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In his new province he defeated some rebellious tribes and was accorded a Triumph and he was later nominated to the office of Consul, one of the most important roles in Rome (60 AD). At this stage, Caesar had a rather conventional career or the <i>cursus honorum</i> as it was known in Rome and one that was typical of a man of his class. However, a series of events which were brilliantly manipulated by Caesar and his military genius meant that he was to become the single most powerful Roman who lived, up to that point and the man who was to change Rome forever.<ref>Grant, Michael. <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0486822192/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0486822192&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=707967b3998ed8e0ee4b02e887ee7b50 The Twelve Caesars]</i> (New York: Penguin Books, 1979), p 15</ref>

====First Triumvirate====

By 59 BCE, Caesar was one of the most important political figures in Rome, mainly because of his connections to the old supporters of Marius. He also appears to have been genuinely popular among many ordinary Romans.<ref> Plutarch, vix</ref> The political situation in Rome was chaotic and political violence was common, often orchestrated by gangs connected to leading public figures. In this situation, nothing could get done and there was political gridlock. The Senate wanted to control all aspects of political life as they had since the early days of the Republic. However, many aristocrats were frustrated by the conservatism of the Senators and believed that it was incapable of any meaningful decisions. Some of the leading figures in Rome at the time decided to come together and to enter an informal alliance in order to provide some stability and to secure their own political aims.<ref>Holland, Tom. <i>[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1400078970/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1400078970&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=a25657c34ca67cbf377bd8dfbc462c2c Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic]</i> (London, Anchor Press, 2003), p. 134</ref>

==== Civil Wars (49-44 BCE)====

Caesar was by now the most powerful man in Rome, but he had many enemies. Pompey and his old foes the conservative Senators formed an alliance against Caesar. However, they had no legions at their disposal in Italy and they fled to the Balkans. Here they assembled a number of legions. The majority of the Roman Senate joined the Pompeiians as they came to be known and they controlled most of the Eastern provinces of the Roman Empire. Caesar knew he was vulnerable and that many in Italy hated him, despite his generally tolerant and benign rule. He knew that he had to defeat Pompey. Caesar took several legions to the Balkans and confronted the army of Pompey. This campaign was very difficult for Caesar and he was lucky to escape a decisive defeat. The conqueror of the Gaul’s maneuvered Pompey into a battle at Pharsalus in modern Greece. Caesar was out-numbered, and his opponent was a great general.

* Holland, Tom. [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1400078970/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1400078970&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=a25657c34ca67cbf377bd8dfbc462c2c Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic] (London, Anchor Press, 2003)

* Goodman, Rob. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1250042623/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1250042623&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=4c9157524f8c44ff12d67a6dff4613ad Rome's Last Citizen: The Life and Legacy of Cato: Mortal Enemy of Caesar]'' (St. Martin's Griffen, 2014)

====References====

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[[Category:Wikis]][[Category:Roman History]][[Category:Julius Caesar]][[Category:Ancient History]]