5 Ways Julius Caesar Changed the World
He may not have ruled the Roman Republic for very long, but Julius Caesar left behind a towering legacy. From his early days as a young aristocrat to his rise as a triumphant military leader, Caesar's lofty aspirations, unrelenting conquests, and political reforms made him a revered leader. Almost as quickly as he ascended to unrivaled authority, he was dramatically assassinated, leading to civil upheaval and the demise of the Roman Republic — which ultimately heralded the start of the Roman Empire. Caesar remains respected for his strategic brilliance and studied for the far-reaching implications his actions had on Western civilization — including these five ways that Caesar’s life and legacy helped shape the world.
His Death Triggered the Rise of the Roman Empire
In 49 BCE, Caesar was a successful military general and popular political leader, having skillfully led the Roman army in Gaul for eight years. But his influence and growing power clashed with the Roman Senate's desire to maintain power in the republic. Fearing Caesar's aspirations as his governorship of Gaul came to an end, the Senate demanded he disband his legions and return to Rome on his own. Caesar instead famously crossed the Rubicon, leading his army across a small stream separating Italy from Gaul. The move violated Roman law and marked the beginning of a four-year civil war between Caesar's forces and those of his former ally Pompey, from which Caesar emerged victorious.
When he returned to Rome in 46 BCE, Caesar became dictator of the republic. After two years and several more military victories, Caesar declared himself dictator perpetuo — dictator in perpetuity. This unprecedented authority effectively eroded the traditional checks and balances of the Roman Republic and spurred a group of senators to assassinate Caesar on March 15, 44 BCE. His death plunged Rome into further chaos; a power struggle among Caesar's key supporters, most notably his adopted heir Octavian (later known as Augustus) culminated in the end of the Roman Republic and the eventual rise of Augustus as the first Roman emperor.
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He Spread Roman Influence Throughout Europe
Caesar's conquest of Gaul, consisting of modern-day France and Belgium, as well as parts of Switzerland, Germany, and the Netherlands, was crucial for spreading Roman influence throughout Europe. It added not only a substantial amount of land to Rome’s holdings, but also wealth.
In 55 BCE, the relentless Roman general led his first of two expeditions to Britain. While neither that nor the second trip the following year was successful at taking over the land, the expedition laid the foundation for Rome to eventually conquer much of the British Isles. These conquests weren’t just about land and riches — they were all part of Caesar's ultimate political ambitions. By increasing his military support and popularity with the people, Caesar set the stage for his pursuit of more power in Rome. As he conquered more regions, he integrated the republic’s legal and political systems and increased trade by expanding the network of roads leading in and out of Rome. The famous bridges Caesar built on the Rhine River during the Gallic Wars are just a few of many aqueducts ancient Rome is known for.
He Introduced the 365-Day Calendar
In 46 BCE, Caesar, advised by the Greek astronomer Sosigenes, reformed the Roman calendar. The traditional calendar was based on the phases of the moon and was often out of sync with the solar year. The new system, influenced by the Egyptian calendar, was based on calculations of a solar year of 365.25 days. The calendar was divided into 12 months, with an additional day added every four years to ensure the calendar stayed in line with the Earth’s orbit around the sun. The Julian calendar — named for its progenitor — was implemented on January 1, 45 BCE.
The calendar became the predominant timekeeping system in the Western world, but the calculations were just a little bit off — the solar year ran about 11 minutes shorter than expected. By 1582, the miscalculations had added up to a 10-day discrepancy. It was rectified by the Gregorian calendar, modified by Pope Gregory XIII and introduced in 1582, but the Julian calendar’s standardized method of measuring time continues to structure our lives to this day.
He Changed Political Strategy
Caesar’s political ambition and reforms had an enduring impact on political thought and practice in Rome and beyond. One of his most powerful strategies was cultivating support from common Roman citizens, as well as his army, as a means of gaining popularity that would bolster his rise to power.
After naming himself the republic’s dictator, he made a number of revolutionary political reforms: He supported redistributing land to go to veterans or to the poor, canceled debt and rent payments for a period of time, and planned a public library, to name a few. His populist approach worked. After his death, the Senate granted him divine status, making him the first historical Roman to achieve the status.
He Inspired a Shakespeare Play
Caesar was hailed as a master orator in his time, but he was also a celebrated author. His writing style, which was praised for its clarity and elegance, lives on in very few published works; his war memoirs, Commentarii De Bello Gallico (an account of the Gallic Wars) and Commentarii de Bello Civili (an account of Rome’s civil war), are the only surviving primary texts. His Gallic Wars account in particular is popular not only for its insight into Roman geographic and military history, but also as a beginner’s guide to learning Latin.
Of course, it isn’t just his own work that lives on: Caesar’s remarkable rule inspired one of the most famous works by one of history’s greatest playwrights. Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare, is an enduring classroom and theatrical favorite, and remains a popular point of reference from which to explore one of history’s most influential rulers.
