Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was born in 100 BCE to an ancient Roman patrician family that claimed descent from Venus and Aeneas. An ambitious Roman politician, he was elected Quaestor for 69, Aedile for 65, Pontifex Maximus in 63, and Praetor for 62. He served a pro-praetorship in Spain in 61, and was awarded a triumph in 60. But he was forced to forgo it in order to stand for consul for 59. He formed an alliance with Pompey and Crassus and used his consulship to pass legislation favorable to them and himself over the wishes of the senate. One law granted Caesar a special 5 year command in Gaul, which was later extended. From 58 to 50 Caesar waged a series of campaigns in Gaul that eventually conquered most of the region for Rome. Growing tensions with the Senate and Pompey led to Caesar marching on Rome in 49, inaugurating a civil war that ended in Pompey's death and Caesar's triumph. Appointed Dictator for Life, Caesar was assassinated in March 15 44 by disgruntled senators.
Caesar was a great man of letters and ranked the second greatest orator of his day, after Cicero. Two of his works survive, his Commentaries on the Gallic War and Commentaries on the Civil War.
Commentaries on the Gallic War