C. Julius Caesar

Caesar as Consul

• Earlier career anti-Sullan
  • aunt married to Marius
  • himself married Cinna's (cos. 87) daughter
• Reputation as man of action
• Pompey agrees to support his campaign for consulship
  • Needs someone to ratify his acts in East and give land to veterans
  • These laws opposed by senate
• Crassus also supports him
  • Wants revision to contract for equestrian tax farmers in Asia
• As consul in 59 Caesar uses violence to pass legislation
• Pompey, Crassus, Caeasr for coalition to support each other
  • Falsely called "First Triumvirate"
  • Lasts till death of Crassus in 53

Caesar in Gaul

• Law in 59 gives Caesar command in Gaul for 5 yrs., extended for another 5 in 55
• Caeasr conquers Gaul in a series of campaigns 58-52
• 1 mil. killed, huge numbers of captives
• Caeasr enriches veteran army
• By 50 Caesar needed to find a way to be re-elected as consul and avoid prosecution for use of violence back in 59

Rome in 50s

• Caesar, Pompey, Crassus can thwart their enemies
  • Forced to cooperate to uphold Caesar's legislation as consul
  • So called "first triumvirate"
  • Pompey least happy member
    • He just wants to be a respected member of senate
• Crassus and Pompey not keen on each other
• Hold joint consulship in 55
• Crassus receives 5 yr.-command in Syria
  • Invades Parthia
  • Suffers catastrophic defeat at Carrhae in 53
• Pompey resents Caesar, becomes reconciled with opponents in senate
  • Senior nobles see Caesar as main threat to constitution, want to use Pompey's military "genius" against him
• Violence, bribery undermine legitimacy of assemblies in Rome
• By 50, Caesar is outmaneuvered
  • Can't secure re-election by legal means