His education, early life and ambitions
Education
- Received the traditional upper-class education
- His has the same teacher as Cicero
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Through J.C.Fullers JULIUS CAESAR: man, soldier and tyrant, he said that at young age Caesar was educated by M. Antonius Gnipho. Also, describe him as being “a free-born native Gaul, whom Suetonius describes as a man of considerable learning, well read in Greek and Latin and of an obliging and agreeable temper.’
- From Paedagogus or ludus where he learnt reading and writing
- His secondary education was from a Grammaticus, which taught history, philosophy, geography, geometry, music and astronomy.
- At 16, which Is the formal education he then becomes a adult and with the help of a mentor he became a political apprenticeship, he performed army services and studied rhetoric (public speaking)
- In 75BC, he left Rome go Rhodes to study with the great teacher Apollonius Molon. (public speaking)
- “Caesar’s natural ability as a political speaker was of the highest order, and that he took the greatest order, and that he took the greatest pains to cultivate it, so that in this field the second place was indisputably his.”- in Plutarch- Caesar, 3.
Early Life
- At 15 his father died this impacted on young Caesar.
- Believed that his child and teenage- hood was in a very violent period in Rome’s history.
- Period of civil war in Rome when Gaius Marius and Lucius Cornelius Sulla started
- There were mass flood of cheap labour resulting many roman workers unemployed.
- Believed that these events have shaped his thoughts about the Roman state
- At young age he realised that money was a key thing for a successfully society.
- He also believed that marrying into a more distinguished family.
- through this marriage is he able to strengthen relationship with politicians.
- Believed that his mother was the greatest influence in this early age
- Caesar followed the traditional Roman practice of conducting some prosecutions in order to gain political attention
Ambitions
Diagram from JULIUS CAESAR- Macquarie Revision Guide.
- According to Plutarch, Caesar’s main effort was to become the first power in the state and the greatest soldier.
His paths to power; priesthoods; Marian connections; political alliances and marriages
Priesthood
- In 84 B.C Marius and Cinna appointed young Caesar priest (Macqaurie HSC ancient history)
- Head Priest of Jupiter (Flamen Dialis)
- Flamen Dialis had many restrictions
- Becoming priest helped him slowly to gain power
- Believed that he only held this position for a very short period of time because he was more interested in his future career (being a politician and a soldier) (C. Heaton, C. Posratching, 2010)
- Had little information about his dismal as a Flamen dialis
- In 73BC he became part of the college of Pontiffs (Macqaurie HSC ancient history)
- In 63B.C. he became chief priest (Pontifex Maximus)
- This position was held for life.
- This position was inherited by the ancient religious power of the kings.
Marian connections
- His aunty, his father’s sister married Gaius Marius a very successful general. (McManus, 2009 )
- Through this relationship the Caesar family slowly gain power
- According to the Macquarie revision guide he advertised his Marian connections : (Macqaurie HSC ancient history)
- By displaying Marius’ Effigies at his aunty’s funeral
- Through funeral orations (69bc) for both Julia and his wife
- With the restoration (65 bc) of Marius battle trophies on the Capitoline hill.
Political alliances
- Caesar believed in bribery
- Was in heavy debt because of bribery
- 59BC, joined with wealthy Lucius Lucceius to bribe voters for consulship. (Macqaurie HSC ancient history)
- According to Plutarch, Cicero was thought to have been the first to have seen beneath the surface of Caesar’s political programme. (Plutarch)
- Marius, his aunt’s husband and Cinna supported him… was them two to elect him to become a priest.
Marriages
- Had 3 marriages
- But according to the Macquarie revision guide and website it was said that his first marriage was with Cossutia in 84B.C., this marriage was to please his father but after the death of his father he divorced cossutia (McManus, 2009 )
- Caesar then married Cornelia Cinnilla in 83B.C.
- Cornelia’s father was Cinna and was consul for four times. (Macqaurie HSC ancient history)
- It was this marriage that Sulla forced Caesar to divorce but he refused to and was in hide
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‘after Sulla had seized power, he wanted to male Caesar divorce his wife Cornelia, the daughter of Cinna, who had previously held the entire government in his hand, but he could not persuade Caesar to do this either by promises or by intimidation, and so he confiscated her dowry.’ Plutarch- life of Julius Caesar (Plutarch)
- After the death of Cornelia in 68 B.C. because of giving birth to her daughter Julia, Caesar married Pompeia, the granddaughter of Sulla.
- This marriage was a political marriage, Caesar wanted to gain support from the optimates that’s why he married her
- In 61 BC, Caesar divorced pompeia and married Calpurnia pisonis, she was the great-granddaughter of a lieutenant of Lucius Cassius Longinus
- This was the third and last marriage Julius Caesar had.
Reference
C. Heaton, C. Posratching. (2010). julius Caesar. Retrieved jan 30, 2011, from UNRV history: http://www.unrv.com/fall-republic/julius-caesar.php
Macqaurie HSC ancient history. In marriages (p. 75).
McManus, B. F. (2009 , august ). JULIUS CAESAR: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND. Retrieved jan 30, 2011, from The College of New Rochelle: http://www.vroma.org/~bmcmanus/caesar.html
Plutarch. Life of Julius Caesar . In Plutarch.
His early political career to 60 B.C.
- Timeline of his early political achievements (Macqaurie HSC ancient history)
