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By the end of his quaestorship, Caesar had established himself as a capable speaker, a loyal supporter of the populares faction, and a rising figure in Roman politics. His early career laid the foundation for the rapid advancement that followed.

By the end of his quaestorship, Caesar had established himself as a capable speaker, a loyal supporter of the populares faction, and a rising figure in Roman politics. His early career laid the foundation for the rapid advancement that followed.

The office of [[Flamen Dialis]] was highly restrictive. The priest was bound by numerous religious rules: he could not spend a night outside Rome, could not touch a horse, could not see an army, could not swear an oath, and could not be absent from certain rituals. These limitations made the priesthood incompatible with military or political ambition. If Caesar had remained [[Flamen Dialis]], he could never have pursued the career that later defined him.

In 60 B.C. Julius Caesar joined with the wealthy Marcus Crassus and the powerful Roman general and statesman [[Pompey|Pompey the Great]] to rule [[Rome]] as the first [[triumvirate]]. In 59 B.C. Julius Caesar became consul and used his position to gain favor with the public, such as by distributing grain to the poor.  

 

When [[Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix Epaphroditus|Sulla]] seized power in 82 BC, he targeted Marian appointees and stripped Caesar of the priesthood. Sulla also ordered Caesar to divorce Cornelia, the daughter of [[Lucius Cornelius Cinna]], in an effort to sever Caesar’s ties to the Marian faction and potentially force a politically acceptable bride upon him. Caesar’s refusal placed him in grave danger, but the loss of the priesthood ultimately freed him from its restrictive obligations and allowed him to begin the ''[[Cursus Honorum|cursus honorum]]''—the sequence of magistracies that formed the backbone of a Roman political career. Thus, the termination of his priesthood became the unexpected turning point that enabled his future rise.

Julius Caesar then made himself the provincial ruler (proconsul) of [[Gaul]] (modern-day [[France]]). He conquered vast amounts of territory for Rome and, while fighting abroad, sent written reports back to Rome of the victories he was winning to sustain his popularity and to ensure that the people did not forget him. Back in Rome, Julius Caesar’s plan was working, and Pompey became increasingly jealous (by this time, Crassus had died in battle). Pompey, with the support of the [[Roman Senate|Senate]], objected to Julius Caesar’s actions and ordered him to disband his army and return to Rome. He refused, and in an act of direct defiance to the Senate, led his loyal troops across the Rubicon River to Rome and conquered it in 49 B. C. The expression, “crossing the Rubicon” is used today to describe an act from which there is no turning back. Julius Caesar went on to defeat Pompey at the [[Battle of Pharsalus]] in 48 B.C. This left Julius Caesar firmly in control of Rome, and he then took his veteran army on campaigns in [[Egypt]] (where he installed ally [[Cleopatra]] as queen), Asia Minor, [[Africa]] and [[Spain]] before returning to Rome again in 45 B.C. Rome ruled much of the Western civilized world as result of these military campaigns. It is interesting to note that Caesar did not start his string of incredible military victories until he was well into middle age.  The Roman Senate appointed Julius Caesar as dictator for life in 46 B.C.

Although Caesar never again held the [[Flamen Dialis]] position, his early appointment reveals the political alliances of his youth and the confidence placed in him by the Marian leadership. It also marks the beginning of his public life, occurring long before his later and more famous priesthood as '''Pontifex Maximus'''

==Quaestor==

==Quaestor==

As Aedile, Caesar also oversaw market regulation and urban maintenance, enforcing standards of trade and ensuring the supply of grain and other essentials — the part of the office that most resembles a '''Minister for Public Wellbeing'''. His strict attention to food prices and grain availability won him exceptional support among ordinary Romans, who had long endured price manipulation, neglect, and creeping costs under previous Aediles. By restoring fairness in the markets and ensuring stable access to basic commodities, Caesar addressed the issue common citizens cared about most: the daily cost of living. His energetic administration therefore demonstrated both generosity and competence, transforming the Aedileship from a routine magistracy into a powerful platform for political advancement and preparing the ground for his later rise.

As Aedile, Caesar also oversaw market regulation and urban maintenance, enforcing standards of trade and ensuring the supply of grain and other essentials — the part of the office that most resembles a '''Minister for Public Wellbeing'''. His strict attention to food prices and grain availability won him exceptional support among ordinary Romans, who had long endured price manipulation, neglect, and creeping costs under previous Aediles. By restoring fairness in the markets and ensuring stable access to basic commodities, Caesar addressed the issue common citizens cared about most: the daily cost of living. His energetic administration therefore demonstrated both generosity and competence, transforming the Aedileship from a routine magistracy into a powerful platform for political advancement and preparing the ground for his later rise.

==Pontifex Maximus==

==Pontifex Maximus (Pope)==

[[Image:Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus - Dressed as the Pontifex Maximus - National Roman Museum, Italy - 960x1455px.jpg|150px|thumb|right|[[Augustus Caesar]] dressed in the garb of the Pontifex Maximus.]]

[[Image:Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus - Dressed as the Pontifex Maximus - National Roman Museum, Italy - 960x1455px.jpg|150px|thumb|right|[[Augustus Caesar]] dressed in the garb of the Pontifex Maximus.]]

In '''63 BC''' Julius Caesar was elected [[Pontifex Maximus]] for which he risked the entire family fortune to obtain through the purchase of votes to the highest priestly office in the Roman Republic.<ref>Suetonius, ''Divus Julius'', 13</ref>  In modern terms he became the lifelong and more powerful version of we might call the cabinet '''Minister for Religion'''.  His desire for the role was so great that Julius accrued debts therebuy bigger than he could repay; therefore he famously told his mother that morning as he left the house for the Forum:

In '''63 BC''' Julius Caesar was elected [[Pontifex Maximus]] for which he risked the entire family fortune to obtain through the purchase of votes to the highest priestly office in the Roman Republic.<ref>Suetonius, ''Divus Julius'', 13</ref>  In modern terms he became the lifelong and more powerful version of we might call the cabinet '''Minister for Religion'''.  His desire for the role was so great that Julius accrued debts therebuy bigger than he could repay; therefore he famously told his mother that morning as he left the house for the Forum:

Caesar’s Praetorship was followed by his assignment as governor of [[Hispania Ulterior]], where he exercised military command, resolved provincial disputes, and restored financial order. His successes in [[Hispania]] earned him both military prestige and the political capital necessary to seek the [[Consul|Consulship]]. The [[Praetor|Praetorship]] therefore marked Caesar’s transition from a rising politician to a leader with independent authority, preparing him for the decisive steps that would define his later career.

Caesar’s Praetorship was followed by his assignment as governor of [[Hispania Ulterior]], where he exercised military command, resolved provincial disputes, and restored financial order. His successes in [[Hispania]] earned him both military prestige and the political capital necessary to seek the [[Consul|Consulship]]. The [[Praetor|Praetorship]] therefore marked Caesar’s transition from a rising politician to a leader with independent authority, preparing him for the decisive steps that would define his later career.

==Later Career and Death==

==Later Career and Death==