People in the Life of Caesar

julius caesar

Clara Grosch / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain

 
History and Culture
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By
N.S. Gill
N.S. Gill
Ancient History and Latin Expert
  • M.A., Linguistics, University of Minnesota
  • B.A., Latin, University of Minnesota
N.S. Gill is a Latinist, writer, and teacher of ancient history and Latin. She has been featured by NPR and National Geographic for her ancient history expertise.
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Updated on February 10, 2019

Julius Caesar had a unique appeal; one that made him capable of inspiring his soldiers to follow him into an act of treason. Here are some of the important people whose lives were touched by Julius Caesar.

Augustus (Octavian)

augustus statue

Unknown source/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain

Augustus, known as Caesar Augustus or Octavian (aka Gaius Octavius or C. Julius Caesar Octavianus) became the first Roman emperor mainly because he had been adopted by Julius Caesar. Caesar is often referred to as Augustus' uncle.

Pompey

Marble bust of Pompey

DEA/A. DAGLI ORTI/Getty Images

Part of the first triumvirate with Caesar, Pompey was known as Pompey the Great. One of his accomplishments was ridding the area of pirates. He is also known for snatching the victory over the enslaved people led by Spartacus out from under the hands of Crassus, the third member of the triumvirate.

Crassus

bust of marcus crassus

cjh1452000/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain

The third and very wealthy member of the first triumvirate, Crassus, whose relations with Pompey were not exactly cordial after Pompey took the credit for putting down the Spartacan revolt, were held together by Julius Caesar, but when Crassus was killed fighting in Asia, the remaining coalition fell apart.

Cleopatra

Bas relief fragment portraying Cleopatra

DEA PICTURE LIBRARY/Getty Images

It began with the dramatic moment when Cleopatra, rolled in a carpet, returns from exile in order to intrigue with Julius Caesar.

Sulla

Sulla. Glyptothek, Munich, Germany

Bibi Saint-Pol/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain

Sulla was a fearful despot in Rome, but a young Caesar stood up to him when Sulla ordered him to divorce his wife.

Marius

Marius bust

Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain

Marius was Caesar's uncle by marriage to his aunt Julia, who died in 69 B.C. Marius and Sulla were on opposing political sides although they had started out fighting on the same side in Africa.

Vercingetorix

Vercingetorix coin

 Siren-Com/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 3.0

Vercingetorix may be familiar from the Asterix the Gaul comic books. He was a valiant Gaul who stood up to Julius Caesar during the ​Gallic Wars, showing that the shaggy tribesmen could be just as brave as a civilized Roman.

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Gill, N.S. "People in the Life of Caesar." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/people-in-the-life-of-caesar-117562. Gill, N.S. (2023, April 5). People in the Life of Caesar. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/people-in-the-life-of-caesar-117562 Gill, N.S. "People in the Life of Caesar." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/people-in-the-life-of-caesar-117562 (accessed April 2, 2025).