Julius Caesar

by Jacob Abbott, Ben House (Foreword by)

Overview

Julius Caesar was a Roman general, statesman, Consul, and notable author of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the events that led to the demise of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire. Caesar's conquest of Gaul, completed by 51 BC, extended Rome's territory to the English Channel and the Rhine. With the Gallic Wars concluded, the Senate ordered Caesar to lay down his military command and return to Rome. Caesar refused, and marked his defiance in 49 BC by crossing the Rubicon with a legion, leaving his province and illegally entering Roman territory under arms. Civil war resulted, from which he emerged as the unrivaled leader of Rome.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781591280606
Publisher:	Canon Press
Publication date:	06/30/2009
Series:	Makers of History Series
Pages:	180
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.41(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

Read an Excerpt

! life to power. Government of Bone Chapter III. Advancement To The Consulship. FROM this time, which was about sixty- seven years before the birth of Christ, Caesar remained for nine years generally at Rome, en gaged there in a constant struggle for power. He was successful in these efforts, rising all the time from one position of influence and honor to another, until he became altogether the most prominent and powerful man in the city. A great many incidents are recorded, as attending these contests, which illustrate in a very striking manner the strange mixture of rude violence and legal formality by vhich Rome was in those days governed. Many of the most important offices of the state depended upon the votes of the people; and as the people had very little opportunity to become acquainted with the real merits of the case in respect to questions of government, they gave their votes very much according to the personal popularity of the candidate. Public men had very little moral principle in those Bribery ftnd corruption. Public uniuemefcta. days, and they would accordingly resort to any means whatever to procure this personal popularity. They who wanted office were accustomed to bribe influential men among the people to support them, sometimes by promising them subordinate offices, and sometimes by the direct donation of sums of money ; and they would try to please the mass of the people, who were too numerous to be paid with offices or with gold, by shows and spectacles, and entertainments of every kind which they would provide for theii amusement. This practice seems to us very absurd; and we wonder that the Roman people should tolerate it, since it is evident that the meansfor defraying these expenses must come, ultimately, in some way or other, from them...