Common questions about Julius Caesar

Short answers, pulled from the story.

When was Julius Caesar born and what was his family background?

Gaius Julius Caesar was born into a patrician family that claimed descent from the goddess Venus and traced their ancestry back to Julus, the son of Aeneas. The family was not politically influential during the middle republic, with the first consul appearing only in 157 BC, but the family's political fortunes had recovered in the early first century. There is no evidence that Caesar himself was born by Caesarian section, as such operations entailed the death of the mother, but Caesar's mother lived for decades after his birth.

What happened to Julius Caesar on the 15th of March 44 BC?

A group of senators led by Brutus and Cassius assassinated Caesar on the Ides of March, the 15th of March 44 BC. He was approached on his golden chair at the foot of the statue of Pompey and stabbed at least twenty-three times, dying at once. The assassins seized the Capitoline hill after killing the dictator and summoned a public meeting in the Forum where they were coldly received by the population.

How did Julius Caesar die and what were the circumstances of his death?

Julius Caesar was assassinated on the 15th of March 44 BC by a group of senators led by Brutus and Cassius who attacked him with daggers while he was seated on his golden chair. He was stabbed at least twenty-three times and died at once, though whether he fell in silence or after replying to Brutus is variantly recorded. The assassination was planned to take place at a Senate meeting to frame the killing as political.

What reforms did Julius Caesar implement during his dictatorship?

Julius Caesar created the Julian calendar to replace the republican lunisolar calendar and reduced the size of the grain dole from 320,000 down to around 150,000. He increased the number of magistrates and senators from 600 to 900 to better administer the empire and extended citizenship to communities in Cisalpine Gaul and to Cádiz. He also founded colonies outside Italy, notably on the sites of Carthage and Corinth, to discharge Italy's population into the provinces and reduce unrest.

Who was Julius Caesar and what was his role in Roman history?

Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and dictator who lived from 100 to 44 BC and is considered by many historians to be one of the greatest military commanders in history. He rose to become one of the most powerful politicians in the Roman Republic through a string of military victories in the Gallic Wars, completed by 51 BC, which greatly extended Roman territory. His cognomen was subsequently adopted as a synonym for emperor, and the title Caesar was used throughout the Roman Empire, giving rise to modern descendants such as Kaiser and Tsar.

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