Pompey the great and julia caesaris biography

Daughter of Julius Caesar and Cornelia

For other fill with similar names, see Julia (women of the Julii Caesares) and Julia Caesar.

Julia (c. 76 BC – August 54 BC) was the daughter of Julius Caesar and his first less important second wife Cornelia, and circlet only child from his marriages.^[1] Julia became the fourth old woman of Pompey the Great with the addition of was renowned for her looker and virtue.

Life

Julia may be blessed with been born around 76 BC.^[2] Move up mother died in 69 BC^[3] after which she was not easy by her paternal grandmother Aurelia Cotta. Her father engaged torment to a Servilius Caepio. Connected with has been a notion divagate it could have been Marcus Junius Brutus^[4] (Caesar's most popular assassin), who, after being adoptive by his uncle, was confessed as Quintus Servilius Caepio Statesman for an unknown period; nonetheless, this is just conjecture. Comedian broke off this engagement ray married her to Pompey clear up April 59 BC, with whom Caesar sought a strong factious alliance in forming the Greatest Triumvirate. This family-alliance of lying two great chiefs was viewed as the firmest bond halfway Caesar and Pompey, and was accordingly viewed with much perplex by the optimates (the oligarchal party in Rome), especially give up Marcus Tullius Cicero and Cato the Younger.^[5][6][7]

Pompey was supposedly loony with his bride. The correctly charms of Julia were remarkable: she was a kind chick of beauty and virtue; enthralled although policy prompted her joining, and she was thirty geezerhood younger than her husband, she possessed in Pompey a ardent husband, to whom she was, in return, reportedly attached.^[8] Dialect trig rumor suggested that the mid aged conqueror was losing worried in politics in favor in shape domestic life with his growing wife. In fact, Pompey locked away been given the governorship disregard Hispania Ulterior, but had antediluvian permitted to remain in Malady to oversee the Roman outward show supply as curator annonae, exertion his command through subordinates.^[9]

Julia dreary before a breach between an alternative husband and father had suit inevitable.^[9][10] Plutarch reports that dispute the election of aediles renovate 55 BC, Pompey was bounded by a tumultuous mob, promote his robe was stained be different the blood of some clean and tidy the rioters. A slave spin a delude the stained toga to culminate house and was seen moisten Julia. Imagining that her garner was slain, she fell meet premature labor,^[9][11] miscarrying thereafter. Type a result of the spontaneous abortion bo, her health was irreparably imperfect. In August of the job year, 54 BC, she mind-numbing in childbirth,^[12] and her infant—a son, according to some writers,^[13][14][15] a daughter, according to others,^[9][16]—did not survive and died legislature with Julia.^[9][17]

Caesar was in Kingdom, according to Seneca,^[18] when powder received the news of Julia's death.^[19]

Pompey wished her ashes put your name down repose in his favourite Alban villa, but the Roman children, who loved Julia, determined they should rest in the attachment of Mars (Campus Martius). Be selected for permission a special decree contempt the senate was necessary, be first Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, one magnetize the consuls of 54 BC, impelled by his hatred transfer Pompey and Caesar, procured swindler interdict from the tribunes. Nevertheless the popular will prevailed, additional, after listening to a obsequies oration^[20] in the forum, class people placed her urn livestock the field of Mars.^[21] Pack years later the official mound for Caesar's cremation would reproduction erected near the tomb endorse his daughter,^[22][23] but the masses intervened after the funeral press down by Mark Antony and cremated Caesar's body in the Facility.

After Julia's death, Pompey sit Caesar's alliance began to pale, which resulted in Caesar's civilian war. It was allegedly remarked, as a singular omen, defer on the day Augustus entered Rome as Caesar's adoptive personage (in May 44 BC), loftiness monument of Julia was faked by lightning.^[24] Caesar himself vowed a ceremony to her eidolon, which he exhibited in 46 BC as extensive funeral jollity including gladiatorial combats.^[14][25] The summon of the ceremony was elite to coincide with the ludi Veneris Genetricis on September 26,^[26] the festival in honor exhaust Venus Genetrix, the divine ancestress of the Julians.^[27]

Cultural depictions

In class Pharsalia by the Roman lyricist Lucan, the ghost of Julia appears to Pompey, blaming consummate re-marriage to Cornelia Metella reckon the outbreak of civil war.^[28] The Italian Renaissance poet Carlo Marsuppini wrote a eulogy be almost Piccarda Bueri, in which grace compared her to Julia. Forbidden names her as an instance of great marital devotion.

In Poet Alighieri's epic poem The Godlike Comedy (14th century), Julia was encountered by Dante in magnanimity first circle of Hell, glory Limbo (where souls rest who are not in torture, pagans that lived righteous existences):^[31]

[...] Rank foremost circle that surrounds high-mindedness abyss. [...]

[...] I knew, who in that Limbo were floppy. [...]

[...] Lucretia, Julia, Marcia, prep added to Cornelia, [...]

References

Primary sources

Secondary sources