Gaius Julius Caesar (100–44 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. He led his Roman soldiers in a successful campaign (58–51 BC) to conquer all of Gaul (modern-day France), and emerged as the victor in a bitter civil war (49–45 BC) with his rival for power in Rome, Pompey. In the short time that he ruled the Roman world as dictator he proved himself to be a brilliant political and social reformer. Caesar was assassinated in the Roman Senate on the Ides of March (15th March) 44 BC. It was one of the most famous murders in history.

The Roman Republic

Early Rome was ruled by kings, but in 509 BC the people decided to establish a republic. The Roman Republic was ruled by a government called the Senate. Members of the Senate, called senators, were solely men from noble Roman families.

Each year, the senators and a section of the citizens elected two consuls from among the Senate. The consuls governed Rome for one year, in agreement with each other, and advised by the Senate. The principle was that each consul was a check and guide to the other consul. If a consul abused his power, he could be prosecuted after his term in office was over.

Early political career

Julius Caesar was born into a patrician family—the nobles of ancient Rome—probably in the year 100 BC. From a young age, Caesar intended to follow a political career with the aim of winning high office, but he had to gain experience of lower levels of government first. After taking a series of government posts in Rome, he was appointed governor of a Roman province in Spain in 61 BC. In 60 BC he stood for election as one of Rome’s two consuls, the Roman heads of state. After being elected in 59 BC, he decided he needed to gain the support of two powerful former consuls, Pompey and Crassus, and so he made a pact with them. This alliance was known as the First Triumvirate ("rule of three men").

Crossing the Rubicon

While Caesar was busy in Gaul, the Triumvirate began to come under strain. Crassus was killed in battle in Asia Minor (modern Turkey) in 53 BC, leaving Pompey as the only consul. Pompey was jealous of Caesar’s military successes, and wary of his increasing power. When the Senate in Rome ordered Caesar to disband his army and return home, Pompey took the side of Caesar’s enemies.

The boundary between the province of Gaul and Roman Italy was marked by a small river called the Rubicon. In January 49 BC, Caesar uttered the famous phrase "alea iacta est" ("the die is cast") and led his soldiers across the Rubicon and on towards Rome. This marked the beginning of civil war between Caesar and Pompey.

Dictator

With the advance of Caesar and his army, Pompey fled. Caesar quickly took control of Rome. In 48 BC he defeated Pompey at a battle in Pharsalus, in Greece. Then Caesar pursued Pompey to Egypt. Before the two men could meet, Pompey was murdered. Caesar stayed in Egypt to help install Queen Cleopatra on the Egyptian throne.

Back in Rome, Caesar was now the sole ruler and dictator. But he found that he still had many enemies. He fought battles in Africa and Spain to crush his opponents before returning to Rome once more. Then he started work on the wide-ranging political and social reforms he had planned for the Roman world. He also pardoned most of those who had fought against him under Pompey.

Death of Caesar

Many supporters of the Roman Republic were deeply resentful at the extent of Caesar’s power. In March 44 BC, 60 senators laid a plot to attack him at a meeting in the Senate. On the Ides (15th) of March, Caesar made his way to the Senate. As he entered he found himself surrounded by the conspirators, who struck out at him with daggers. He died on the floor of the Senate.