What did it mean when Julius Caesar and his army crossed the Rubicon river?

Julius Caesar’s crossing the Rubicon river on 10 January, 49 BC precipitated the Roman Civil War, which ultimately led to Caesar’s becoming dictator for life (dictator perpetuo) and the rise of the imperial era of Rome. Today, the phrase crossing the Rubicon is a metaphor that means to pass a point of no return.

What is a Rubicon decision?

[ (rooh-bi-kon) ] To make an irrevocable decision; it comes from the name of the river Julius Caesar crossed with his army, thereby starting a civil war in Rome. (See Rubicon.)

What law did Julius Caesar break?

Caesar did not always follow the law to get the power that he obtained. On January tenth forty-nine BC, Julius Caesar broke a Roman law by crossing the Rubicon River. People were not allowed to bring any part of their army into Italy, and once this act was done, they lose their right to rule their own province.

How did Julius Caesar manage to turn the tribes against one another?

When Caesar returned he divided his army, sending four legions under his ablest subordinate, Titus Labienus, north to harass the tribes in the area of what is now Paris. The proconsul himself took the remaining six legions and led them into the lands of the Arverni.

What caused Julius Caesar to cross the Rubicon?

In Caesar’s attempt to gain as much power as possible, he took his legions and began to move south towards Rome. He had to start paying the soldiers with his own money because the Republic was no longer funding him. On this move south, he came to the Rubicon River.

What was the role of the Senate in the Roman government?

The senate of the Roman Kingdom held three principal responsibilities: It functioned as the ultimate repository for the executive power, it served as the king’s council, and it functioned as a legislative body in concert with the people of Rome.

What is the Rubicon Rome?

The Rubicon (Latin: Rubico; Italian: Rubicone [rubiˈkoːne]; Romagnol: Rubicôn [rubiˈkoːŋ]) is a shallow river in northeastern Italy, just north of Rimini. It was known as Fiumicino until 1933, when it was identified with the ancient river Rubicon, famously crossed by Julius Caesar in 49 BC.

How did Augustus change Rome’s Government what was the result of his changes?

Augustus reorganized Roman life throughout the empire. He passed laws to encourage marital stability and renew religious practices. He instituted a system of taxation and a census while also expanding the network of Roman roads.

What laws did Caesar pass?

He allowed them to worship Yahweh, their God, and exempted them from the military. Caesar also reduced their taxes. He also gave Roman citizenship to the Gauls (who had fought with him in wars) and reduced the number of slaves.

What caused the start of the Roman Civil War?

The Rubicon was crossed and Caesar officially invaded the legal border from his province into Italy, thus starting the civil war. Quickly taking several northern towns, the news reached Rome by January 17. Pompey, the Republic’s hope, was left without his main army, which was still in Spain, and his support base was in the eastern provinces.

What was the Lex Pompeia de magistratibus?

The Lex Pompeia De Magistratibus that was passed while Pompey was Consul without colleague forced a candidate to be present in Rome to run for office, and of course, one couldn’t legally bring their legions to Rome for protection.

What was Caesar’s only hope of winning the Roman Civil War?

Caesar’s only hope in Rome from a legal standpoint was the intervention of the Tribunes of the Plebes, who managed to veto any attempts to bring Caesar to his knees. The situation continued in a virtual stalemate, with neither side willing to budge on their legal standpoints.

Why were the years 50 and 49 BC pivotal to Caesar?

The years 50 and 49 BC were pivotal because during this timeframe, Caesar’s ‘imperium’ or safety from prosecution was set to expire.