Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar was a Roman senator and general. It was Caesar who first brought the Romans to Britain in 55BC. 

Julius Caesar was a great general who won many important battles. His fame within the Roman Empire made him very powerful and he had many influential friends in the Senate. He used this to gain power for himself, which led to him having many enemies. 

After his visit to Britain, Julius Caesar returned to Rome and soon the arguments with his enemies began again. Civil War broke out with Roman fighting Roman. Caesar lead his supporters in a series of battles against his main rival, Pompey, and in 49BC he defeated his enemies. To show that he was a good man Julius Caesar forgave his rivals and in 45BC was elected consul of the Roman Empire, the most important job in the empire.

Caesar changed the way the Rome was ruled. No longer were Consuls elected, he stayed in power and chose the consuls himself. Many Romans disliked this.  His supporters tried to make him King but Caesar, aware of how the Romans viewed Kings refused the crown each time it was offered. 

Some Romans though wanted to return to the Republic that they had previously. Julius Caesar might not have a crown but to them he was as much a Tyrant as the Kings had been. In 44BC he was murdered by one of his opponents. 

The Roman Empire didn't return to the republic of old however, Caesar's followers ceased power and ran the Empire as Caesar had done. In 31AD the Republic ended as Octavian, one of Caesar's friends, became Emperor of the whole empire.

NEW: Online Lesson about Caesar's murder.