The Life of Julius Caesar - The Rise and Fall of a Roman Colossus - See U in History

During the ancient Roman Empire, many men wrote their names in the eternity of history. Some will be remembered as brave and astute commanders. Others earned fame for their cruelty and cowardice. But one name still echoes century after century. Gaius Julius Caesar. Julius Caesar was born on July 13, 100 BC. As a child, Caesar already proved himself as an adventurer, as he was an active and good-spirited boy. But at just 16, his life changed abruptly. His father passed away, and Julius suddenly became the head of his family. Julius was the nephew of Gaius Marius, a great general and politician. He became famous for his military victories and for reorganizing the model of the Roman legions. Marius was known for his magnetic personality. Also, he was immensely respected by the soldiers who fought alongside him. That influenced the character of the young Julius Caesar, who saw in his uncle a model to be followed. But during Julius' adolescence, his uncle waged a civil war against ambitious Lucius Cornelius Sulla. They fought for the control of the city of Rome. In the midst of this civil war, Julius Caesar married the daughter of his uncle's political ally. His beloved's name was Cornelia Cina. Together, they had a daughter named Julia. Marius lost his life during a battle, and Cornelius Sulla assumed the position of dictator, something that placed him above the Roman laws, with almost absolute power in the city. Although Julius Caesar had no direct involvement in the conflict, he felt threatened by the new dictator and his uncle's executioner. Seeing no other alternative, and in an attempt to get away from Rome as quickly as possible, Julius enlisted in the army, where he fought in distant Turkey. Julius served in the army with great prominence, even receiving the civic crown as a reward for his heroic acts. He was promptly recognized by his superiors and veteran soldiers, showing a promising future as a military commander. But in 78 BC, Julius received the news that his rival had died. Cornelius Sulla had died suddenly. For Julius Caesar, that meant a chance to come home. After fulfilling his contract in the army, Julius returned to his home. However, to his misfortune, his inheritance had been confiscated by Sulla's abusive government. To survive, Caesar used his powerful voice and his oratory skills to become a successful lawyer. And by working hard, Julius Caesar was able to rebuild his family's social status. When Julius was about 25, he traveled across the Aegean Sea. The vessel was attacked by pirates, and the largest of the crew was killed. The few survivors were captured to be sold as slaves. And for those born into wealthy families, a high ransom was demanded. Further away from home, and in a desperate situation, the future seemed uncertain and bleak for Julius Caesar. The days passed slowly while Julius Caesar was kept as a prisoner on a pirate ship. When the pirates discovered that Julius was part of a wealthy family, they demanded a lot of money to free him. The pirates demanded plenty of silver coins in exchange for Julius's life. At the time, it was considered an absurd price. But Julius Caesar was always a proud and fearless man. He told the pirates that they should demand even more coins in exchange for his life. But he warned that as soon as he was free, he would travel the seas to get back at them. The pirates mocked Julius. Throughout the journey, they ridiculed his When he was finally free, Julius used his oratory gifts to attract sailors and warriors to his cause. And using the rest of his fortune, he set up a fleet of ships. Caesar spent several months sailing and facing pirate ships. His victories allowed him to make a profit by plundering the captured ships. When Julius finally found the pirates who had kidnapped him, he defeated them in battle and had the survivors crucified. The pirates paid a high price for mocking Julius Caesar. That increased Caesar's fame. His name was already popular on the streets of Rome. When he returned home, he was summoned into the army. Again, he left to fight in foreign lands. Julius stood out again on the battlefields, thus conquering the position of military tribune. This guaranteed him the right to command many soldiers and run for political office. Julius Caesar returned to Rome in 69 BC. That year he began his political career, taking up a new post in the Roman Senate. His wife Cornelia had become pregnant again. Everything in Caesar's life seemed peaceful. But to Julius' misfortune, his beloved wife died that year due to a birth filled with complications that stole her life and that of her baby. Shortly after his wife's funeral, Julius was sent to serve militarily in Spain. He was the administrator of the territories controlled by Rome. One day Julius decided to get to know the city of Cadiz better, where he was living. After traveling some distance, he found a statue already worn out by time. When Julius approached, he noticed that it was a statue of Alexander the Great. As he approached the feet of the statue, Caesar felt an enormous torment and began crying. He was already 33 years old. He felt he had not conquered anything great in his life yet. On the contrary, Alexander the Great, at that age, had already conquered an empire. At that moment, Caesar swore he would not rest until he was equal to Alexander in his conquests. Julius Caesar fulfilled his role in Spain. He gained fame as a good governor and subdued two local tribes who had revolted against the Roman occupation. But Caesar was not happy to spend so much time away from Rome. After completing his service in Spain, he returned to his hometown. Upon his return to Rome, Julius focused his efforts on achieving new political positions. Julius wanted to be Pontifex Maximus, the highest priest of the Roman religion. But he was running against two other reputable senators. To support the campaign, Caesar spent most of his personal fortune. Julius Caesar knew he could not fail to win this new position. If he failed, his political career would be over, and he would be broke for the rest of his life. To get around this problem, Julius allied himself with Marcus Licinius Crassus, known for being the richest man in Rome. Crassus paid off half of Julius Caesar's debt and secured the remainder, proving to be a valuable ally. Julius was able to win the election and take on the position he had hoped for. But he needed to pay off a huge debt to Marcus Crassus. That alliance was not ignored by other powerful men. General Pompey had importance in the Roman Senate. He was respected and even feared by other senators. Pompey did not like Julius Caesar's growing ambition. He started watching that man, who seemed to stand out from the crowd. The years have passed. In 60 BC, Caesar was elected consul, the highest office in the Roman Republic. As a consul, Julius Caesar obtained great authority in the city of Rome, to the point where he could even be immune from the laws of the city and be acquitted of any criminal charge. Caesar won the election again, and as consul, he proved to be a dangerously ambitious man. That year, Julius married Calpurnia, who would be his wife for the rest of his life. General Pompey publicly showed his aversion to Julius Caesar and also his discontent with Marcus Crassus. To solve this issue, Julius met with Pompey and Crassus to form a new political and military alliance. This alliance became known as the First Triumvirate, in which the three most powerful men of Rome would work together to rule Rome. Pompey increased the number of soldiers on the streets of the city, providing more security to the population. Crassus bought a large naval fleet and wanted to establish trade routes in distant lands, such as Syria and Egypt, increasing his personal wealth and bringing new products to the demanding Roman markets. And Caesar took the military command to conquer new lands for Rome. Julius Caesar's fortune seemed promising again. He would not waste the opportunity to immortalize his name in history. Julius Caesar was elected to the post of Roman consul, gaining great authority in all the territories conquered by Rome. But, to achieve such an important position, Julius Caesar needed to incur a gigantic debt to Marcus Crassus, the richest man in Rome. Caesar had not yet forgotten that day at the foot of the statue of Alexander the Great. The desire to match Alexander in his conquests was still alive in Julius Caesar's heart. The best way to achieve his goals was to conquer new territories for Rome, thus confiscating the riches and receiving part of the taxes of the conquered cities and villages. It was there that Julius Caesar focused his attention on Gaul. Gaul was an ancient region, classified by the Romans, comprising territories where France, Belgium, and part of Italy and Germany are located today. For the most part, Gaul was a wild territory, full of forests and inhabited by several very hostile Celtic tribes. With these obstacles, Gaul was not easy to invade, much less to conquer. Because it was a difficult task, Julius Caesar made Gaul the main target of his ambitions. In April 58 BC, Caesar marched towards Gaul in command of four legions, some 24,000 soldiers. Julius knew he could not simply enter the Gaul territories. It was necessary to plan his actions carefully, otherwise he would lose everything for which he fought so long to conquer. Despite its apparent military strength, Gaul was divided into several kingdoms, which were constantly fighting each other. These kingdoms were commanded by tribal chiefs or self-proclaimed kings. They often declared wars to conquer new agricultural lands, or to avenge old blood feuds between tribes. Taking advantage of this instability, Julius Caesar sent emissaries to talk with the leaders of the different tribes, seeking to establish political and military alliances. In his letters, Julius offered the military support of his legions in exchange for permission to enter Gaul territory and food provisions for his soldiers. The first alliances were quickly formed, and Caesar finally entered Gaul. The first conflict between Caesar's legions and the Gauls took place at the Battle of Bybrocte, where the Romans found a far greater number of enemies. The Gauls were part of the Helvetians tribe, who were migrating in Gaul, attacking other tribes, and leaving a trail of destruction. Julius Caesar organized part of his legions on top of a hill, gaining a strategic position against the Gauls. The other parts of the legions were hidden on another hill, covered by trees. The Roman legions managed to stop the Gauls' initial advance. It was the start of a long and arduous struggle that would last almost a whole day. At the ideal moment, Julius ordered the hidden legions to attack the rear of the Gaul army. The Gauls resisted for some time, but the discipline and determination of the Roman legions defeated the numerical advantage of their enemies. The Helvetians surrendered. Julius allowed many to be freed, provided they returned to their lands, and agreed to work the crops to feed the legions. Others were not so lucky. They were sent as prisoners to Rome, where they would be sold as slaves. This heroic victory marked the beginning of several conquests in Gaul. Soon after, Caesar and his legions fought the Germanic tribe of the Suevi and achieved another major victory. In the years that followed, Julius Caesar continued to advance in Gaul territory, establishing new alliances, subduing tribes, or, when necessary, destroying cities and settlements. Obviously, the Gauls did not peacefully accept the Roman occupation. At times, some tribes rebelled, which provoked new battles. After suffocating a rebellion by the Belgian tribe in 55 BC, Gaul had been almost completely conquered by Julius Caesar. Caesar had accumulated enough wealth to pay his debt to Crassus, and, after that, he would have enough to live in peace. His term as consul was also nearing its end. After that, he would have to return to Rome. But that year, one of his legions in northern Gaul sighted a strange island on the horizon. That island was Britain. Caesar had already read about the existence of that island in ancient Greek manuscripts. Upon learning of its location, he again felt the ambition and desire to reach where no other Roman had been. To cross the sea and reach Great Britain, Julius Caesar needed two things – boats to transport the soldiers and time. Caesar ordered the construction of some boats, whose completion would take many months. Impatient with the slow progress and the construction of the boats, Caesar decided to take a risk. Only part of his legions would cross the to build a fortified camp. But he did not anticipate the disaster that eventually occurred, for that region is often affected by storms. During the crossing, a strong storm pushed the Roman ships against the cliff rocks. The few survivors who reached the beach were surprised by the Breton war chariots and retreated to their boats. This defeat did not affect Julius Caesar's resolve, but it took him a long time to get the necessary boats. In 54 BC, Julius Caesar finally arrived in Great Britain, where he initially set up a fortified camp near the beach. The Bretons did not peacefully accept the Roman occupation. Caesar spent over a year in Britain, warring and subduing the numerous tribes of that territory. This new conquest further enhanced Julius Caesar's The people in the city of Rome extolled his accomplishments, which concerned even more some members of the Roman Senate. During the time Julius Caesar spent in Brittany, new problems began to arise in Gaul. Tribal leaders asked their warriors to gather and expel the Romans from Gaul. Caesar knew this threat was serious. If Gaul united under a single flag, it would be virtually impossible to recover the conquered territories. One of those insurgent leaders was the famous Vercingetorix, prince of the Arvinus tribe. Vercingetorix was able to bring together many tribal chiefs and warriors under his command to attack the Roman garrisons in Gaul. When Caesar returned to Gaul, Vercingetorix was forced to retreat to avoid a direct confrontation with the Roman legions. In his escape through Gaul territory, Vercingetorix's troops destroyed everything in their path, burning villages and plantations to leave no food for the Romans. The strategy was working. The situation of Caesar's legions was not positive. Soldiers began to succumb due to hunger and effort caused by the long march. Julius Caesar again used his persuasion and began to intimidate and bribe the tribal chiefs, who were not yet allies of Vercingetorix. Caesar managed to confiscate precious provisions to feed his soldiers and continue the pursuit of Vercingetorix. Some battles were fought along the way, and Julius Caesar proved his worth again by getting off his horse and joining his soldiers in the vanguard of the most chaotic battles. The legionaries felt an enormous pride and admiration for the general. Many fought to the end to defend Caesar's life and dreams. Finally, Vercingetorix was forced to retreat to the city of Alesia, built on top of a hill, and a good place of defense against the Roman legions. The siege of Alesia was one of the most famous in history. Julius Caesar and Vercingetorix needed to make the most of their skills as commanders. Caesar surrounded the city of Alesia. He knew that if he tried to force his way into the city, it would cost the lives of many of his legionaries. The other alternative was to force those inside the city to starve and thirst, forcing them to surrender. But Caesar did not have much time. He was aware of the approach of a Gaul army, whose mission was to rescue the inhabitants of Alesia. If this Gaul army arrived in time, Julius Caesar and his legions were surrounded by two enemy forces and would have no chance of victory. The solution was to build two wooden walls around the city. One would keep the inhabitants of the city trapped inside. The other would be able to contain the approaching army. The strategy was successful. When the Gaul army arrived, the Roman legions showed their worth again, defeating a far greater number of enemies. After witnessing this great victory, Vercingetorix surrendered to Julius Caesar. On a historic day, Vercingetorix proudly put on his armor and rode alone to the Roman camp. He stood face to face with Julius Caesar and, without saying a word, threw down his arms in a sign of Gaul's surrender. With the conquest of Gaul, Caesar achieved everything he had always desired. His name was admired and feared among the Romans. His wealth was vast. He felt ready to return triumphantly to the city of Rome. Julius Caesar performed the incredible feat of conquering Gaul, and even the Bretons on their distant island fell to their knees before the Roman military power. Many years had passed since Caesar left his beloved Rome, and he longed to return to his birthplace. However, many things changed during his absence. One of his most important allies, the consul Marcus Crassus, had his legions defeated during the dismal Battle of Carrhae, where the Romans encountered the powerful army of the Parthian Empire. Marcus Crassus was an outstanding merchant and negotiator, but his skills as a military commander were not as sharp as those of Julius Caesar and Pompey. Crassus perished in that battle, and with that, the triumvirate alliance was broken, allowing General Pompey to take political control of Rome. The emerging famous and wealth of Julius Caesar deeply concerned General Pompey, who, right from the beginning, already had a great contempt for him. Without the presence of Marcus Crassus to support Julius Caesar and the Roman Senate, General Pompey no longer saw any reason to tolerate Caesar's existence, and began to make serious accusations against him. Pompey claimed that Julius Caesar had extended his campaign in Gaul for too long, whose original deadline was just five years. Pompey knew this was not true. He had secretly met with Marcus Crassus and Julius Caesar to decide the city's politics, and in this meeting, they agreed to give Caesar five more years to conquer Gaul. Another accusation was that Julius had used the strength of the legions for his own benefit, and made his fortune in the Roman Senate. Pompey issued an order to Julius Caesar. He would have to disband his legions and return to Rome, where he would face a trial in the Senate. At that time, there were few in the Senate with enough courage to oppose Pompey's demands. Julius knew that, if he abided by that order, his life would be over, and everything would be lost. He then decided to march to Rome with his legions and demand respect. Even if this had to be done by force. And so, in the year 49 BC, Julius Caesar and his legions were declared enemies of Rome, in an event that has been recorded in history as the Second Civil War of the Roman Republic. Caesar was not concerned when the news reached him. He already knew about Pompey's aversion to him, and a direct confrontation between the two was unavoidable. Julius Caesar found himself facing the sad reality that, in order to return home, he would have to attack his own city. Pompey was an experienced general, and knew that Rome could not hold out long against the veteran legions of Gaul. He needed to amass more soldiers to defend the city, and to achieve this, he called in the legions that were serving in Greece, and in the nearby territories. And a race against time then started. Pompey anxiously awaited the arrival of more soldiers, while Caesar marched as fast as possible to reach Rome before Pompey's reinforcements. To make Caesar's situation worse, he had the Rubicon River in his bath. The Roman generals were expressly forbidden to cross the Rubicon with their legions on their way to Rome. Caesar knew that to cross the river meant no turning back path. In this context, Julius Caesar uttered one of his most renowned quotes, Alia jact est, luck is cast. Crossing the river with his legions would take a massive amount of time, and Caesar did not have that. He decided to take his chances and move forward with only one legion in a forced march. The other legions would follow immediately behind at a slower pace, preserving their strength for the upcoming battle. Both captains experienced anguishing days, but Caesar's legions again proved their worth and arrived in Italy with remarkable speed. Seeing no other alternative, Pompey gathered his personal guard and, together with some senators and allies, left the city of Rome shortly before Caesar's arrival. Pompey headed for the city of Brundisium, from where he embarked for Greece, with the plan to meet with the local legions to set a counterattack against Julius Caesar. When Julius Caesar finally entered the city gates, the streets were basically deserted. The Roman citizens were unsure of Caesar's intentions. Perhaps he would return as a hero, or, in alternative, as an enemy, seeking revenge for having been exiled from his city. But they had nothing to fear. Caesar did not allow his legionnaires to attack the population nor to plunder the city. When the weather in the city got milder, Caesar made a public speech, reassuring the population. He appointed one of his most trusted men to take charge of the city. The chosen one was Mark Antony, who had served with Julius in Gaul and proved himself as an excellent military commander. Caesar still had to wait some months to carry on with his persecution against Pompey. New boats had to be built to carry the legions across the sea. While the boats were being built, Caesar restored order to the city of Rome by passing new laws, electing new senators, and taking care of the city's financial affairs. Still waiting for the boats to be finished, Caesar went to Spain. There, he defeated Pompey's supporters, ensuring that Rome would not be attacked while he was heading for Greece. In 48 BC, Julius Caesar and Pompey finally fought their first conflict in the Battle of Dyrrhachium, which took place in a region in northwestern Greece. Much to Caesar's surprise, Pompey assembled a remarkable army of about 36,000 infantry soldiers and 7,000 knights. Julius Caesar feared that new reinforcements would arrive for Pompey. He decided to act quickly, setting up a fortified camp with only 22,000 men ready for the battle. The result was nothing short of disastrous for Caesar. Pompey attacked a weak point in the wooden wall that protected Caesar's camp, and the chaos spread quickly. With fewer soldiers and having his defenses compromised, Julius had no alternative but to order a total withdrawal. This defeat reminded Julius Caesar why Pompey the Great was one of the greatest generals of his time. He could not be underestimated again. Caesar retreated to a new camp, but had little food and drinking water for his men. With his provisions almost ending, Julius Caesar needed to act quickly. On August 9, 48 BC, the Battle of Pharsalus was fought in the region of Thessaly in central Greece. The fight got off to a slow start, with both generals carefully studying the opponent's movements. A fight between two Roman armies, trained with the same formations and tactics, could not have a simple conclusion. The battle was extremely aggressive. Both sides attempted to outflank their opponents. Pompey benefited from a larger cavalry, but Caesar's veterans had already faced all sorts of challenges and could not be easily dominated. Even being at a great numerical disadvantage, Caesar's legions managed to withstand the enemy cavalry and outflank the infantry, gaining total control of the battle. Pompey saw his army being destroyed before his eyes. He understood that he was not facing an ordinary man. Pompey was defeated, and had to withdraw as quickly as possible. After that defeat, General Pompey found himself in a dreadful situation. Most of the senators who had left with him for Greece were now fleeing to other Roman colonies. Some even went to meet Caesar, begging for forgiveness. Pompey fled to Egypt, which, at the time, was part of the territories ruled by Rome. He sought refuge among the Egyptian nobility, but he did not expect a cruel twist of fate. Some members of the Egyptian elite feared that if they protected Pompey, they would be enticing Caesar's fury, who was already heading towards Egypt. Pompey was attacked and killed as soon as he set foot on Egyptian soil. A great Roman general had found an unglorified end in foreign lands. When Julius Caesar arrived in Egypt, he was received at the royal palace of Ptolemy XIII. As soon as he asked about Pompey's whereabouts, only the remains of his former rival were handed to him. Caesar was enraged. He planned to forgive Pompey and bring him back to Rome. He would even allow him to occupy a seat in the senate. The disrespect was even greater when considering that Pompey was a Roman consul and had been murdered cowardly by foreigners. It was too late for Pompey. Julius Caesar, now in Egypt, found himself a conspiracy target in the land of the pharaohs. The days were hot as usual in the Egyptian lands. Even for a Roman used to the demanding weather of the Roman Republic's capital, the Egyptian heat caused great discomfort. Also the customs of that exotic people were nothing short of odd for Julius Caesar. After the long and exhausting persecution of Pompey, Julius Caesar and his soldiers needed a well-deserved break. With that intention, Caesar decided to spend a few days in Egypt, staying in the royal palace in Alexandria. In Rome, Caesar was elected to the position of dictator, the most powerful role in the Roman Republic. Caesar would remain in office for one year. Julius Caesar finally reached the top of his political and military career. However, peace never lasted long in Julius Caesar's life. In 48 BC, Egypt was going through a civil war. The renowned Cleopatra wanted to claim the royal throne from Ptolemy, her younger brother. Julius Caesar did not like Cleopatra's brother. After all, Ptolemy was one of those responsible for Pompey's death. Knowing this, Cleopatra started to devise a plan to meet Caesar. Using a creative plot, Cleopatra managed to enter Caesar's room. That unusual presence caught the attention of the Roman, and Cleopatra explained to him the political situation in Egypt. People claimed that on that very night, Julius Caesar and Cleopatra became lovers. Caesar supported Cleopatra's ascension to the throne, securing the military support of her legions, and fighting Ptolemy's troops. A sequence of battles was then fought, which became known as the Siege of Alexandria. Finally, Ptolemy was defeated in the deadly Battle of the Nile in 47 BC. This battle's key conflict was fought in the Nile waters, where Julius Caesar's war galleys faced Ptolemy's vessels. During the fight, Julius Caesar's ship eventually capsized, forcing the great Roman general to swim to the riverbank to save his own life. Ptolemy's boat also sank during the fight, but he was not so lucky. He drowned in the Nile. After this battle, Cleopatra took command of Egypt, and her romance with Julius Caesar was already the subject of much gossip and unhappiness in Rome. Mark Antony, in command of the city of Rome, was struggling to maintain political order and cover up Caesar's delay in returning to his Senate duties. And, even though he was a target of harsh criticism, Julius Caesar decided not to keep his romance a secret. He opted to bring Cleopatra to see Rome, something that was interpreted as a major insult by many noble Romans. Julius Caesar also traveled to the Middle East, where he The victory against King Pharnaces II was so rapid and easy that it inspired Caesar to say one of his most famous quotes, Time passed, and the loving relationship between Caesar and Cleopatra caused great distrust among the Roman magistrates. Some rumors mentioned Cleopatra giving birth to a son of Julius Caesar. The couple's supposed son was named Ptolemy XV Caesarian. Nevertheless, Julius Caesar never officially recognized the child, although Cleopatra claimed that she was sure that Caesar was the father. Many senators started to fear that Julius Caesar was trying to make himself emperor, and by having a son with the mighty Queen of Egypt, he would be beginning a line of heirs with rights to command both the Roman and Egyptian territories. Also, some senators and Roman noblemen did not like Julius Caesar and were always looking for reasons to criticize him. Some of these senators were former supporters of Pompey. Although they had chosen the enemy side, they were forgiven by Caesar. To make things worse, during a festival known as Lupercalia, Mark Antony tried to crown Caesar's head with a golden diadem, typical of Greek kings. The gesture was supposed to be a joke, but this was interpreted as an insult by those at the party. Even though Caesar tried to quickly remove the item, Julius Caesar did not seem to care much for the opinion of his opponents and started delegating political positions to friends and relatives. He also started to create laws that were approved without the senator's consent. Caesar kept augmenting his power and his sphere of influence in the city. Even with all his achievements, Caesar still wanted to start a new military campaign against the powerful Parthian Empire, which remained strong against every Roman onslaught. In 44 BC, the Roman Senate appointed Julius Caesar as perpetual dictator, guaranteeing him the right to hold office for the rest of his life. When he was 55 years old, Julius Caesar remained as ambitious as ever. This increased the fears of his opponents in the Senate, who began to devise a plan against the great general's life. The main supporter of the conspiracy against Caesar was Senator Gaius Cassius Longinus, who spared no effort to convince other senators to join his cause. On March 15, 44 BC, Julius Caesar went to the Theater of Pompeii, where a session of the Roman Senate would take place. That same day, Mark Antony became aware of the plan against Caesar and ran to warn him of the impending danger. Upon entering the Senate, Caesar was amicably welcomed by the senators, among whom was his nephew, Marcus Brutus, for whom Caesar held in great esteem. In order not to arouse any suspicion, one of the senators handed over a parchment, with a petition for Caesar to assess. The other senators walked to him, pretending to be interested in reading what was written. Then, the nearest senator drew a dagger that was hidden in his own robe. Julius Caesar tried to dodge his attacker, but the senator started yelling for help, demanding the other members of the conspiracy to advance. Caesar was attacked by 60 senators, being mortally wounded by about 23 dagger wounds. One of the last to do it was his own nephew, Marcus Brutus, who dealt the fatal blow. In an ironic touch of fate, Caesar fell at the feet of Pompey's statue. When he looked up, he saw the face of his nephew and, with his last bit of strength, he pulled a part of his cloak to cover his face, avoiding the shame of looking into the traitor's eyes. Julius Caesar survived countless battles and challenges in his life, but now he lay motionless on the cold floor of the Roman Senate. There are no accurate accounts of Julius Caesar's last words. Some believe he said to his nephew, Et tu, Brutus? But this sentence was written by William Shakespeare and immortalized in the play in which he portrays Julius Caesar. But the writers, Suetonius and Plutarch, believe that Caesar did not say a single word at the moment of his death. After Caesar's assassination, most of the senators fled from the Senate, fearing they would be caught by the soldiers who were guarding the city. The conspirators believed that Caesar's death would bring the However, they did not expect the emerging popular uprising. Caesar was seen as a hero by the majority of the population. When the news of his death spread, the citizens of Rome began to gather to protest against it. Julius Caesar's body was brought to be cremated in a public place. According to the tradition of the time, a massive number of people attended the ceremony and, as a farewell gesture, they threw wood and personal objects to the funeral pyre, causing the fire to rise to such an extent that it damaged the Senate building. The crowd ran after the conspirators Cassius and Brutus, who, amid that confusion, managed to flee to Greece. Brutus, perhaps consumed by regret, ended up committing suicide in 42 BC. Queen Cleopatra and her son, Caesarian, were in Rome at the time, but they returned to Egypt a few days after Julius Caesar's death. In a public square, Mark Antony read the will of Julius Caesar. He pointed out his great-nephew, Gaius Octavius, as his successor and gave him the right to use the name Caesar. Gaius Octavius changed his name to Gaius Julius Caesar Octavius and, a few years after his uncle's death, he was crowned as the first Roman emperor. The following Roman emperors began to include the surname Caesar in their own names. The great story of Julius Caesar came to an end, but the name of this remarkable man became synonymous with greatness.