Julius Caesar restabilized the Roman Republic for a brief shining moment before Brutus stabbed him in the back. Caesar first set out to make a name for himself after his father died. Unfortunately, he made friends with the wrong people--people against the rule of the Roman dictator Sulla--and Caesar was exiled from the city of Rome and joined the military in the outlying territories (Cavazzi). Caesar’s early career consisted of a series of military campaigns across this newly conquered territory. He grew popular enough in the army that he became governor of Spain (Biography.com Editors). After nearly 20 years of exile, Sulla died, ending Caesar’s exile and allowing him to return home (Cavazzi). Caesar had gained immense fame and popularity over the course of his military career. He used this power to his advantage, rising through the levels of the Roman bureaucracy, and became praetor--the highest-ranking position besides the Senate--in less than five years (Cavazzi). Meanwhile, Pompey and Crassus, two of Caesar’s most powerful allies, became bitter enemies. Caesar negotiated an agreement with the two, and the three men combined their power, wealth, …show more content…
Christians believe Jesus was born to Mary, who was a virgin but is purported to have conceived through the works of the Holy Spirit (Violatti). Mary discovered this when the angel Gabriel appeared to her and told her she would give birth to Jesus, the Son of God (Here We Stand, Luke 1.26-35). Ironically, the tradition of Jesus’ birth taking place in the year 1 AD forms the base of the modern calendar, but this is probably not the case. The Bible doesn’t list specific dates, only reference points such as the man serving as Roman governor at the birth of Christ. This and other reference points lead many historians to believe Jesus’ birth took place around 4 BC (Violatti). Regardless of the exact time, Mary gave birth to Jesus in Bethlehem (Here We Stand, Luke 2.1-20). Shepherds and a group of traveling wise men came to visit the newborn after realizing he was the Messiah (Here We Stand, Matt. 2.1-12). “Jesus...grew up in Nazareth....Jesus’ father was a carpenter and he became one too….Jesus was raised Jewish and he remained deeply Jewish all of his life” (Whipps). Jesus became a noted teacher throughout the Holy Land. In addition to general advice concerning the way God wants man to live, Jesus’ teachings included descriptions of salvation and the