Lucius Julius Caesar IV
Encyclopedia
Lucius Julius Caesar IV was the son of the consul of 90 BC, Lucius Julius Caesar III
. He was the father of another Lucius Julius Caesar, the brother of Julia Antonia
, and the uncle of the Brothers Antonii, Marcus
, Gaius
, and Lucius
. He won the consulship
of 64 BC.
was amongst them. Sometime after his consulship, he became an augur. He was a legate
in Gaul
in 52 BC, working for his cousin Gaius Julius
. After the conquest of Gaul, when the Senate
, under the influence of Marcus Porcius Cato
, moved to strip Julius Caesar of his army and provinces, Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon
, committing himself to war against the Senate and the cities and armies that would prove to remain loyal to the Senate. Shortly thereafter, Lucius Caesar sided with his cousin against Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus and the optimates
. However, he took no active part in the war effort against the optimates.
After the Battle of Pharsalus
, Caesar rotated some of his veteran legions to Italy. However, the legions became mutinous, obliging Mark Antony, by this point Caesar's Master of the Horse
, to leave Rome to deal with them. In his absence, Lucius Caesar was put in charge. Unfortunately, Lucius Caesar proved unable to prevent Rome from falling into turmoil.
Caesar's assassination in 44 BC created an unstable atmosphere throughout the Roman Republic
. Striving to remain neutral while the contentions between the Caesareans and the Liberators grew worse, he retired to Neapolis. This retirement was brief, as Lucius Caesar was back in Rome before the end of the year. He openly joined Marcus Tullius Cicero
's senatorial faction, leading the Senate in repealing Antony's agrarian law. However, he did not utterly renounce his nephew, as he refused to allow for a state of civil war to be declared against Antony. More than anything else, he sought to avoid another civil war, and worked toward reconciling the various factions. After Antony suffered several defeats, Lucius Caesar was one of the first to say Antony should be declared an enemy of the state. He paid for this for when the Second Triumvirate
was formed: his nephew had him proscribed. Fleeing to his sister's house, he remained there until she obtained a pardon for him from her son, a difficult task. He died sometime after 43 BC.
Lucius Julius Caesar III
Lucius Julius Caesar was a son of Lucius Julius Caesar , and elder brother to Gaius Julius Caesar Strabo Vopiscus. Lucius was involved in the downfall of tribune Lucius Appuleius Saturninus in 100 BC and became praetor in 94 BC without being a quaestor and aedile first...
. He was the father of another Lucius Julius Caesar, the brother of Julia Antonia
Julia Antonia
Julia Caesaris or Julia Antonia was a daughter to consul Lucius Julius Caesar III and mother to the future triumvir and deputy of Caesar, Mark Antony. She was a sister to consul Lucius Julius Caesar IV. Her mother is unknown. She was born and raised in Rome...
, and the uncle of the Brothers Antonii, Marcus
Mark Antony
Marcus Antonius , known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general. As a military commander and administrator, he was an important supporter and loyal friend of his mother's cousin Julius Caesar...
, Gaius
Gaius Antonius
Gaius Antonius was the second son of Marcus Antonius Creticus and Julia Antonia, and thus, younger brother of Mark Antony, triumvir and enemy of Caesar Augustus.-Early life:...
, and Lucius
Lucius Antonius
Lucius Antonius may refer to:*Lucius Antonius , the brother of Mark Antony*Lucius Antonius , the grandson of Mark Antony...
. He won the consulship
Roman consul
A consul served in the highest elected political office of the Roman Republic.Each year, two consuls were elected together, to serve for a one-year term. Each consul was given veto power over his colleague and the officials would alternate each month...
of 64 BC.
Career
During the debate in the senate with regards to the punishment of the Catalinarian conspirators, he voted for the death penalty, although his own brother-in-law Publius Cornelius Lentulus (Sura)Publius Cornelius Lentulus (Sura)
Publius Cornelius Lentulus, nicknamed Sura, was one of the chief figures in the Catiline conspiracy and also a stepfather of Mark Antony....
was amongst them. Sometime after his consulship, he became an augur. He was a legate
Legatus
A legatus was a general in the Roman army, equivalent to a modern general officer. Being of senatorial rank, his immediate superior was the dux, and he outranked all military tribunes...
in Gaul
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
in 52 BC, working for his cousin Gaius Julius
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
. After the conquest of Gaul, when the Senate
Roman Senate
The Senate of the Roman Republic was a political institution in the ancient Roman Republic, however, it was not an elected body, but one whose members were appointed by the consuls, and later by the censors. After a magistrate served his term in office, it usually was followed with automatic...
, under the influence of Marcus Porcius Cato
Cato the Younger
Marcus Porcius Cato Uticensis , commonly known as Cato the Younger to distinguish him from his great-grandfather , was a politician and statesman in the late Roman Republic, and a follower of the Stoic philosophy...
, moved to strip Julius Caesar of his army and provinces, Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon
Rubicon
The Rubicon is a shallow river in northeastern Italy, about 80 kilometres long, running from the Apennine Mountains to the Adriatic Sea through the southern Emilia-Romagna region, between the towns of Rimini and Cesena. The Latin word rubico comes from the adjective "rubeus", meaning "red"...
, committing himself to war against the Senate and the cities and armies that would prove to remain loyal to the Senate. Shortly thereafter, Lucius Caesar sided with his cousin against Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus and the optimates
Optimates
The optimates were the traditionalist majority of the late Roman Republic. They wished to limit the power of the popular assemblies and the Tribunes of the Plebs, and to extend the power of the Senate, which was viewed as more dedicated to the interests of the aristocrats who held the reins of power...
. However, he took no active part in the war effort against the optimates.
After the Battle of Pharsalus
Battle of Pharsalus
The Battle of Pharsalus was a decisive battle of Caesar's Civil War. On 9 August 48 BC at Pharsalus in central Greece, Gaius Julius Caesar and his allies formed up opposite the army of the republic under the command of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus...
, Caesar rotated some of his veteran legions to Italy. However, the legions became mutinous, obliging Mark Antony, by this point Caesar's Master of the Horse
Master of the Horse
The Master of the Horse was a position of varying importance in several European nations.-Magister Equitum :...
, to leave Rome to deal with them. In his absence, Lucius Caesar was put in charge. Unfortunately, Lucius Caesar proved unable to prevent Rome from falling into turmoil.
Caesar's assassination in 44 BC created an unstable atmosphere throughout the Roman Republic
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
. Striving to remain neutral while the contentions between the Caesareans and the Liberators grew worse, he retired to Neapolis. This retirement was brief, as Lucius Caesar was back in Rome before the end of the year. He openly joined Marcus Tullius Cicero
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
's senatorial faction, leading the Senate in repealing Antony's agrarian law. However, he did not utterly renounce his nephew, as he refused to allow for a state of civil war to be declared against Antony. More than anything else, he sought to avoid another civil war, and worked toward reconciling the various factions. After Antony suffered several defeats, Lucius Caesar was one of the first to say Antony should be declared an enemy of the state. He paid for this for when the Second Triumvirate
Second Triumvirate
The Second Triumvirate is the name historians give to the official political alliance of Octavius , Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, and Mark Antony, formed on 26 November 43 BC with the enactment of the Lex Titia, the adoption of which marked the end of the Roman Republic...
was formed: his nephew had him proscribed. Fleeing to his sister's house, he remained there until she obtained a pardon for him from her son, a difficult task. He died sometime after 43 BC.