Holly Reinwasser, age 15, of Watertown, N.Y. for her question:
WHY IS JULIUS CAESAR CONSIDERED GREAT?
Historians agree that Julius Caesar, a Roman general and statesman, was one of the great men in the history of the world. He is considered to be great because he was a brilliant military leader who helped make Rome the center of an empire that stretched across Europe.
Julius Caesar also won fame as an orator, politician and writer. His many skills helped him become dictator of the Roman world.
Caesar was born in Rome about 100 B.C. of an aristocratic family. He studied philosophy and oratory for a time in Greece. Back in Rome, he became increasingly interested in public affairs and in 65 B.C. he was elected to direct public works and provided recreation for the people, although he went heavily into debt to do so.
In 62 B.C. he became a praetor, the office next in rank to consul, and a consul in 59. By training he was a politician rather than a soldier, but he knew he needed military fame and a loyal army to gain more power. So he began a campaign to conquer Gaul (France). It soon became clear that he was a military genius.
During nine years in Gaul, Caesar lost only two battles in which he personally took part. He conquered all territory east to the Rhine River, drove the Germans out of Gaul and crossed the Rhine to show them the might of Rome. He also invaded Britain twice.
In 49 B.C. Caesar led 5,000 men across the Rubicon, a stream that separated his provinces from Italy. He provoked a civil war, his greatest step toward grasping supreme power. His troops dashed south with little opposition. Within 60 days, Caesar became master of Italy. It then took him nearly five years to complete his conquest of the rest of the empire.
Before returning to Rome, Caesar won the war he fought to make Cleopatra ruler of Egypt.
By 45 B.C., Caesar had become undisputed master of the Roman world. The people honored him for his leadership and triumphs by granting him the powers of dictator for 10 years. Then he was made dictator for life. He was offered the crown of king but refused to accept.
Even though Caesar refused to accept the crown, the conservatives suspected that he intended to make himself king someday. Two men whom Caesar had pardoned earlier led a group of aristocrats in a plot to kill the dictator.
On March 15, 44 B.C., they stabbed Caesar to death as he entered a Senate meeting. He received more than 20 wounds in the assassination from men who had accepted his favors and whom he had believed were his friends. Their names were Marcus Brutus and Gaius Cassius.
During his time, Caesar used wisely the power he had won and made many important reforms. He stopped dishonest practices in the Roman and provincial governments. He improved the calendar, clearing up confusion that had existed for hundreds of years in computing time.
He established a plan for reorganizing city government in Italy. Caesar replaced dishonest governors with honest ones and granted Roman citizenship to many persons in the provinces. He helped the poor, founded public libraries, drained marshes and constructed canals.
As an orator, Caesar ranked second only to Cicero. He was also a famous writer.