Caesar’s Political Career

Offices held by C. Julius C.f. C.n. Caesar

87-82 BC, Flamen Dialis? (nominated but not inaugurated)

81 BC, Legate and Envoy to the King of Bithynia

73-71 BC Legate and Military Tribune vs. the Pirates

73 BC, coopted as Pontifex

69-68 BC, Quaestor– Spain

65 BC, Curule aedile in Rome

64 BC, Iudex quaestionis; Caesar elected Pontifex Maximus

63 BC, Catilinarian Conspiracy; Caesar was duumvir perduellionis (prosecution of C. Rabirius); elected Pontifex Maximus; elected praetor for 62;

62 BC, Scandal of the Rites of the Bona Dea; Caesar served as praetor, then as governor of Spain 61-60;

60 BC, awarded a triumph for a victory in Spain, he requested permission to run for the consulship in absentia, was forced to forego his triumph in order to run for office.

59 BC, Caesar elected consul with M. Calpurnius Bibulus; five year extraordinary command in Gaul, renewed in 55 for 5 more years. {First Triumvirate, 59 BC, three men combine their influence to seize power at Rome}

[Renewal of the Triumvirate in 56 BC: Pompey and Crassus became consuls in 55 BC; Caesar obtained 5 years more in Gaul. 49 BC he could run for consulship again. Crassus was killed in 53. Julia died in childbirth in 54.]

Proconsul in Cisalpine Gaul, 59-50 BC.

Jan. 49, his imperium expired and he was ordered to surrender his province, he crossed the Rubicon acting without authority. Praetor, M. Aemilius Lepidus passed a plebiscite electing Caesar dictator

Dict. 1: for 11 days to hold elections 49 BC, got himself elected cos.

Cos. II, 48 BC, defeats Pompey at Pharsalus, pursues him to Egypt.

Dict. II, Oct. 48 BC in absentia (trapped in Alexandria) through Oct. 47

Cos. III, 46 BC, Dict. III in April for 10 years, dictator rei publicae constituendae, renewable by year. Holds 5 triumphs (Gaul, Greece, Egypt, Asia, Africa), tribunician postestas for life, right to bear the name Imperator as his first name, to dress as an imperator at all times,

Cos. IV, 45 BC, elected consul IV without colleague until he abdicated on Oct. 1, campaigned vs. Pompey’s sons in Spain, left M. Antony as his master of the horse (magister equitum)

Cos. V, Dict. IV, 44 BC, recorded in ovatio, Jan. 26, cult to his genius, M. Antony as flamen, constructs Temple of Venus Genetrix with his statue placed beside that of the goddess, invites Cleopatra to reside at his villa with her “illegitimate son” whom she named Caesarion, attempted crowning during the Lupercalia (Feb. 15), announces 5 year campaign against Parthia, appoints consuls for 5 years in advance, refuses to rise when Senate greets him.

Dictator in Perpetuo, Feb. 15, last Senate meeting planned before he departed on campaign in Parthia for 5 years, the Ides of March 44 BC.

REX?