Bello ciuile , “Comments on the Civil war”, reporting the civil war against Pumped.

These works constitute the model like the historical memories, even if their objectivity is discussed by the historians. Indeed, these works are used political propaganda as César, and consequently their exactitude can be questioned.
One generally joined there, following works even if they were probably written by Aulus Hirtius:

De Bello Alexandrino , “On the war of Alexandria”, reporting the countryside of César with Alexandria.
De Bello Africo , “On the war of Africa”, reporting the countryside of César in North Africa.
De Bello Hispaniensis , “On the war of Hispanie”, reporting the countryside of César in the Iberian peninsula.

César as wrote in -45 the Anticato , counterpart with panegyric as Cicéron pronounced in favor of Caton d' Utique, “the last republican”. This work, now lost, is known by the quotations of Cicéron ( AD Atticum , 13,50,1), Tacite ( Annales , 4,34), Suétone ( Caesar , 56,3), Plutarque ( Caesar , 54), Appien, Juvénal and Dion Cassius.
Finally and more curiously, it wrote a treaty of grammar Of analogia , in two books, in which it exposes grammatical theories argued on the analogy (from where the title of the work), as well as a poem entitled the Voyage .
César also seems to have written several tests in its youth ( Éloge of Hercules , a tragedy of Oedipus , a Recueil of remarkable words ), but Auguste prohibits their publications, after the death of the dictator. According to the historian Pierre Grimal, these three lost works were probably written in Greek.

The heritage of César

Political reforms

Jules César become dictator takes again certain administrative reforms undertaken earlier a generation by the preceding dictator Sylla. Again, it is necessary to adapt the institutions to the extension of the Roman power which results from the conquests in the East and a Gaulle, and to offer loads to its partisans:

new increase in the number of magistrates: the Questeur S pass from 20 to 40, the Préteur S from 8 to 16, the municipal official S are from now on 6. The consuls are always two, but the nomination of consuls suffects in complement of the two consuls éponymes makes it possible to lay out of more than candidates for the functions Proconsul surfaces.
César carries out the direct nomination of half of the magistrates, and recommends the candidates to the elections for other half.
reconstitution of manpower of the Senate; the losses of the civil war are compensated by massive incorporation novel members, including provincial Gallic or Spanish, making pass to 800 or 900 the manpower fixed by Sylla at 600 senators.

For the administration of the provinces, César wants to avoid the five years mandates that it practiced, like Pompée; it limits the duration of the loads of governor: one year for a Propréteur, two years for a proconsul. The organization of the Italian Municipe S is specified by an outline law, whose copy reached us, the Tables of Héraclée.

These reforms will be preserved by Auguste, they will enable him to have a many elite, necessary to the administration of a Empire.

Architectural achievements

The activity of builder of César appears several times in its political career. Each time, its achievements, always spectacular, are intended to reinforce its prestige and its popularity.

At the end of the war of Gaules in 51 av. J. - C., César starts its electoral campaign for a future candidature for the consulate. Pumped had built the first Roman Théâtre stone in Rome and a news curie a few years before. César launches in its turn a project of prestigious public building: new a forum, in the north of old, opening on the Argilète. It is financed by the spoils of Gaules, and starts with the purchase of the grounds, for a sum of one hundred million Sesterce S according to Suétone. This Forum Julium follows a plan similar to that of the forum of Pompéi which dates from the same period: a long rectangular esplanade closed by an enclosure bordered of Gantry S, at the bottom of which Venus rises the temple. According to Appien, the dedication of this temple would have made following the wish of César raise a temple with Venus Victorieuse if it were victorious in Pharsale. In front of this temple, it was made represent by an equestrian statue.

The work undertaken on the old forum sees the rebuilding of the curia Hostilia, set fire to in 52 av. J.C by the partisans of Clodius Pulcher. Other more ambitious projects are considered: the construction of largest the basilica of Rome on the site of the old woman Basilica Sempronia, the construction of a temple of Mars, and a second theater out of stone. All these building sites will be suspended during the civil wars. Octave become Auguste will conclude them their by completing large the Basilique Julia and the Théâtre of Marcellus, and by dedicating a Temple of Mars avenger.

The reorganization of Rome

To relieve congestion over-populated Rome, César pushes back the administrative limits and widens of them the perimeter crowned of the Pomœrium to a thousand Roman (1,5 km) of the old walls of the city. This measurement was hardly sufficient, because Auguste still increases this perimeter a generation later by creating the 14 areas of Rome.

Always for the management of Rome, César makes count the urban population, according to a new and original method: the citizens are not convened any more by tribes to ravel in front of the services of census. The census is organized district by district, and they are the owners of the buildings of hiring which must declare their tenants. The method had to be effective, because Auguste will take it again. Without specifying the results of this enumeration, Suétone says that it made it possible to bring back: 320000 with: 150000 the number of recipients of free distributions of corn founded by Clodius Pulcher in 58 av. J.C.

An ultimate bill of César intended to somewhat improve circulation in an agglomeration with the streets narrow and encumbered prohibited circulation of day to any vehicle with wheel, except for the tanks of procession at the time of the ceremonies and the carts of contractors, necessary to the urban building sites. This law was voted after the death of César, and remained in force several centuries, showing its need.

Currencies

The civil wars carried out by César impose strong financial needs to him, to maintain more and more legions, which move from one sector to another of the Empire. It thus obtains starting from 49 av. J.C. a monetary Atelier which follows its displacements on the theaters of operation, and strikes the monetary species for which it has an increasing need. This practice is not new, the Roman Senate had authorized it for the expeditionary large body of Lucullus or Pompée in the East, but César assumes it while seizing the reserve of gold of the Republic. In addition, César brings two great innovations, which serve its policy, that its successors Octave and Marc Antoine will perennialize, and which will institutionalize themselves under the Roman Empire:

the striking of currency out of gold
figuration of its portrait on the currencies

Rome had emitted gold currencies only temporarily, primarily at the most difficult moments of the Second Punic War and while drawing from the noble metal reserves thesaurized by the Senate. The emission of Aureus thus joins again with the idea to draw from the reserves to save the Republic. Moreover, the strong value of this currency (a aureus for 25 sum of money S of money or 100 Sesterce S) facilitates the important gratifications with the soldiers of César and contributes to their prestige.

The reasons which appear on the currencies emitted by César take part in its propaganda: in addition to its name or its portrait, a first under the Republic, appear mainly the following reasons:

Venus, of profile or in foot, that César presents like its ancestor, is the most frequent topic;
of the accessories of the worship, which point out its piety and its qualities of Augure and Pontifex maximus;
of the Victoire S, the military signs, and the Trophy S of victory against the Gallic ones.

See also: Ærarium, Roman Currency, Roman economy

The calendar

The family of César

His/her parents

See also: Caius Iulius Caesar III, Aurelia Cotta

The father of Jules César, Caius Iulius Caesar III, born towards 135 av. J. - C. and deceased in 85 av. J. - C., is the son of Caius Julius Caesar II. Resulting from a patrician family cash several consuls (Sextus Julius Caesar II and Sextus Julius Caesar III) he exerts during his life the functions of Questeur (99 av. J. - C. or 98 av. J. - C.), Préteur (92 av. J. - C.) then governor of Asia (91 av. J. - C.). He dies abruptly of natural cause with Pisae in 85 av. J. - C., is resulting from a patrician family and consular (his/her three brothers were consuls). For Tacit and Plutarque, it incarnates the Matrone Roman, exemplary by education and the devotion which it carries to her children and his family and in particular to her son. Become widowed in 85 av. J. - C., it remarie not and continuous to live itself with this last.

His/her sisters

Except for César, Caius Iulius Caesar III and Aurelia Cotta had two other children, two girls, Julia Caesaris “Maior” (the old one) and Julia Caesaris “Minor” (the young person).
Information relating to Julia Caesaris “Maior” is very few. Suétone confirms the existence of the latter because it according to him would have taken part in the charge of Clodius Pulcher continued for sacrilege and adultery. It had at least a son, because various authors mention the share reserved for this child in the will of César.
Julia Caesaris “Minor” is born in 101 av. J. - C. and dies in 51 av. J. - C.. She marries Marcus Atius Balbus, originating in Aricie and is the mother of Atia Balba Caesonia and the grandmother of Octave, which will be adopted by César and will become the emperor Auguste.

Its wives

See also: Cossutia, Cornelie Cinna, Pompeia Sylla, Calpurnia Pisonis

According to the Roman author Suétone, Cossutia was the first woman of César, which he divorced to marry Cornelia (the mother of its daughter Julia) for political reasons: “and though it had been promised in marriage, as of his childhood, in Cossutia, of a simple equestrian family, but strong rich person, it repudiated it, to marry Cornélie, girl of Cinna, which had been four times consul ( dimissa divine Cossutia quae familia equestri sed admorum praetextato desponsata furat… )”.

The examination of the rare sources and the compilation of the studies on the subject carry out to release the following assumption. César, has just adorned the toga virilis, married Cossutia, resulting from a rich person family of the equestrian order, between July 85 av. J. - C and July 84 av. J. - C (undoubtedly at the instigation of his/her parents and for financial reasons, the family not being especially rich) and divorced it the following year, under the consulate of Lucius Cornelius Cinna, of which he married the girl, Cornelia (a more personal choice translating an political orientation who never contradicted herself thereafter, César, although still very young having become the household head with died of his father).
Plutarque, as for him, does not bring a satisfactory solution because the account which it makes of the life of César comprises certain inconsistencies:
“With the return of its quaestorship, he married in third Pompeia weddings; he had of Cornélia, his first wife, a girl, who thereafter was married in large Pompée. ” The passage comprises a contradiction that Napoleon III had already raised in its temps.
Five years later, in 63 av. J. - C., César is elected Pontifex maximus and decides to divorce following the relations supposed between his wife and a young patrician, Clodius Pulcher.
Lastly, in 59 av. J. - C., it marries Calpurnia Pisonis with which there will remain dependant until its death in 44 av. J. - C..

His/her children

See also: Julia (girl of Jules César), Ptolémée XV, Auguste

Cornelie Cinna gives him his/her single legitimate child, a fore-mentioned girl Julia, which is born in 83 av. J. - C. or 82 av. J. - C. and marries Pompée in 60 av. J. - C.. She dies in 54 av. J. - C..
During its stay in Egypt, César maintains the relations with Cléopâtre VII which will be confined later (towards 47 av. J. - C., or more probably towards 44 av. J. - C.) of a child, Ptolémée XV known as Césarion . However, the paternity of César towards this child is discussed by the historians. Césarion is assassinated very young person (15 or 17 years) by Auguste, the adoptive son of César and first Roman Emperor.
In 46 av. J. - C., César, without legitimate descent, adopts its Octave great nephew by will which, according to the Roman use in the event of adoption, from now on is called Caius Julius Cæsar Octavianus (Octavien). It will become later Auguste, first emperor of Rome.
Lastly, César is perhaps the father of Brutus, which it would have had with Servilia Caepionis in 85 av. J. - C.. Indeed, Plutarque in its work, Life of Brutus , brings back the benevolence of César towards this one and the belief which it had acquired to be the natural father, the child having incipient during the period when it attended Servilia Caepionis.

Conquests in love with César

Women of the Roman high society

Queens

The health condition of César

According to the Greek historian Plutarque the health of César was fragile, this last being indeed prone to frequent headaches and attacks of epilepsy ^,^,^,.
This weakness of César and its bad health condition also seem to be attested by Suétone ^,^,^,. However, Suétone underlines also the endurance of César to walk or the stroke at the time of its campaigns.
Other authors make state, as for them, of faintnesses to the any end of its vie^,.
Nevertheless, César could not also effectively have ordered its troops as a Gaulle if it had been in bad health. Whatever the disease affecting it, it seems to have tested it only tardily. The certificates of its “epilepsy” date only from the last years of its life (with Thapsus and perhaps with Munda). If it had been differently, Cicéron which did not carry it in its heart, would surely not have deprived itself to attack it on the subject as it did claimed in connection with ventures with the king Nicomède IV of Bithynie.

Moreover, it should be remembered that the diagnosis of the diseases did not obey the same criteria as today and than of the symptoms resembling those described very imprécisément by Plutarque and Suétone can be due to many other causes (Hypoglycémie, Malaise vagal, blow on the head, Tumeur etc). Some of these affections can be also accompanied by a deterioration of the behavior and it seems that was the case during the last months that César passed to Rome before being assassinated. The reading of these documents, which were not compiled by contemporaries, does not make it possible to slice in a final way.

It is also extremely probable that a filtering of the sources of the time was operated by Auguste, censuring all that did not lie within the scope of its propaganda (including and especially works of César other than the Commentaires ). César died between 56 and 58 years, which constitutes a honourable age and a long life of life for the time. The tumultuous life that it carried out, will have surely left of the traces, since it was not spared.

Works inspired by the life of César

The Middle Ages

Jules César belongs to the historical characters most projecting of the world culture. Its popularity does not cease growing as of the 12th century with the diffusion of the reason for the Last nine Valiant knights , nine great historical figures or mythical which incarnate the ideal of the king knight. Of this tradition the king of squares of our card decks remains still today.

Rebirth at the modern age

César inspired with William Shakespeare, one of its more famous tragedies, Jules César , presented in 1623.
the Death of César , tragedy in three acts, written by Voltaire in 1731, published in 1736 and represented the August 29th 1743 by the Th3e4atre Fran1cais. Work on Gallica
Jules César in Egypt , opera of Haendel, was created with London in 1736 with the theater Haymarket.
Of many sculptures appears it, of which:

Jules César , sculpture in foot made out of marble in 1713 by Nicolas Coustou and François Girardon, in the Puget court with the Museum of Louvre.
Jules César , of Ambrogio Parigi, exposed to the Garden of Tileries.

César and Cléopâtre , play created in 1898 by George Bernard Shaw.

Modern works

Jules César with the ridge of the capacity is as from 1959 a recurring character of the Cartoon Astérix the Gallic, creating a humorous vision which will be a constant in the French representation general public of César.
With the cinema, it was entitled to burlesques Péplum S of French realization:

in 1982, Two hours minus the quarter before Jesus-Christ where he is interpreted by Michel Serrault
in Astérix and Obélix against César in 1999 and Mission Cléopâtre in 2002.

Inversement, the Anglo-Saxon realizers appear it in a more dramatic way, in particular in the many cinematographic versions of Cléopâtre :

in 1945, César and Cléopâtre , British film carried out by Gabriel Pascal, where Claude Rains plays the part of César
in 1953, Jules César , American film carried out by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, according to the part of William Shakespeare.
in 1963 in Cléopâtre , with Rex Harrison in the role of César
more recently in 2005, the televised series Rome , coproduite by HBO and BBC, recalls (in a rather correct way historically, although simplified) its course as a dictator.

Of innumerable historians undertook biographies of Jules César, one can quote Jerome Carcopino, Joel Schmidt, Robert Etienne and max Gallo among the contemporaries. Its life was taken again in a more fictionalized way by Colleen McCullough.

Quotations

Several sentences allotted to Jules César passed to the posterity:

The men believe in what they wish .
The danger which one has a presentiment of, but that one does not see, is that which disturbs more .
I will continue my chance until the bottom of water .
I would like better to be the first in a village that the second in Rome .
The woman of César should not be suspected .
. (I came, I saw, I overcame)
Aurelius Victor, De Viris it
Dion Cassius, Roman Histoire , books XXXVII with XLIV
Flavius Josèphe, judaïques Antiquities
Frontin, the Stratagems
Nicolas of Damas, Mort of César
Plutarque, Vie of César
Salluste, Conspiracy of Catilina , Lettres in César
Suétone, Vies of the twelve Césars , delivers I
Velleius Paterculus, Roman Histoire , delivers II
the work a Vie of César , allotted to Julius Celsus, author almost contemporary, but who is of Pétrarque.

Modern authors

C. Iulii Caesaris Commentariorum of bello Gallico, libri VIII, Civili Pompeiano, lib. III, Alexandrino, lib. I, Africano, Lib. I. Hispaniensi, lib. I. (…). Lugduni, apud Seb. Gryphium (Lyon, Sebastien Gryphe), 1547;
Napoleon I {{er}} dictated with Sainte-Hélène a Précis of the wars of César , Paris, 1836;
Napoleon III wrote a Histoire of Jules César , 1865. ;
Theodor Mommsen, Roman History , delivers V, Fondation of military monarchy. ;
Jerome Carcopino, Jules César , university Presses of France, Paris, 1990;
Luciano Canfora, Jules César, the democratic dictator ;
Paul Marius Martin, To kill César , Complex, Brussels, 1988;
Christian Meier, César , Threshold, Paris, 1989;
max Gallo, Cesar Imperator ;
Yann Bohec, César war leader;
Yann Bohec, César , Which do I know? n° 1049, 1994, 128 p. (NB: work translated into Chinese, Swedish, Rumanian, Bulgarian and Polish)
Jean Malye, true story of Jules César , Beautiful Letters, 2007 (texts translated and with accompanying notes, very good accesses to the ancient sources);
Robert Etienne, Jules César , Beech, Paris, 1997;
Gerard Walter, César , Marabout, 1980;

Roman Republic
War of Gaules
Comments on the War of Gaules
Comments on the Civil war
Battle of Pharsale
Gaulle
First triumvirate

External bonds

Jules César on the site memo.fr

Simple: Julius Caesar

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