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Gaius Julius Caesar, one of Rome’s iconic leaders, was born in 100 B.C. in Rome, Italy. He was an army general, a politician, a governor, and an administrator. Unlike other influential and wealthy Roman politicians, Caesar was raised by a humble family. Wealth and a class type of family was a critical source of power in Rome of that era, but Julius Caesar had to scheme his way into becoming a powerful man. Consequently, his quest for power, according to his plan, would start from marrying into a notably powerful and wealthy family.
Julius Caesar rose to power in an unexpected manner considering his humble background. In 47 B.C., he was elected as a ruler for ten years and later appointed to the position for life in 44 B.C. His unique, bright, and open mind was noticeable at an early age because he had discovered that money was a central element for one to become successful in Rome (Billows 27). Consequently, he bribed his own way to power because of the realization that corruption was deeply rooted in the Roman society of his era (Billows 27). Therefore, he purchased his political power with money, making many senators angry. However, many leaders of his time would agree that Julius Caesar was an immensely talented person despite his style of entry into the Roman political system. Three factors helped Caesar’s recognition by the public. First, he was a well-educated person who understood both the political and social systems of Rome. Education helped Caesar first join and associate with the highest social class of the Roman society (Billows 56). Second, his speaking skills gave him favor before both the Roman public and the leaders of Rome. He was an immensely skilled orator so convincing the public for the reasons he crushed Pompey, one of Roman’s great military leaders, was not hard. Third, his military generosity earned him popularity as a war general, amassing him the support of the Roman Republic’s common people. He knew from the beginning that he needed to martial his way into Rome’s political class to succeed.
Caesar’s accomplishments earned him a place in history as one of the most powerful leaders of the world. He is still famous for his victories in nearly every war campaign he led. Accordingly, the geopolitical borders of the Roman Republic expanded because of Julius Caesar’s victories, especially in the Battle of Alesia, and the Capture of the stubborn Gaul (Canfora 98). Accordingly, his war victories meant that Rome needed transformation from a Republic to a Roman empire. The transformation marked Caesar’s second most important achievement in his lifetime. On the contrary, Julius Caesar did not become the first Emperor of the Roman Empire he helped establish, but his nephew Augustus, who became an emperor after 14 years of the civil war, following Julius Caesar’s assassination.
Julius Caesar had a mixed influence on his subjects across Rome because some Roman citizens liked him while others abhorred his leadership. Accordingly, he was popular with the common Roman subjects, but his unquenchable thirst for power earned him hatred in the senate. The rational decisions he often made, the use of bribery to gain and hold onto power, and his excellent public speaking skills were some of the reasons why a group of senators and some noblemen plotted to assassinate him. Consequently, Caesar was killed on 15th March in 44 B.C. by those who disliked his quest for power. The assignation plot was masterminded by Gaius Cassius Longinus, and Marcus Junius Brutus, his own senators, and Caesar were shaken to realize that Brutus, one of his closest friends, would stab him (Confaro 311). This implies that Caesar did have loyal citizens, especially in the senate, but they lacked a good impression of him. The hatred from a section of senators led to the death of one of Rome’s great army generals who did not fall on many battlefields.
Overall, Caesar will forever be remembered for his leadership traits. First, his administration skills unified the late Roman Republic. While he was a better administrator, he was rather a powerful dictator (Yenne 100). Second, he is remembered for his military genius which led to the expansion and later transformation of the Roman Republic into a Roman Empire (Stevenson 167). Julius Caesar’s administrative and military skills were the pillar of his fame as one of Rome’s greatest leaders.
Although he was an equally skilled fighter who could engage an enemy in combat, Julius Caesar’s military genius was the result of his leadership skills gained during the battles. He was a great army general because of his ability to influence his legions, always leading by example even in the face of despair. For example, defeating Gaul and some Germanic tribes often cost him dearly, but he endured to an end. Additionally, he inspired his soldiers into long war campaigns, some often lasting longer than eight years. However, his victories at war idolized him, placing him among other Roman great men after other great men of the order of Pompey.
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