Gravediggers of the Republic: 115-44 BCE (focus 54-44 BCE)

Gaius Julius Caesar (Vatican Museums)

115	Birth of Marcus Licinius Crassus Dives
106	Birth of Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo Birth of Marcus Tullius Cicero
100	Birth of Gaius Julius Caesar
83	Birth of Marcus Antonius
73	Birth of Julia, daughter of Gaius Julius Caesar
72	Pompey puts down uprising in Spain
71	Crassus puts down Spartacus' revolt; Pompey returns from Spain and claims co-victory
70	Pompey and Crassus consuls, restoring tribunician powers Trial of Verres and political debut of Marcus Tullius Cicero
67	Lex Gabinia: Pompey receives extraordinary command vs. pirates and clears Mediterranean of them
66	Lex Manilia: Pompey receives extraordinary command vs. Mithridates and defeats him First Catilinarian conspiracy (in elections for 65)
63	Second Catilinarian conspiracy: Cicero consul; execution of conspirators Caesar elected Pontifex Maximus
62	Publius Clodius profanes Bona Dea festival Pompey settles the East, returns to Italy, dismisses his army.
61	Pompey holds a triumph but Senate refuses to grant his veterans land Clodius tried and acquitted Caesar governor of Further Spain
60	Caesar returns, is refused triumph by Cato and chooses to stand as consul First Triumvirate (Triumviri: "three men"): Crassus, Caesar, Pompey
59	Caesar consul; Pompey marries Julia (Pompey 47, Julia 14) Cato offers Caesar "cattlepaths of Italy"; Caesar then offered Cisalpine Gaul, Transalpine Gaul & Illyricum
58	Clodius tribune, extends public grain dole Cicero forced into exile by Clodius, Cato sent to Cyprus as governor Caesar defeats Helvetii & Ariovistus (modern-day Switzerland)
57	Rioting in Rome between Clodius (pro-Caesar) and Milo (pro-Pompey) Cicero returns from exile in Greece; Caesar defeats Belgae, Nervii (modern-day Belgium)
56	Renewal of triumvirate at Luca (Etruria); Cato returns from Cyprus
55	Crassus and Pompey consuls Caesar massacres German tribes, bridges the Rhine, invades Britain
54	Pompey governs Spain via legates; Julia dies in childbirth Rioting in Rome between the collegia of Clodius and Milo Crassus goes to Syria to prepare for Parthian campaign
53	Rioting continues in Rome; anarchy (no consuls) until July Parthians defeat Crassus at Battle of Carrhae Caesar pacifies parts of Gaul
52	Milo kills Clodius; Senate House (Curia) burns down Pompey sole consul most of year Vercingetorix leads revolt in Gaul; Caesar besieges Alesia, Vercingetorix surrenders (executed in Rome in 46)
51	Senatorial optimates led by Cato attack Caesar's position, fearing his return Caesar requests extension of command to 49; Marcus Marcellus, consul, leads veto and suggests Caesar be superseded Parthians invade Syria; Cicero sent to Cilicia (SE Asia Minor) as governor Ptolemy XIII succeeds to Egyptian throne, marries sister Cleopatra
50	Senate discusses successor to Caesar, but all proposals vetoed by Gaius Scribonius Curio (pro-Caesar); Senate votes that Caesar and Pompey each send one legion to Syria (Pompey sends one lent to Caesar, decreasing Caesar's troops by 2 legions) Curio proposes that Pompey and Caesar disarm; voted in but vetoed on Dec. 1 Dec. 2: M. Marcellus, cos. 51, asks Pompey to save the res publica Caesar's men including Antony leave Rome; Caesar organizes Gaul, crosses Rubicon
49	Cicero's letter to Atticus about Pompey Civil War: Pompey crosses to Greece Caesar dictator for 11 days, defeats Pompeians in Spain
48	Caesar consul, crosses to Greece, defeats Pompey at Pharsalus (murdered in Egypt) Caesar arrives in Egypt, conquers Egypt, Cleopatra becomes queen and mistress
47	Caesar dictator in absentia; Antony tries to maintain order in Italy Caesar returns to Italy, quells disturbances
46	Caesar defeats Pompeians at Thapsus, N. Africa Cato commits suicide Caesar dictator and consul, returns to Rome, holds triumph. Legislation.
45	Caesar dictator and consul defeats Pompeians at Munda, Spain; returns to Rome
44	Caesar dictator perpetuus and consul; refuses crown at Lupercalia festival IDES OF MARCH; Octavian returns from Greece Antony receives command in Cis- and Transalpine Gaul Cicero's first Philippic against Antony