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Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar

1 5.3
Roman general and leader who became dictator in the first century BC
  • proper noun
  • /ˈdʒuːliəs ˈsiːzər/
translation icon : Julio César
  • Many historians study the life of Julius Caesar to understand the fall of the Roman Republic.

Examples

  • Julius Caesar is played by Gemini-winning actor Eugene A. Clark.

    Blog text (27)
  • Otherwise, he might well have refused to join with Cassius and his co-conspirators in the assassination of Julius Caesar, an act that brings on the demons of civil strife and personal tragedy.

    Blog text (27)
  • Then again, had Brutus heeded that expression, we would have had neither William Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar nor its engaging, if flawed, new version by director Charles McFarland and the Ottawa Shakespeare Company.

    Blog text (27)
  • Julius Caesar was a significant figure in ancient history as he led the Roman conquest of Julius Caesar.

  • The assassination of Julius Caesar on March 15, 44 B.C.E., marked a turning point in Roman history.

Synonyms

Caesar
vsJulius Caesar
358 5.7

A Roman general and leader who conquered Gaul and became dictator

is the full standard form rather than the shorter name
Gaius Julius Caesar
vsJulius Caesar
5.4

Roman general and leader who helped turn Rome's republic into an empire

focuses on his role in the republic's fall rather than imperial formation

Surface Forms

Morphology

Julius + Caesar

This is a proper name referring to a specific historical person; the referential, encyclopedic information (his life dates, role as general and dictator, conquest of Gaul, assassination) cannot be composed from the individual words. Even if a learner knows 'Caesar' as a general label for a Roman leader, that knowledge does not let a B1 learner infer the specific identity and biographical facts of 'Julius Caesar' without prior cultural/encyclopedic exposure.

Etymology

Julius Caesar was a Roman general who won many wars, became the main ruler of Rome, and was famously killed by some senators. That's why his name now stands for a very powerful leader and even became the word for 'emperor' in some languages.