The Caesars were a family belonging to the Julian _gens_, which claimed
descent from IULUS, the son of AENEAS. Eight generations of Caesars
had held prominent places in the commonwealth. They had been Consuls,
Praetors, Censors, Aediles, and were aristocrats of the moderate wing.
The direct ancestry of GAIUS JULIUS CAESAR can be traced no further
back than his grandfather. This gentleman, of the same name as the great
Caesar, married Marcia, who claimed descent from Ancus Marcius, the
fourth King of Rome. They had three children, Gaius Julius, the father
of the Dictator, Sextus Julius, and Julia, who became the wife of
Marius. Gaius Julius held no higher office than Praetor. He was married
to Aurelia, a stately woman of simple and severe tastes. Their son Gaius
was born on July 12th, 100.
During Cinna's consulship (86), Caesar is first mentioned as a youth,
tall, slight, handsome, with dark, piercing eyes, sallow complexion,
and features refined and intellectual. The bloody scenes attending the
proscription of his uncle Marius, to whose party his father belonged,
must have made a deep impression upon him. One of his most intimate
companions was CICERO, who was six years his senior.
Marius had seen in his nephew the materials which make great men, and
determined to help him to promotion. He made him, when scarcely fifteen,
a priest of Jupiter (_flamen dialis_), which sacred office carried with
it a handsome income.
Shortly after the death of his father, in 84, Caesar married Cornelia,
the daughter of Cinna. By this marriage he was connected more closely
with the popular party, whose champion he remained.
When Sulla returned to Rome from his Eastern campaign, Caesar was but
eighteen. In the wholesale murders that followed, his party was ruined,
his nearest friends dispersed or killed. He himself was yet free from
proscription, for Sulla wished to win such a promising young man to his
own side. He made proposals that Caesar divorce his wife and marry
one whom he might select. Caesar refused. Force was then tried. His
priesthood was taken from him, and his wife's dowry. His estate was
confiscated, and, when this had no effect, he was himself declared an
outlaw, and a price was set on his head. Influential friends, however,
interceded in his behalf, and the Dictator was finally persuaded to
pardon him; but with reluctance, and with the remark that in Caesar was
the making of many a Marius. The youth then left Italy, and joined the
army in Asia.
Here Caesar served his apprenticeship as a soldier. He joined the forces
of the Praetor Thermus, who had been sent against the pirates that were
making their head-quarters in Lesbos. The Praetor, finding his troops
insufficient to accomplish his work, sent Caesar to Nicomedes, a Roman
ally and the King of Bithynia, to obtain additional forces. He was
successful in his mission, and, upon his return to Lesbos, distinguished
himself for his bravery in the attack upon Mitylene, and was awarded the
oak wreath, a coveted honor, for saving the life of a fellow-soldier.
Caesar is next seen in Cilicia, serving under Servilius, in a campaign
against the pirates who were marauding along the coast of that country.
While here he was informed of Sulla's death, and at once left the army
and returned home (77). The next year he began his struggle with the
nobility by prosecuting for extortion Dolabella, a former Governor of
Macedonia. Dolabella was a favorite of the Senate, and his cause was
theirs. The best talent was engaged to defend him, and Caesar lost the
case.
Feeling his deficiency as an orator, Caesar went to Rhodes and studied
rhetoric under the famous Apollonius. He had recovered his property
and priesthood, and could well afford the time. While on his way he was
captured by pirates, and not released until a ransom of some $50,000 was
raised and paid. Upon arriving at Miletus he at once got together some
vessels, returned to the island where he had been in captivity,
seized the crew of pirates, took them to Pergamus, and had them tried,
convicted, and crucified. He then resumed his journey to Rhodes, where
he remained two years in the pursuit of his studies. Then the report of
the uprisal of Mithradates reached him, and he at once crossed over to
the mainland, collected a body of volunteers, and saved Caria to Rome.
Having finished his studies, Caesar returned to Rome and lived quietly
for a time with his wife and mother, watching the course of events.
While Caesar was thus preparing himself for the great struggle in which
he was destined to take the leading part, Cicero, the companion of his
youth, was beginning to attract attention at Rome.
MARCUS TULLIUS CICERO (106-43) was a townsman of Marius. He belonged
to the Equites, and received a good education under the best Greek
teachers. As he ripened into manhood, he chose in politics the party
opposed to Caesar, and for a profession he selected the bar, hoping to
gain fame as a speaker before the Senate, and finally to become one
of its members. He took part in the Social War (89), but during the
troubled times that followed he remained quietly engaged in literary
pursuits. His first public oration (80), the defence of Roscius, who
was falsely accused of murdering his father, was a great success, and
guaranteed for him a brilliant future. Cicero improved the next few
years by study and travel in Asia and Greece. Shortly after his return,
in 75, he was elected Quaestor, and thus became a member of the Senate.
His year of office he spent in Sicily, in the performance of his duties.
There he obtained an insight into the corrupt extortions of the Roman
governors. Five years later, he conducted his famous case against
Verres.
VERRES had been a follower of Sulla, and during the proscriptions had
amassed some property. Afterwards he held official positions in Greece
and Asia, where he became notorious for his greediness and cruelty. With
the money thus acquired, he had bought his election to the praetorship,
became Senator, and was sent by his colleagues to govern Sicily.
His government there may have been no worse than that of many other
proconsuls in the different provinces, but we have a fuller account of
it owing to the prosecution of Cicero, whose speeches against Verres are
preserved.
Verres was Governor of Sicily for three years. In his official position,
he was judge of all civil and criminal cases. Every suit brought
before him he gave to the party that could pay him best. Property was
confiscated on false charges, and works of art of great value were
stolen. By such a course Verres collected, it is said, property to
the value of $4,000,000. Two thirds of this he expected to spend in
silencing accusations. The rest he hoped to enjoy in peace, but Cicero's
eloquence forced him to abandon his defence and retire into exile.
It was about this time that Caesar finished his rhetorical studies
abroad, and returned home. He was elected Military Tribune as a reward
for what he had accomplished in Caria. Two years later, in 68, he was
elected Quaestor, thereby acquiring a seat in the Senate. At this time
his aunt Julia died, and, as one of her nearest relatives, he delivered
the funeral oration.
Caesar was now beginning to know Pompey, and saw that their interests
were common. The latter, although but six years older, was already a
great man and a distinguished soldier. Cornelia, Caesar's wife, died,
and he married for a second wife Pompeia, the cousin of Pompey. When
sent as Quaestor to Farther Spain, in 67, he completed the work begun by
Pompey and settled the finances of the troubled country, a task which
he found the easier as he was known to belong to the popular party, of
which Marius and Sertorius had been leaders.