Many businessmen, historians, military personal, etc all have created lists of who they believe to be great leaders. One man appears on more than one of those list: Julius Caesar. He was truly an effective leader. An effective leader must be a communicator, a planner, confident, yet humble, knowledgeable, and much more.
Caesar planned to get to the top of the political system in Rome. To do that, he would have to climb many steps to get there. In 80 B.C.E., he joined the staff of the governor Asia. He was sent on a diplomatic mission to Nicomedes IV of Bithynia to raise a fleet. It was rumored that he had a love affair with Nicomedes, however that could have just been a rumor started by Caesar’s enemies. Years later, in 74 B.C.E., Mithradates of Pontus attacked the Roman province of Asia and Caesar, wanting military glory, raised an army and went to Asia, which was illegal because you needed a commission from the Senate to lead an operation. He then defended several towns, allowing the Roman commander time to attack Pontus. Funding his quest on the political ladder, Caesar went bankrupt. The richest man in Rome, Crassus, paid Caesar’s debts. Crassus’s wealth would become the major fund behind Caesar’s extravagant lifestyle and the necessities to advance the political totem pole. When Caesar’s aunt Julia died, he decided to hold a large funeral for her. At the funeral , he made a long speech about Marius, who was married to Julia, and claimed descent from the fourth king of Rome and Venus. Soon after, he left for Spain where he began to quell an uprising among the local Spanish tribes. He proceeded to attack towns and the silver mine of Gallaecia. This Spanish War was where Caesar found he had a knack for military command. This war also taught him that war can be very profitable. It was here in Spain where he had a famous encounter with a statue of Alexander the Great. He proceeded to lament how he failed to perform some memorable act whereas Alexander ,at the...
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