Caesar was
one of many Roman military leaders who parlayed his success on the battlefield into political
power. What was different about his actions, however, was that they ushered in a civil war that
ultimately resulted in the rise of his nephew and adopted son Octavian to the position of
Emperor of Rome, which spelled the end of the Republic. After his election as consul, Caesar
formed alliances with two other powerful politicians, Crassus and Pompey. The three men (called
the triumvirate) drew the ire of the Roman aristocracy by their populist appeals, but these also
gained them considerable influence.
When Caesar left office, he became
governor of provinces in Gaul, and eventually added to his fame by conquering all of Gaul and
even making inroads into Britain. His alliance with Pompey and Crassus fell apart, however, and
when Pompey secured the Senate's approval of a measure calling on Caesar to return to Rome
without his legions, Caesar responded by invading Italy, sparking a civil war. He emerged
victorious, and had himself named dictator. While serving in this role (well past the customary
one-year term) he initiated a number of reforms that empowered his office as well as currying
favor with the common people of Rome.
Eventually, he became dictator for
life, and because he also held the title of tribune and consul at various points, he functioned
more or less as an emperor. Indeed, he used his power to force the Senate to grant him titles to
that effect, though he never officially became a king. His death at the hands of the
conspirators paved the way for yet another series of civil wars, first between the conspirators
and his lieutenants Marc Antony and Octavian, and then between Antony and Octavian themselves.
Octavian, whom Caesar had named as heir to his estate, emerged from these conflicts victorious.
With resistance in the Senate crushed, a people hungry for peace and order, and his rivals dead,
he completed what his uncle/adopted father had begun.
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