Man of the Month 7

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend us your ears! We come to unbury Caesar, and to appraise him. Why render your attention unto Caesar? Because General Julius changed Rome forever--and lent his name to our July.

Early on, no one rendered much of anything unto Gaius Julius Caesar. He was born a member of the Julii, an aristocratic clan that had fallen on hard times. His own family within that clan was neither particularly wealthy or influential.

Such a lack of cash would have discouraged most men, as ancient Roman politics required periodic displays of munificence that could burn a hole in even the deepest toga pocket. The ruling elite covered this expense by claiming political positions that allowed them to plunder foreign territories even as they dispossessed the Italian peasantry. Many peasants moved into military service, where they formed armies more loyal to their generals than to Rome.

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