Julius Caesar

More than two thousand years after his death, Julius Caesar remains one of the great figures of history. He shaped Rome for generations, and his name became a synonym for "emperor" -- not only in Rome but as far away as Germany and Russia. He is best known as the general who defeated the Gauls and doubled the size of Rome's territories. But, as Philip Freeman describes in this fascinating new biography, Caesar was also a brilliant orator, an accomplished writer, a skilled politician, and much more.Julius Caesar was a complex man, both hero and villain. He possessed great courage, ambition, honor, and vanity. Born into a noble family that had long been in decline, he advanced his career cunningly, beginning as a priest and eventually becoming Rome's leading general. He made alliances with his rivals and then discarded them when it suited him. He was a spokesman for the ordinary people of Rome, who rallied around him time and again, but he profited enormously from his conquests and lived opulently. Eventually he was murdered in one of the most famous assassinations in history. Caesar's contemporaries included some of Rome's most famous figures, from the generals Marius, Sulla, and Pompey to the orator and legislator Cicero as well as the young politicians Mark Antony and Octavius (later Caesar Augustus). Caesar's legendary romance with the Egyptian queen Cleopatra still fascinates us today. In this splendid biography, Freeman presents Caesar in all his dimensions and contradictions. With remarkable clarity and brevity, Freeman shows how Caesar dominated a newly powerful Rome and shaped its destiny. This book will captivate readers discovering Caesar and ancient Rome for the first time as well as those who have a deep interest in the classical world. CONTENTS PREFACE TIMELINE Prologue. ON THE BANKS OF THE RUBICON 1. THE EARLY YEARS 2. THE PATH TO POWER 3. CONSPIRACY 4. CONSUL 5. GAUL 6.THE BELGAE 7. BRITAIN 8. VERCINGETORIX 9. RUBICON 10. CIVIL WAR 11. POMPEY 12. CLEOPATRA 13. AFRICA 14. TRIUMPH 15. THE IDES OF MARCH Epilogue. CAESAR AND CATO AT VALLEY FORGE SOURCE NOTES BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX The Early Years -- The Path To Power -- Conspiracy -- Consul -- Gaul -- The Belgae -- Britain -- Vercingetorix -- Rubicon -- Civil War -- Pompey -- Cleopatra -- Africa -- Triumph -- The Ides Of March -- Epilogue : Caesar And Cato At Valley Forge. Philip Freeman. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 383-389) And Index. Retells the life and death of the famous Roman ruler, using contemporary documentation to present him as a skilled general, politician, and orator