Hail, Caesar!

I've dealt with some pretty fascinating characters in my research for Antonius: Second in Command. One of those people with a commanding aura is certainly Julius Caesar. Here was a man who founded a dynasty without any living children, is still known as a formidable commander among modern military strategists today, and whose very name "Caesar" became a title, not only in Rome but in Germany (Kaiser) and Russia (Czar).

Caesar was a pretty intriguing guy. He was himself an author. His Gallic Wars are a primary source that historians and Classicists use to teach about ancient Britain and Gaul. Granted, he used a lot of propaganda in the work, and never alludes to his own weaknesses, but for anybody interested in learning more about the Gallic War and how Romans fought, it's worth a read.

While writing Second in Command, I had to ask myself repeatedly what MY Caesar was to be like. I wrote him as a man chock full of ulterior motives, a grand-scheme manipulator, exceptionally shrewd, and someone who believed that he was born to rule. My Caesar wants it ALL. However, it's generally agreed that he had some physical issues after the Battle of Munda in Spain. I have embraced the epilepsy theory in my story, and that will feature prominently in one scene. Romans were never keen on physical weaknesses of any kind. Therefore, whatever ailments Julius Caesar may have had, I'm sure he attempted to conceal them.

Though his descendants were not from his own children, Caesar had (most people believe) two: a daughter named Julia, by his wife Cornelia, and Ptolemy Caesar (Caesarion), by Cleopatra. Julia eventually married Pompeius Magnus and died in childbirth. Sadly, the baby was also lost. Caesarion was only a teenager when he was executed during the last of the Roman civil wars in 30 BC. And yet, the incredible thing was that Caesar's legacy lived on. He was deified and a temple was erected in his memory on the very spot in the Forum Romanum where he was cremated. A small portion of it remains to this day, and people in Rome still bring flowers there to honor him. 

Julius Caesar was  beloved by the plebs, Rome's common people. He even left them a hefty sum of money, as well as a lovely plot of land across the Tiber. It was the "Optimate" political party, composed of rich and powerful Senators who opposed him, especially after he was proclaimed dictator for life. A real Renaissance man, Caesar's last year was eventful. An entire series of Triumphs were celebrated in Rome to fete his victories. Apparently, these days of wine and roses were the biggest party Rome had experienced, to date. To honor his patron goddess, Venus, he built a phenomenal Temple and used Cleopatra as a model for the cult statue! (Brutus and Cassius must have loved that!) And even while the last dagger was plunged into his heart, a brand new forum complex was being built and paid for by him. When completed, it would be the first added forum to Rome's already crowded Forum Romanum. Caesar introduced the Egyptian calendar that Cleopatra revealed to him in Alexandria. It became known as the Julian Calendar and the Gregorian Calendar (our calendar today) was based upon it. Oh, and because Caesar was such a big deal in Rome by 44 BC, the Senate renamed one of their months after him. It was the month of JULIUS--what is now known as July. Hail Caesar!

Please be sure to share my posts and blogs with your friends who enjoy history. Let them know that they can join my adventure in writing by subscribing to brookallenauthor.com. And don't forget--Antonius: Second in Command is coming on October 25!

                                                             Brook with Gaius Julius Caesar in Naples, Italy.