July, the seventh month in the modern calendar, is named after the legendary Roman general and emperor, Julius Caesar. This was something in which he played a significant role — not the name of the month, but the adoption of the modern calendar.
He was born in Rome into the prestigious Julian family on either the 12th or 13th of July in 100 BC, and the events that made up his nearly 56-year life are the stuff of legends.
Accordingly, this is a good occasion to review some of the most significant moments in the life of Julius Caesar, with the help of history.com, ThoughtCo.com and study.com.
Capture by Pirates:
In 75 BC, Cilician pirates captured Julius Caesar on the Aegean Sea and held him for ransom. He was sailing to Rhodes to study oratory at the time of his capture.
Piracy was common at the time, and the pirates often provided slaves to work for Roman nobility. In this case the young nobleman’s capture was a minor inconvenience to him, but it turned out to be a huge mistake for the pirates.
During his captivity, the 25-year-old Caesar negotiated his own ransom, and after his release he pursued the pirates, ultimately captured and crucified them.
Spanish Campaign Victories:
After Caesar was appointed governor (propraetor) of Further Spain in 61 BC, he undertook several successful military campaigns, including against the Callaeci and Lusitanil.
He earned the respect of the Roman soldiers by fearlessly leading his legions from the front rather than directing their movements from the rear. His military success also earned him the title of Imperator from his troops.
Caesar Declines a Triumph:
In 60 B.C., Julius Caesar was entitled to a lavish triumphal procession through the streets of Rome. Even Cato, Caesar’s enemy, agreed that his Spanish victories were worthy of this high military honor. But Caesar declined.
He had moved his focus toward creating a stable government and growing economic and social issues. He focused on politics, government and laws in order to restore the Senate — not tributes.
Formed the First Roman Triumvirate:
The First Triumvirate was an informal political alliance in the Roman Republic, formed in 60 BC by Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus. This alliance aimed to consolidate their combined power, performing the function of an elected consul, and bypassing the Roman Senate. It effectively dominated Roman politics until its dissolution following Crassus's death in 53 BC.
Caesar Expanded Roman Rule in Europe:
In 58 BC, Julius Caesar was appointed governor of Rome's northern territory of Gaul (present-day France, Belgium, and Switzerland). This marked the beginning of his expansion of Roman rule in Europe.
Through the Gallic Wars, Caesar's legions conquered local tribes and extended Roman influence to the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and the English Channel. This campaign, lasting from 58 to 50 BC, significantly shifted Rome's focus from its Mediterranean territories to northwest Europe.
In 55 B.C., Caesar’s army built a wooden bridge that spanned the Rhine River in a mere 10 days. Roman troops then marched across the Rhine and subdued German tribes that threatened eastern Gaul. Later that year, Caesar commanded the first of two expeditions across the English Channel. These initial forays into Britain set the stage for Rome’s eventual conquest of much of present-day England.
Caesar Started a Civil War by 'Crossing the Rubicon':
In 49 BC, Julius Caesar deliberately defied the Roman Senate by leading his army across the Rubicon River, which separated his province from Italy, thus sparking a civil war. This act, famously described with the phrase "alea iacta est" (the die is cast), signified Caesar's commitment to a course from which there was no turning back. The crossing led to a conflict with Pompey the Great and the Senate, ultimately resulting in Caesar's victory and the end of the Roman Republic. Rome was now an empire.
The phrase "I came, I saw, I conquered" is a famous quote attributed to Julius Caesar after his battle against Pharnaces II of Pontus in 47 BC. It's a translation of the Latin phrase "Veni, vidi, vici," and is often used to describe a swift and decisive victory.
Caesar Re-installed Cleopatra on the Egyptian Throne:
Julius Caesar played a key role in reinstating Cleopatra as Queen of Egypt. After arriving in Egypt during a civil war there, Caesar allied with Cleopatra and helped her regain her throne, initially as co-ruler with her brother Ptolemy XIII, and later with Ptolemy XIV.
This action was part of a broader strategy to align Egypt with Roman interests, as Cleopatra's rule was seen as beneficial to Caesar.
He Introduced a the Modern Calendar:
The traditional Roman calendar of the time was based on the 355-day lunar year. It required constant revisions since it fell out of sync with seasons and festivals. With the help of the Greek mathematician and astronomer Sosigenes, Caesar enacted the Julian calendar, which was based on the 365¼-day solar year with a "leap day" added every four years.
To reboot the calendar, 46 B.C. lasted 445 days before switching to Caesar’s calendar on January 1 in 45 B.C. The new Julian calendar eventually became the standard in most of the Western world for 16 centuries, and laid the groundwork for the modern Gregorian calendar.
In 44 BC, after Julius Caesar's death, the 7th month of the Julian calendar was renamed July in his honor, and continued over to today’s Gregorian calendar.
Beware the Ides of March:
On the Ides of March (March 15) of 44 B.C., Julius Caesar was assassinated at the foot of a statue of Pompey where the Senate was meeting. He was stabbed some 23 times before he was killed.
Because Caesar had declared himself "Emperor tor Life," more than sixty members of the Roman Senate turned against him, leading to his planned assassination. Caesar’s death, however, did not restore the Roman Republic as planned. Instead it triggered another civil war— this one between his supporters and the conspirators.
Complicating things even further, although Caesar was hated by many members of the Senate, he was beloved by the citizens of Rome, who deified him after his death.
Michael Dorstewitz is a retired lawyer and is a frequent contributor to Newsmax. He's also a former U.S. Merchant Marine officer and a Second Amendment supporter. Read Michael Dorstewitz's Reports — More Here.