Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman whose dictatorship was pivotal in Rome's transition from republic to empire. When he was young Caesar lived through one of the most horrifying decades in the history of the city of Rome. The city was assaulted twice and captured by Roman armies, first in 87 BC by the leaders of the populares, his Uncle Marius and Cinna. Cinna was killed the year that Caesar had married Cinna's daughter Cornelia. The second attack upon the city was carried our by Marius' enemy Sulla, leader of the optimates, i

n 82 BC on the latter's return from the East. On each occasion the massacre of political opponents was followed by the confiscation of their property. The proscriptions of Sulla, which preceded the reactionary political legislation enacted during his dictatorship left a particularly bitter memory that long survived.

After his return from a successful year administrating Spain Caesar was elected consul for 59 BC through political alliance with Pompey and Crassus . This alliance was called the first triumvirate. Caesar's purpose was to gain a big military command. Pompey for his part sought the ratification of his Eastern settlement and land allotments for his discharged troops. Crassus sought a revision of the contract for collecting taxes in the province of Asia. An agrarian bill authorizing the purchase of land for Pompey's veterans was passed in January of 59 BC at a disorderly public assembly which Caesar's fellow consul Calpurnius Bibulus, was thrown from the platform and his consular insignia were broken. Bibulus tried to stop Caesar and his supporters from passing any further law but was only able to postpone the creation of the new laws by saying that the skies would not permit it because there was stormy weather and they were very superstitious. Caesar disregarded Bibulus' behavior and the remainder of the legislative program of the triumvirate was carried through. As a result of this action Caesar and his friends incurred bitter attacks. Their political opponents continued to claim that the whole of the legislation was unconstitutional and invalid.

In the winter of 75-74 BC Caesar was captured by pirated and, while in their custody awaiting the arrival of the ransom money which they demanded, threatened them with crucifixion , a threat which he fulfilled immediately after his release. He then returned to Rome to engage in a normal political career, starting with the quaetorship which he served in 69-68 BC in the province of Further Spain.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Rome Caesar, Pompey Crassus, Cinna Cinna, Calpurnius Bibulus, Carrhae Mesopotamia, Ponpeia Cornelia's, BC Caesar, Caesar Roman, Roman Empire, Gaul Illyricum, pompey crassus, military command, 59 bc, cisalpine gaul, killed caesar, dictator rome, events led, political career, roman empire, leave troops,
Approximate Word count = 1326
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)