Notes on Julius Caesar

·         born into a patrician family

·         Little is recorded of Caesar's childhood

·         Father died suddenly, so he became head of his family at 16

·         nominated to be the new high priest of Jupiter

·         married Cornelia

·         targeted by Sulla

·         refused to divorce Cornelia and went into hiding

·         left Rome, joined the army, and won the Civic Crown

·         After dictator Sulla died, he returned home

·         Kidnapped by pirates and held prisoner in the Aegean Sea

·         had the pirates crucified on his own authority

·         Was a Roman general and statesman

·         elected military tribune

·         elected quaestor for 69 BC

·         ran for election and won

·         appointed to govern Spain

·         In Spain, he was hailed as imperator by his troops

·         In 60 BC, Caesar sought election as consul, won, and took  the position for 59 BC

·         Was in political debt

·         In 60 BC, Caesar entered into a political alliance with Crassus and Pompey

·         Caesar's conquest of Gaul extended Rome's territory to the North Sea

·         The Senate, led by Pompey, ordered Casear to disband his army and return to Rome

·         Pompey accused Caesar of insubordination and treason

·         In 55 BC, he conducted the first Roman invasion of Britain

·         Caesar marched from Gaul to Italy with his legions, crossed the Rubicon River, and caused a civil war

·         Became dictator with Mark Antony as second in command

·         became involved with an Egyptian civil war, sided with Cleopatra, won, and Cleopatra became the ruler

·          Caesar and Cleopatra celebrated their victory with a triumphant procession on the Nile in the spring of 47 BC

·         Assassinated on the Ides of March

·         Played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman republic into the Roman Empire

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Caesar