10 Things You Should Know About Julius Caesar's Legacy

Julius Caesar is typically portrayed as either a brilliant visionary leader or a power-hungry dictator. But get this - historians argue the truth is way more contradictory and mind-bending than you might expect from your high school history textbooks.

10. A Crafty Military Leader

Julius Caesar was a total badass on the battlefield. This guy worked his way up through the ranks of the Roman army to become a legendary military leader. His genius strategies allowed him to conquer huge territory in Gaul (what we now call France). And when he crossed the Rubicon river leading his army towards Rome? He basically said "screw it" and kicked off a massive civil war. Casual.

9. He Reformed the Calendar

Being dictator had its perks for ol' Julius. He managed to overhaul Rome's tax system (because taxes are always a party). He rebuilt crumbling parts of the city. Oh, and get this - he improved the ancient calendar that was all kinds of messed up. Caesar's new Julian calendar lasted a whopping 1,600 years! Talk about making your mark.

8. Dictator but Not a Tyrant?

So Caesar had absolute power once he became the big cheese dictator of Rome. But some historians argue he wasn't really a crazy tyrant lording over everyone. Apparently his rule just brought some much-needed stability after that crazy civil war he started. A chill dictator? Sure, we'll go with that.

7. An Autocratic Leader

Let's be real though - Caesar was for sure an autocratic leader who grabbed total control as a dictator. But hey, the guy knew how to play politics. He appeased certain groups to strengthen his grip on power. Classic authoritarian vibes.

6. Buoyed by the Plebeians

Speaking of playing politics, Caesar had the common folk of Rome totally on his side - we're talking the plebeians here. With his army and all those regular Joes backing him, he was able to crush Pompey and the republican forces in the civil war. Veni, vidi, vici and all that.

5. Not the First Roman Dictator

People seem to forget that Caesar wasn't actually the first dude in Rome to take the dictator job title. There were others before him, like Cincinnatus and Sulla. But JC's time as the big cheese definitely marked a huge turning point in Roman history.

4. A Man of Contradictions

Let's be honest, Caesar was one complicated, contradictory dude. He could be merciful and forgiving, but also crazy ruthless. He was generous and magnanimous at times, but also ambitious and self-serving AF. These kind of contradictions make the guy absolutely fascinating to study.

3. Opposed by the Republican Nobility

While the common Romans were all about Caesar's vibe, the republican noble dudes were most definitely not feeling it. They saw his dictatorship power grab as a huge threat to Rome's traditions and the way the Republic was supposed to work. Uptight much?

2. Popular Mandate for Reform?

Some historians reckon Caesar had legit popular support to overhaul Rome's screwy political institutions. Let's face it, partisan gridlock had paralyzed everything before he took charge. Maybe the people were just sick of the dysfunction and welcomed a strong reformer? Just a theory.

1. His Assassination's Legacy

At the end of the day, Caesar's dramatic assassination by those republican conspirator traitors marked the death of the Roman Republic. It ushered in a new imperial era with Caesar's heir Octavian taking charge. JC's murder was an absolute game-changer in the course of Roman history. Crazy legacy.