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GaiusJuliusCaesar(13July100BC–15March44BC),oftensimplyreferredtoasJuliusCaesar,wasaRomangeneralandstatesmanandadistinguishedwriterofLatinprose.HeplayedacriticalroleinthegradualtransformationoftheRomanRepublicintotheRomanEmpire.•In60BC,CaesarenteredintoapoliticalalliancewithCrassusandPompeythatwastodominateRomanpoliticsforseveralyears.TheirattemptstoamasspowerthroughpopulisttacticswereopposedwithintheRomanSenatebytheconservativeelite,amongthemCatotheYoungerwiththefrequentsupportofCicero.Caesar'sconquestofGaul,completedby51BC,extendedRome'sterritorytotheEnglishChannelandtheRhine.CaesarbecamethefirstRomangeneraltocrossbothwhenhebuiltabridgeacrosstheRhineandconductedthefirstinvasionofBritain.TheseachievementsgrantedhimunmatchedmilitarypowerandthreatenedtoeclipsePompey‘sstanding.AndabeautifulstorybeginswhenCaesarmeetsCleopatra•CleopatraVIIPhilopator,knowntohistoryasCleopatra,wasthelastpharaohofAncientEgypt.•AfterCaesar'sassassinationin44BC,shealignedwithMarkAntonyinoppositiontoCaesar'slegalheir,GaiusJuliusCaesarOctavian.AfterlosingtheBattleofActiumtoOctavian'sforces,Antonycommittedsuicide.Cleopatrafollowedsuit,accordingtotraditionkillingherselfbymeansofanaspbiteonAugust12,30BC.Afterherdeath,EgyptbecametheRomanprovinceofEgypt's.•ThisiswhenCleopatracametoRomeAfterassumingcontrolofgovernment,CaesarbeganextensivereformsofRomansocietyandgovernment.HecentralizedthebureaucracyoftheRepublicandwaseventuallyproclaimed“dictatorinperpetuity”.Caesarnevertookprecautionsforhispersonalsafety.AtameetingofthesenateontheIdesofMarch(15thMarch)44BC,theygatheredroundhimonthepretextofurgingapetitionandthenstabbedhimtodeath.,ledbyMarcusJuliusBrutus•ThedeathofCaesarAfterthat,aseriesofcivilwarsbrokeout…GrowthofOctavian•WithinafewyearsafterofCaesar'sdeath,twomenhaddividedtheRomanworldbetweenthem-Octavian,Caesar'sheirandgrandnephew,takingthewest,andantony,ceasar’sallyandassistant,theeast.Buttheempireoftheromans,largeasitwas,wasstilltoosmallfortwomasters,andOctavianandAntonyeventuallycameintoconflict.AntonyalliedhimselfwithCleopatraVII,withwhom,likeCaesarbeforehim,hefelldeeplyinlove.•Octavianbeganapropagandacampaign,accusingAntonyofcateringtoCleopatraandgivingawayRomanterritorytothis“whoreoftheeast.”Finally,atthebattleofActiuminGreecein31B.C.Octavian’sforcessmashedthearmyandnavyofAntonyandCleopatra.BoththeyfledtoEgypt,andcommittedsuicide.Octavian,attheageof32,stoodsupremeovertheRomanworld.Thecivilwarswereended,andsoastherepublic.•ThelasttimeofAntonyandCleopatra•Cleopatrawasregardedasagreatbeauty,evenintheancientworld.InhisLifeofAntony,PlutarchremarksthatjudgingbytheproofswhichshehadhadbeforethisoftheeffectofherbeautyuponCaiusCaesarandGnaeusthesonofPompey,shehadhopesthatshewouldmoreeasilybringAntonytoherfeet.ForCaesarandPompeyhadknownherwhenshewasstillagirlandinexperiencedinaffairs,butshewasgoingtovisitAntonyattheverytimewhenwomenhavethemostbrilliantbeauty.Laterinthework,however,Plutarchindicatesthatherbeauty,aswearetold,wasinitselfneitheraltogetherincomparable,norsuchastostrikethosewhosawher.Rather,whatultimatelymadeCleopatraattractivewereherwit,charmandsweetnessinthetonesofhervoice.AugustusCaeser•27B.COctavianproclaimedthe“resorationoftheRepublic”•Onlythetraditionalrepublicanformswouldsatisfythesenatorialaristocracy•ThesenateawardedhimthetitleofAugustus------:therevervedone•Hepreferredthetitle:Princeps(元首)----firstamongequals.