Rome #3: First Emperor
Refer to my previous blog to see how Julius Caesar got eyeball to eyeball with Rome. Based on Simon Baker’s Ancient Rome , the questions were: would Caesar topple the government? Or could a compromise be worked out? The Senate turned to Pompey the Great for help, and granted him sole consulship. It meant that the earlier alliance between Pompey and Caesar was now broken. Meanwhile, spotting the opportunity created by the Roman v/s Roman standoff, the Gauls revolted. Caesar responded with lightning speed. He rode back to Gaul and with his usual ruthless, single-minded, tactical genius as a general, put down the revolt. And then he returned to the outskirts of Italy again. Caesar offered a deal: since he was not eligible to stand for consul again until 10 years from his first tenure, he asked that his tenure in Gaul be extended. Upon his return, he would then stand for consul again. The people’s assemblies OK’ed the legislation: his popularity after the Gaul conquest was sky ...