Difference between revisions of "Constitutional reforms of Julius Caesar"

{{bc-y|1,234 BC|t|1234}}

Between his crossing of the [[Rubicon|Rubicon River]] in {{bc-y|49 BC}}, and his [[Ides of March|assassination]] in {{bc-y|44&nbsp;BC}}, Caesar established a new constitution, which was intended to accomplish three separate goals.<ref name="Abbott, 133">Abbott, 133</ref> First, he wanted to suppress all armed resistance out in the provinces, and thus bring order back to the Republic. Second, he wanted to create a strong central government in Rome. And finally, he wanted to knit together the entire Republic into a single cohesive unit.<ref name="Abbott, 133">Abbott, 133</ref> The first goal was accomplished when Caesar defeated Pompey and his supporters.<ref name="Abbott, 133">Abbott, 133</ref> To accomplish the other two goals, he needed to ensure that his control over the government was undisputed,<ref name="Abbott, 134">Abbott, 134</ref> and so he assumed these powers by increasing his own authority, and by decreasing the authority of Rome's other political institutions. To increase his own powers, he assumed the important magistrates,<ref name="Abbott, 134">Abbott, 134</ref> and to weaken Rome's other political institutions, he instituted several additional reforms. He controlled the process by which candidates were nominated for magisterial elections, he appointed his own supporters to the senate, and he prevented hostile measures from being adopted by the assemblies.<ref name="Abbott, 134">Abbott, 134</ref>