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RANDOM ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA POST

CAESAR, CAIS JULIUS- b 7/12/100/02 bc. family of high office. in every relation in life, he attained apparently without effort to the highest excellence, as a citizen, politician, orator, a geneal, a companion, a man of letters, or organizing statesman. yet not over rated!
entered active life in a time of crisis. a strong national individuality, firmness, and unity of character and purpose had gradually won for rome the supremacy of latium of italy and of the world, but qualities w/ gained him an empire, he was not able to govern it. blah blah blah-in the time of Horace that rome was falling by the weight of its own greatness.
the long struggle between patricians and the plebians for political equality served rather to strengthen than loosen the cohesian of the state. -but nation outside rome could not be assimulated without severe struggle. the equality of the latins-itlains w/ romans might be won by effort of a demogogue(georgie/hitler/napoleon) but could only be assured by an entire change of Govt.(woe in 09)
failure to effect the purposes of govt. had diminished the sense of responsibility in the ruling class(!) Jugurtha had been able to discover that roman virtue was accessible by bribes(tax cuts!) the direction of provinces at once gratified and stimulated the avarice of statesmen. the riches of the world which were beginning to flow into the imperial city excited the desire for more. there existed at the same time the demoralization which accompanies the breaking up and abandonment of old principles(no shit!) of conduct, and an unsettled yearning for the adjustment of pressing difficulties-the senate which had conquered the world was unable to save itself: it could neither recover its former power, nor bring into being a new constitution. it COULD NOT EXERCISE THE ORDINARY FUNCTION OF GOVT WITHOUT ENTRUSTING TO A CITIZEN POWERS WHICH MIGHT BE TURNED AGAINST ITS OWN EXISTENCE.
if rome had perished in their crisis, she would have left but a faint impress upon the nations who owned by sovereignty. the long reign of LAW & ORDER from which we derive the chief legacies which rome had left the modern world was yet to come! the new empire dids not fall before the onslaught of an eastern despot, or break into sseperate provinces due to julius c alone.. the genius and foresight of jc left rome blah blah blah diplomacy blah blah blah taken prisoner by pirates. blah blah blah gaining reputation as an orator. 74 bc. returned to rome and elected pontiff and military tribune.
12 years JC, w/ a short absence in spain as questor was in rome, built up democratic party, in 70 bc the Sullan constitution repealed powers of tribunes restored. that of the senate diminished, control of the courts, which had been abused to sheild from punishment high-born plunderers was divided in the senate. pushed equality to the citizens. 68 lost his aunt and wife. blah blah blah.
lots of bread + circuses under him. 63 bc elected pontifex maximus. head of the state religion.
the conspiracy of catolinenus perhaps been exaggerated by the vanity of cicero; but it threatened serious danger to the state, and it showed the impotence of the roman government at the time. catiline, trying to get best spot for him and his(georgie?). EB poo pooing this. but WE KNOW THIS IS BAD. dec 5,63 he spoke against the execution of the conspirators. JC saw it was bad to break laws to enforce laws. cicero, wanted revenge.
62 JC praetor.
61 at 40 yrs, assumed propraetor and military command and gaining reputation as a great general.
compassion and support of the troops! added to romes riches and his own. canddate for consuleship the next year and serve by proxy, but cato and the senate would not allow it due to law. JC gave up army + became consul. formed alliace w/pompeius and crassus. 1st triumverate. P + C had been enemies and reconciled by JC.
blah blah blahCicero blah blah blahnew wife calpurnia, daughter of Piso.
time of new laws. in 8 years, a free + chivalrons(sp?) people were reduced to absolute obedience new countries absorbed. in 58 2 victories-defeat of antan + helvetin who were leaving switzeland to settle on the atlantic coast + JC pushed them back + germans under Ariovistus + pushed them over the rhine + now the rhine a border, but the belgie still unsubdued. 57 JC attacked the B + scattered them. the nervii made a stand + JC forced to battle like a common soldier, but defeated them aswell and submission of the veneti and coastal cantons. in 56 the veneti rebelled + whole coast joined insurection. JC huried from Italy + disabled them. only the moroni + menapii free of romeDau(?) now contained + JC went after germany. took out the Usipetes and tenchter. built bridge over the rhine and spent 18 days on the other side. same yr 55 his1st expedition to britain, curious + hoping to end this escape for for the celics. B made brave resistance + JC compelled to retreat, rustrated, made extra preperation to attack in 54. was able to get further + crossed the thames,impossed a tribute but unable to subdue it. the gauls revolted in next 2 years. inflamed by the death of daminorix+ inspired by germans and Bs. in 53-52 under princeVercingetorix(?) blah blah blah the final struggle wa over alesia. vercingetorix, took refuge here w/ 90,000 infantry and 25,000 horse. JC had joined his forces w/ labienes + invested the hill on all sides. the masses of the gallic landsturn(?)-oy my hand writing sucks- crowded from all quarters to release their champion. JC became besieged while sieging his genius saved him the provisions of alesia exhausted, JC repulsed the double attack on his lines and V, disdaining to flee, delivered himself into JC's power.
51 bc finally pacifies Gaul. while inGaul, the triumverate in rome was desolving, the 3 members met in Lucca in 50 bc +arranged JCs command in gaul to be 5 more yrs. P +C be elected conuls for 55 bc + and o end of their office, C should have syria + P the 2 spains. sept 54 JCs daughter Julia and Ps wife did. in 53bc crassus slain in Parthia. in 52, P asserting his independence, moving towards cato + prosenate. JC control of army extended to 49. consul in 48. blah blah blah
crossed the rubicon in jan 49. and assinated on ides of march 44. those 5 years, he crushed armies in europe + laid the foundation for imperial power that followed him . barely 15 months in rome, blah blah cleopatra blah blah enlarged the senate. gave all classes representation, anti cronyism. built up libraries. ides of march blah blah blah