Caesar's portrait on a Roman coin aimed to distance him from the ideals of the Roman Republic by adopting a Hellenistic style and conveying authority and experience.
Caesar's unwavering determination and use of innovative strategies led to his victory in battles and the weakening of his opponents.
Deep dives
Caesar's Coin Revolution
Caesar's portrait on a Roman coin from 44 BC shocked many of his contemporaries, as it was the first time a living person was depicted on the obverse of a Roman coin. This departure from Roman iconography mirrored the style of Hellenistic kings and aimed to distance Caesar from the ideals of the Roman Republic. The realistic portrayal of Caesar on the coin, with imperfections visible, may have conveyed notions of authority and experience rather than youthful heroism.
Caesar's Crossing of the Rubicon
In January 49 BC, Julius Caesar led his forces across the Rubicon River, marking the start of the Civil War in Rome. Although Caesar began with a relatively weak position and faced opposition from Pompey and the leading citizens of Rome, he persevered and employed innovative strategies to secure victory. Caesar's unwavering determination and Pompey's overconfidence ultimately led to Caesar's triumph in battles and the weakening of his opponents.
Caesar's Alliance with Cleopatra and Rise as Dictator
Caesar formed an alliance with Cleopatra, the ruler of Egypt, and they became lovers. Cleopatra sought Caesar's support in her conflict with her brother and seized control of Egypt with his help. Meanwhile, Caesar, backed by the common people and his soldiers, rose in power in Rome. Despite initially being reluctant to become a king and striving for stability and reform, Caesar's role as dictator for life marked the end of Rome's 500-year Republic and the beginning of a new era.
The last decade of Julius Caesar’s life was dominated by civil war, his romance with Cleopatra and his quest for ultimate power. In episode three of our new series on Julius Caesar’s rise and fall, Rob Attar is joined by Professor Philip Freeman, Dr Jane Draycott and Dr Volker Heuchert to explore Caesar’s final years as the storm clouds were gathering around him.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.