Title: Caesar's Role in the Collapse of the Roman Republic
Headings: Caesar's Role in the Collapse of the Roman Republic
Caesar's Role in the Collapse of the Roman Republic
Marius vs Sulla
Caesar as All But King

Content: Caesar did not mean "emperor" at this time. Between Caesar and Augustus, ruling as the first emperor, was a period of strife during which the pre-imperial Augustus fought the combined forces of his co-leader, Mark Antony, and Antony's ally, the famous Egyptian queen Cleopatra VII. When Augustus won, he added Egypt—known as Rome's ​breadbasket—to the territory of the Roman Empire. Thus Augustus brought an excellent source of food to the people who counted. Marius vs Sulla
Caesar was part of the era of Roman history known as the Republican Period, but by his day, a few memorable leaders, not restricted to one class or another, had taken control, defying custom and law, making a mockery of the Republican political institutions. One of these leaders was his uncle by marriage, ​ Marius, a man who had not come from the aristocracy but was still wealthy enough to have married into Caesar's ancient, pedigreed, yet impoverished family. Marius improved the army. Even men who lacked property to worry about and defend could now join the ranks. And Marius saw to it that they were paid. This meant farmers wouldn't have to leave their fields at the productive period in the year to face Rome's enemies, all the while worrying about the fate of their families, and hoping for enough loot to make the venture worthwhile.