Full Name: Gaius Julius Caesar
Profession: Roman Military Commander and Statesman
Biography: Born of a patrician family, Julius Caesar rose through the political and military ranks of Republican Rome to become Consul in 59BC, establishing control of Rome by forming the so-called First Triumvirate with Pompey and Crassus.
Appointed Governor of 4 legions he conquered Gaul greatly extending Rome's empire. In 49BC Caesar, refusing to give up his command he crossed the Rubicon and ignited civil war.
Appointed Dictator of Rome in 48BC he defeated his opponents before instigating a series of reforms, including the Roman calendar.
He was assassinated in Rome on the Ides of March by a group of conspirators including Brutus. His death led directly to the end of the Roman Republic and the establishment of the Roman Empire under Caesar's heir Augustus.
Born: July 13, 100 BC
Birthplace: Rome, Roman Republic
Star Sign: Cancer
Died: March 15, 44 BC (aged 55)
Cause of Death: Assassination
Articles and Photos
Did a Snake Kill Cleopatra?
Cleopatra, the legendary Queen of Egypt, is said to have died on this day, famously submitting to the bite of a poisonous snake. The story might even be true. . .
August 10, 30 BC
Assassination of Julius Caesar
The Death of Caesar by Jean-Léon Gérôme
March 15, 44 BC
Julius Caesar Crosses the Rubicon
An illustration of Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon River into Italy, signaling the beginning of the civil war in Rome
January 10, 49 BC
Gregory Conquers Julius Caesar
The calendar invented by Julius Caesar was to endure for 1,600 years, but it was finally discarded when Pope Gregory XIII came up with a more accurate version.
October 4, 1582
Historical Events
- 0052-10-03 BC Vercingetorix, leader of the Gauls, surrenders to the Romans under Julius Caesar, ending the siege and battle of Alesia
- 0049-01-10 BC Julius Caesar defies the Roman Senate and crosses the Rubicon, uttering "alea iacta est" (the die is cast), signaling the start of civil war and his appointment as Roman dictator for life
- 0048-08-09 BC Caesar's civil war: Battle of Pharsalus - Julius Caesar decisively defeats Pompey at Pharsalus and Pompey flees to Egypt.
- 0048-07-10 BC Battle of Dyrrhachium: Julius Caesar barely avoids a catastrophic defeat to Pompey near the city of Dyrrachium (in what is now Albania)
- 0046-09-26 BC Julius Caesar dedicates a temple to his mythical ancestor Venus Genetrix in accordance with a vow he made at the Battle of Pharsalus
- 0046-09-21 BC Julius Caesar celebrates first of four triumphal processions in Rome - over Gaul, Egypt, Pontus and Africa with leader of the Gauls Vercingetorix led in chains
- 0046-04-06 BC Julius Caesar defeats Caecilius Metellus Scipio and Marcus Porcius Cato (Cato the Younger) in the battle of Thapsus.
- 0046-01-04 BC Julius Caesar defeats Titus Labienus in the Battle of Ruspina
- 0045-03-17 BC In his last victory, Julius Caesar defeats the Pompeian forces of Titus Labienus and Pompey the Younger in the Battle of Munda
- 0045-01-01 BC The Julian calendar takes effect for the first time, by edict of Roman consul Julius Caesar
- 0044-03-15 BC Julius Caesar is stabbed to death by Brutus, Cassius and several other Roman senators on the Ides of March in Rome
- 2023-06-20 Site of Julius Caesar's assassination in Rome, Largo Argentina square, dating back to third century BC, opens to the public for the first time
Quotes by Julius Caesar
- "What we wish, we readily believe, and what we ourselves think, we imagine others think also."
Enver Hoxha
Ferdinand Marcos
Hissène Habré
Augustus Caesar
Constantine the Great
Hadrian