Crossing the Rubicon
Oct 13, 2004
Crossing the Rubicon
After Caesar spent 51 BC and the better part of 50 BC touring his newly conquered province of Gaul, political chaos was developing back in Rome. The optimates despised Caesar and his conquests and looked for every opportunity to strip him of his command. These conquests not only brought in a great number of slaves, but brought so much monetary wealth into Rome, that the value of gold was actually reduced by as much as ? or even 1/3 of its value before the wars. Though the common people noticed little effect, and loved Caesar, the optimates had a great deal to lose from this devaluation of their wealth. That was only one small piece of the puzzle, however. Caesar?s original Consulship in 59 BC was one in which he not only thwarted optimate interests but pushed forward a populares agenda that made life miserable for the conservative Senate…
