In the last century of Rome, a great general and politician rose to become the sole ruler of.

             Born Gaius Julius Caesar on July 13, 100 B.C.,.

             he was the son of a patri- cian family. His father was also named Gaius Julius Caesar. His.

             mother was Aurelia, who was part of the Aurelii family, an important Roman family. Julius.

             Caesar was raised to be in the military, because his father was a general and gave Julius.

             the desire to follow in his footsteps. Julius was only fifteen years old when his father died,.

             but he already had a lot of military experience. In 84 B.C., Caesar married Cornelia, the.

             daughter of his father"s friend and partner, Lucius Cornelius Cinna. Because she was so.

             young, Caesar was ordered to divorce her, but he refused, and in order to keep him from.

             harm he was sent to get a fleet of ships from a Roman ally, Nicomedes IV of Bithynia.

             When Caesar was about twenty-four years old, he left Rome to study oratory in Rhodes,.

             Greece. He was captured by pirates when he was on his way to Rhodes,, but was released.

             after obtaining a ransom. Caesar vowed revenge, and gathered troops together to go after.

             the pirates. He captured them in 75 B.C. and had them executed. After returning to Rome.

             from his studies in Rhodes, he helped Marcus Antonius Creticus fight piracy. In 73 B.C.,.

             Caesar was made a pontiff at Rome. He supported those who were trying to get power.

             from the nobles who dominated the Senate. He also -2- supported the return of tribunician.

             powers. His wife Cornelia died in 69 B.C. and he married Pompeia in 68 B.C., a.

             granddaughter of Lucius Cornelius Sulla, and a relative of Pompey the Great. He also.

             became the quaestor of Spain at this time, and in 61 B.C. became governor of Further.

             Spain. He divorced Pompeia this same year because he suspected she was unfaithful, and.

             in 58 B.C. he married Calpurnia. A year after becoming the governor of Further Spain,.

             Caesar joined the First Triumvirate with Pompey and Crassus to further their political.