Gaius Julius Caesar, a patrician and noble, became one of the most powerful men in Ancient Roman history. Caesar was a populare1, and eventually became the people’s hero. His leadership qualities gained him the consulship of 59 B.C., and eventually perpetual dictatorship. Caesar’s acquired power soon became immense, and soon the ruling class began to fear his power. This wealth of power brought back images of the ruthless Roman monarchy, abolished centuries before, in 510 B.C. Caesar presided over the military, politics and religion; it allowed him to virtually control Rome. And, it was eventually Caesar’s power which led to his demise on the Ides Of March in 44BC.
Caesar gained power in three main areas which dominated Roman life. He acquired power in politics and the government, in religion2, and in the military3. Using his power in these posts, his established a form of rule through which he could control many aspects of Roman life.
On July 25th, 46B.C., Julius Caesar secured the office of Dictator4 for ten years. It was here, that Caesar found his power to preside over others, and where he became passionately hated by the Roman ruling class. As dictator, Caesar had secured the power of an absolute ruler. Earlier that year, he had been given Censorial powers, as the ‘Director Of Public Morals’ (praefectura morum)5. The dictatorship now meant that he had the powers of all the other offices in the Cursus Honorum.6
Caesar wanted to make reforms to improve life in Rome. However, he needed the Senate’s help to pass legislation. The Senate had been one of the main problems for Caesar’s predecessors. They had obstructed the passage of laws which would have benefited the state. However, Caesar was determined to not be presided over by the Senate. The civil war against Pompey had taken a toll on the Senate. Many of Pompey’s supporters who were Senators, had been killed in battle. In addition, Caesar had increased the number of Senators from five to six hundred, to about nine hundred. To fill the vacant seats, he selected the Senators from a range of places7 and occupations. The new senators were all supporters of Caesar8, and vastly outnumbered the old senators.9 Effectively, the Senate became nothing more than a puppet of Caesar’s power.
As Caesar was dictator, his Imperium power was greater than any of the magistrates, even the consuls. He had gained many rights, as dictator which also allowed him to control the magistrates, and their elections. During Caesar’s rule, elections into office proceeded as normal. However, he had passed legislation which allowed him to control the elections10, whereby his suggestions were always acknowledged. In this manner, many of his colleagues were rewarded with posts as magistrates. Prior to Caesar, the consuls had been the most respected and powerful of the political magistracies. Now, it had been turned into an insignificant parody of its former use. Cicero makes comment about the way in which Caesar had converted political office into a ’sad joke’ –
“At one o’clock, Caesar announced the election of a consul to serve until 1 January – which was the next morning. So I can inform you that in Canninus’ consulship, nobody had lunch. Still, nothing untoward occurred while he was consul: such was his vigilance that throughout his consulship, he did not sleep a wink!” 11
His further comment, also showed his opinion of what Caesar had turned the political magistracies into:
“…you could not help but weep… there are countless similar instances.12″
The dictatorship was the one thing which was constitutional about Caesar’s rule. However, “in him [Caesar], the awed respect for constitutional niceties with which so many of his fellow Romans were imbued, seems to have been totally lacking.13″ And then in February of 44BC, he was named Dictatus Perpetuus. Being dictator for life, now meant that Rome had effectively reverted to absolute control – what the republicans had feared for. His term as dictatus perpetuus also granted him rights which made him invulnerable to constitutional safeguards. Now, the veto of the tribunes14 couldn’t affect his legislation or decisions. One of the safeguards of the constitution of the Republic had been removed15; and thus autocracy became one step closer.
