Gaius Julius Caesar was born on July 12 or 13, 100 BC, into the Julian clan, a patrician family that claimed descent from the Trojan hero Aeneas and the goddess Venus.
Caesar was kidnapped by pirates at the age of 25 while traveling across the Aegean Sea. He insisted his ransom be raised and later captured and crucified the pirates after his release.
Caesar was not only a brilliant military commander but also a gifted orator and writer. His works include 'Commentarii de Bello Gallico,' a firsthand account of the Gallic Wars.
He was the first Roman to build a bridge across the Rhine River, demonstrating his engineering prowess and ability to intimidate his enemies.
Caesar famously crossed the Rubicon River in 49 BC, a direct act of insurrection that led to the Roman Civil War. His words, 'Alea iacta est' ('The die is cast'), have become legendary.
Gaius Julius Caesar was known for his affair with Cleopatra VII of Egypt, which produced a son, Ptolemy XV Philopator Philometor Caesar, commonly known as Caesarion.
In 44 BC, Caesar was appointed 'dictator perpetuo,' or dictator for life, a title that alarmed many senators and contributed to his assassination.
Julius Caesar's reforms included the Julian calendar, which more accurately reflected the solar year and served as the basis for the calendar we use today.
Despite his military success, Gaius Julius Caesar suffered from epilepsy, which was recorded by several ancient historians.
Caesar was assassinated on the Ides of March (March 15) in 44 BC by a group of senators, including his friend Brutus, in a conspiracy led by Cassius.
After his death, Caesar was deified by the Roman Senate, and a temple was dedicated to him in the Roman Forum.
1Caesar's name became synonymous with leadership; the title 'Caesar' was later adopted by Roman emperors and became the root of the words 'Kaiser' in German and 'Tsar' in Russian.
The phrase 'Veni, Vidi, Vici' ('I came, I saw, I conquered') was attributed to Caesar after a swift victory at the Battle of Zela in 47 BC.
Gaius Julius Caesar had an affair with the noblewoman Servilia, who was the mother of Brutus, one of his assassins.
Julius Caesar's legacy lived on through his adopted heir, Octavian, who became the first Roman emperor under the name Augustus.
