Gaius Julius Caesar, 49 - 44 B.C

Gaius Julius Caesar was born in 100 B.C. to a noble but unimportant Roman family. Without a doubt one of the most famous men in history, Julius Caesar's brilliant military career twice almost ended before it started. Soon after his first marriage around 85 B.C. the Optimate Dictator, Sulla, ordered him to divorce his wife Cornelia, and when he refused he was proscribed and was forced into hiding to avoid execution. His family and friend eventually obtained a pardon from Sulla and Caesar resumed his military activities, joining the staff of a legate and later being awarded the civic crown, a high military honor reserved for a soldier who saved a fellow citizens life in battle. Some years later in 75 B.C. Caesars career almost ended for the second time, when he was captured by pirates. Eventually his ransom of 50 talents was raised and he was released, but not before swearing to hunt down and crucify his captors.

Three years later he was elected military tribune, then later curule aedile, when he went heavily into debt to finance lavish games for the people of Rome. In 61 B.C. he was sent to Further Spain as propraetor and the year after he returned from his successful administration of that province he was elected consul, his campaign supported by Crassus and Pompey, with whom he formed the First Triumvirate.

In 59 B.C. Caesar was elected consul against stiff patrician opposition, and in the same year he married his daughter Julia off to Pompey in order to firm up their alliance. He completely dominated the consular position, quickly cowing his colleague Bibulus and often used strong-arm tactics in the assemblies. Politically he pushed through many of Pompey and Crassus' proposals and wrangled a five year term as proconsul of Gaul for himself after his consulship was over.

In 58 B.C. he left for Gaul, and would not return for almost a decade. In his famous and celebrated Gallic Wars, Caesar conquered nearly all of modern France, along with bits of Germany. His wars did not stop him manipulating Roman politics via his clients however, and in 56 B.C. the First Triumvirate met again in Caesars province to renew their alliance. Pompey and Crassus were given the consulship, again, and Caesar's term of office in Gaul was extended until 49 B.C.

The next few years were highly eventful. Caesar led two invasions of Britain, which were only marginal successes, and his relationship with Pompey, who as seen as increasingly drifting towards the Optimates', became even more strained after Julia died in childbirth in 54 B.C. A year later Crassus forces in the East were heavily defeated and he and his son killed by the Parthians.

In 52 B.C. rioting in Rome led to the Optimates making Pompey consul without a colleague, a measure of dubious legality
A split between the two was now inevitable. In 51 B.C. the Optimates attempted to cut short Caesars governorship of Gaul in order to open the way for legal prosecution when he had been removed from office. Caesar and Pompey were thus maneuvered into a public split as neither would back down. Pompey and the Optimates wants Caesars prosecution, Caesar wanted to be consul in absentia to prevent this from happening.