Army In Spain And Caesar example essay topic

Gaius Julius Caesar was a powerful military leader who changed the course of the Greco-Roman civilization decisively and irreversibly. Julius belonged to Rome's original Aristocracy, the patricians, or landholding upper class, and his lineage can be traced back to the goddess Venus. While growing up Caesar dreamed of being like Alexander the Great who had already conquered what at Caesar's time was known as the world. Also, Caesar admired and studied the two most successful Roman's of his day, Pompey and Crassus.

With this envy and his military genius Caesar was determined to leave his mark in the world. Caesar won power with his incredible military tactics and had great influence over his troops and many people. However, the power and stature Caesar yearned for eventually led to his assignation in the end. Julius Caesar is best remembered for his military leadership, reforms, and infamous death.

First, Caesar was famous for his amazing military leadership. "Caesar was evidently fascinated and obsessed by military and imperial problems" (Caesar 3). Once in power "Caesar set out to conquer Gaul, starting with the Helevetii, a tribe in what is now Switzerland" (Green 27). He called a meeting with the Helevetii chief and demanded his tribe leave Gaul; however, they refused. The Romans were skillful fighters and easily defeated the Helevetii (29). Next, Caesar and his troops moved on to conquer the Germans.

"The Roman troops were frightened by stories about how fiercely the Germans fought, but Caesar raised their moral with a brilliant speech" (29). The Romans attacked strategically and the German leader, Ariovistus, barely escaped alive. By now, Caesar had taken most of Gaul under control; however, Vercingetorix, a chief of a Gallic tribe, believed he could defeat the Roman army. For the first time Caesar faced a brave and skillful general. But the Romans were relentless, and after a month of fighting, Vercingetorix surrendered. Finally, Gaul was completely under Roman control.

Before Caesar set off for the Gallic wars, he had formed the first triumvirate, or league of three, including Pompey, Crassus, and himself (25). However, while in Gaul the triumvirate became weak, and then totally fell apart when Crassus was killed in a battle (41). Pompey feared all of the power Caesar had gained in Gaul, and that he would try to overthrow him. So, Caesar was ordered by the Senate to lay down his command, and cross the river Rubicon, the border of Gaul and Italy, alone (Caesar 2). But, Caesar believed if he went into Italy alone he would be thrown into jail, so he and his troops crossed the river, and Caesar declared, "Let the dice be cast", marking the beginning of the civil war. As he crossed into Italy Rome panicked remembering how he had slaughtered the Gallic tribes.

Pompey fled to the East where he was quickly trying to get together an army to defend himself against Caesar. Meanwhile, Pompey also had an army in Spain and Caesar, with his quick wits, realized this and declared, "I am going to Spain to fight an army without a general, and then to the east to fight a general without an army". So Caesar defeated the army in Spain and traveled back to the East to conquer Pompey himself. When Caesar arrived, it turned out Pompey had gathered quite an army in size, however, for some reason in the middle of fighting Pompey fled into Egypt.

This left the whole army he left behind in chaos, so Caesar took this to his advantage, and conquered what was left of the army and Caesar said, "Today the enemy would have won if they had a commander who was a winner". After, Caesar perused Pompey into Egypt and when he arrived he was presented with his head. "Pompey had once been the greatest man in Rome, and now his head rotted in the relentless Egyptian sun" (Green 49). Caesar is said to have wept at the site, because even though they were now enemies, they had once been good friends. Caesar stayed in Egypt for a short time with Cleopatra and then went back to Rome as dictator. Of all the battles Caesar had fought he had not been defeated once which proved Caesar to be a brave and skillful general, something he aspired of since he was young.

Second, Caesar was remembered for his reforms, which "were wide ranging, covering areas dealing with the provinces, administration, the economy, and public works" (Reforms 1). One reform was to establish twenty Roman colonies, with the intention of expanding and repopulating older colonies (1). This was important because it "Romanized" the provinces by spreading Roman influence to other areas, and decreased the nationalism felt by Roman enemies (1). It proved a way to decrease the population in overpopulated cities, and provided more job opportunities for Romans (1). Also, the land in Africa and Asia was cheap, so it was an easy way to have land available for the retiring veterans.

Another significant reform was the revision of the calendar. The calendar the Romans had been using was out of synchronization with the actual seasons (1). Because the Pope could add days at his will to make up for the difference, it was hard to schedule festivals and public meetings. So Caesar improved the calendar by adding several months, one of which was July, named after him (Green 56). The new calendar had 365 days in a year, and to keep it on track he added a leap year.

When he was finished he called it the Julian Calendar. We still use the Julian Calendar today except for some minor changes made by Pope Gregory. Caesar's reforms were very significant and had a great influence on many people and cultures afterwards. Last, Caesar was remembered for his unfortunate death, on March 15, 44 BC, the Ides of March.

Caesar, just several months before, had been named dictator for life, and to many people this meant the republic was dead (Green 54). A conspiracy had formed against Caesar, planning to kill him for the good of the republic. Days before the senate meeting, where Caesar was planned to be murdered, a fortuneteller is said to have warned him to "beware the Ides of March", but Caesar paid no attention to the warning. Also, the night before the meeting, his wife had terrible dreams Caesar was in danger, and begged him to stay home (7). However, Decius, Caesar's good friend, came to his house and convinced Caesar to go to the senate meeting. On their way to the forum, a man pressed a note into Caesar's hand, but he ignored it.

After, Caesar, unknowingly walking into a trap, entered the forum and the conspirators speaking calmly began circling him. Suddenly they stuck. "One after another, they plunged their daggers into his body" (9). Caesar was stabbed twenty-three times and left to die at the foot of a statue of his old enemy Pompey (Ong 3). The note the man had given him warned of the attack, but it was to late now. "His assassins some of whom were his friends, killed him to try and save the old government", author Robert Green noted, however it would never be the same.

After Caesar's death a second triumvirate was created, formed by Mark Antony, Octavius, and Lepidus (Caesar 3). The new group didn't last long though, and in no time a civil war had begun between Octavius and Mark Antony. Antony retreated into Egypt to gather an army with Cleopatra, but they were both beaten in a sea battle against Octavius, and unable to escape him, were compelled to commit suicide (3). With Antony out of the way Octavius returned to rule Rome himself. He was more careful in dealing with Roman tradition and gathered power gradually until he was "emperor in all but name" (4).

Julius Caesar was a strong leader who is remembered for his military leadership, wide-ranging reforms, and infamous death. On the battlefield he proved himself to be a genius of military tactics, and extremely dedicated to his troops. In the office he was ambitious to lead Rome and increase its efficiency. However, his influence was not positive to everyone, and his power eventually lead to his assassination. Caesar was a brilliant ruler whose legacy will be remembered forever.

Bibliography

Green, Robert. Julius Caesar. New York: Franklin Watts, 1996.
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Gaius Julius Caesar". 28 September 1999.
Ong, Greg. "The Causes for Assassination". 26 November 2000.
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Caesar's Reforms". 26 November 2000.