Melan Mendo's video: Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire 3of14 : Julius Caesar

In 60BC over-powerful generals and money corrupted the Roman Republic. The empire churned with civil war and violence and murder ran rampant in the streets. Julius Caesar, desperate for fame and honour, embarked on a brutal decade-long campaign to annex Gaul and build his own reputation. His aristocratic rivals attempted to stop him, but he was an expert manipulator. His propaganda and extravagant victories against bloodthirsty barbarians thrilled the public. In 49BC, Caesar crossed the Rubicon, intending to claim his rightful place as the chief man of Rome. It sparked a new civil war that pitted him against Pompey the Great and sounded the final death knell for the Republic.