Who they were
Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman of the late Republic, and one of history’s most famous figures.
What they did
He rose through Roman politics and formed the First Triumvirate with Pompey and Crassus. Between 58 and 50 BC he conquered Gaul, a campaign he described in his own Commentaries. In 49 BC he crossed the Rubicon, starting a civil war; he defeated Pompey, became dictator, and reformed the calendar into the Julian calendar. He was assassinated by senators on 15 March 44 BC.
Legacy
His name became a title for rulers — Caesar, and later Kaiser and Tsar. His death led to the fall of the Republic and the rise of his heir Augustus. He remains a central figure of Roman history and of later literature.