Julius Caesar was a very influential figure in Roman history. Many features of the Roman Empire came from his reign as dictator. But what, specifically, were some of those great achievements? In this research paper, I will explain Julius Caesar’s youth, the Roman Republic before Caesar came to power, the Roman government before Caesar became dictator-for-life, the effects of Julius Caesar, the reasons for his assassination, and what affects there were when the public learned about his assassination.
Julius Caesar, born Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus Augustus, was born into a family of patricians. In fact, he was able to trace his lineage back to Romulus, the first king of Rome (Gill, N.S.). His birth of around July 12, 100 B.C., marked a new beginning for Rome (Julius Caesar). Caesar was a talented negotiator, and that fact helped him on his rise to power. Julius Caesar began his career in politics by becoming a prosecuting advocate. In roughly 68 B.C., he was elected quaestor, which was a Roman official that was elected annually. Becoming a quaestor was needed before becoming a senator. In around 60 B.C., Caesar became a governor of the province of Spain (Gill, N.S.). His rise to power was extremely fast. In 59 B.C., an alliance with his rival Pompey allowed him to be elected a consul, which in the Roman Republic was the highest elected office. Julius Caesar’s political power was quickly rising.
Rome, as a whole, lasted around 1200 years. The Roman Empire was a time of great expansion. In fact, at its peak, Rome had an area of 1.062 million square miles (Roman Empire area). The population for the empire is estimated to be around 137,000 to 395,000 registered citizens (Roman population). To keep all of those citizens satisfied, the government had to set up a few entertainment factors. Those included the Colossuem, where gladiator battles were fought and the Circus Maximus, where chariot races were held. At the time, chariot races were family events, and were highly adored by the public. There were many more features, but these two were the most recognized and the most beloved.
The Roman government was democratic when it came to the citizens. The citizens could elect their own officials, and the officials were supposed to represent every level of Roman society. There were many types of officials. The two consuls were the chief officials of Rome. Once elected, they served for two years (Trueman, Chris). One of their most important powers was controlling the army (Government under Roman Republic). When they were unsure of a course of action, they were advised by the Senate, a council of around six hundred male citizens (Trueman, Chris). Those six hundred men were usually from wealthy patrician families and were the ones in charge of making the laws and controlling the spending. Contrary to the election of the other officials, the Senate was appointed by the current Consuls. Once they were...
