Julius Caesar

Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, and subsequently became dictator of Rome from 49 BC until his assassination in 44 BC.

The Marian Reforms introduced to the Roman army by Roman general and politician Gaius Marius (157-86 BCE). These reforms transformed the Roman army from a semi-professional militia to a professional fighting force.

Property ownership had previously been a requirement to be a Roman soldiers, but now the recruitment of vast numbers of poor, propertyless plebeians would do almost anything to obtain land redistributed after Gaul was invaded. These new professional soldiers served for longer consecutive terms and were personally bound and singularly loyal to their commanders.

The threat of the German Cimbri and Teutoni tribes when they invaded Gaul in 109 B.C. with numerous successes allowed a free hand for generals of Tome to alter the nature of the army.

Marius' military restructuring proved itself during the war by 102 B.C. As a vast gathering of Germans neared the Alps one of the bloodiest battles in history took 130,000 lives, decimating the Teutones. A similar battle at Vercellae saw the slaughter of more than a 100,000. In a single war with three major battles almost 300,000 men were killed on a scale not seen.

These Celtic and germanic tribes were migrating and traveled with their wives and children. Upon these massive defeats the women killed themselves and their children in order to avoid the growing slave markets. The remaining Cimbri and their allies, the Boii settled in southern Gaul and would eventual face Julius Caesar.

The structure of the army with the need for profitable wars through acqusition of land and wealth through the slave trade changed the perception of war. This would lead the way for Julius Caesar to use the military as one of the largest slave running operations in history as he invaded Gaul. The revenue from this operation amassed the wealth needed to finance his political aspirations by buy the loyalty of his troops and the Roman populous who were lavished with free bread and circuses.

Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC in hopes of restoring the Republic. He was the maternal great-uncle of Octavius his adopted son and heir so Gaius Octavius was named his successor becoming Augustus Caesar.

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Julius Caesar

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Julius Caesar

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