How did Caesar come to power in Rome?


Answer: Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman born around 100 B.C. He was born in a patrician family (senatorial class) called the Julii that claimed lineage from the Goddess Venus and the legendary Prince Aeneas of Troy. His birth in this family had already put him ahead of most others on the road to power.

Caesar was smart, hard working and charming and made many friends and connections that would help him later in life. He married a relative of Gaius Marius, the dictator of Rome at the time and furthered his political connections. Though he suffered a setback when Sulla defeated Marius, Caesar was quickly able to use that to his advantage to escape a posting that required him to remain in Rome. It was important for any aspiring Consul (leader of Rome) to be seen as an effective military general who had conquered lands for Rome.

Caesar's next significant position was that of Aedile where one of his primary duties were to organize games. Caesar borrowed heavily and organized lavish games so that the people of Rome would know him. Unlike other patricians, Caesar had grown up in the Subura where, at the time, the plebeians lived and knew the importance and power that could be garnered from the love of the people.

Through multiple appointments, Caesar displayed his military genius and was eventually elected Consul. He formed an alliance with two other leading figures of the time: Pompey (a decorated general) and Crassus (richest man in Rome) known now as the "First Triumvirate". 

After his consulship, Caesar become Governor of Gaul and eventually won a lot of territory for Rome. However, his political opponents in Rome readied a case for prosecuting him and stripping of power. Unwilling to be subject to that, Caesar gathered one of his legions and marched on Rome. His political opponents performed a tactical retreat from Rome leaving him in nominal control. He consolidated his power by winning multiple wars in Greece, Spain and Egypt eventually solidifying his hold on Rome and getting himself elected Dictator