Gaius Julius Caesar's year as consul, secured through the powerful backing of the First Triumvirate, was a period of intense activity, bold reforms, and fierce opposition. He approached his consulship not as a mere stepping stone to further power, though it certainly was that, but as an opportunity to implement tangible changes that reflected his optimistic vision for a more efficient, equitable, and stronger Roman Republic. He knew his time in Rome's highest office was limited, and he was determined to make the most of it, even if it meant confronting the entrenched interests of the conservative optimate faction head-on.
From the outset, Caesar signaled that his consulship would be different. One of his first acts was to order that the acta senatus (the minutes of Senate meetings) and the acta diurna (a daily gazette of public events and official notices) be published and made accessible to the public. This was a radical move towards transparency, designed to curb the secret dealings and backroom maneuvering that often characterized senatorial politics, and to make senators more accountable to the people they ostensibly served. It was a popular measure with the plebs, who felt they had a right to know what their leaders were doing, but it was deeply resented by many senators who preferred to conduct their business away from public scrutiny.
His legislative agenda was ambitious and far-reaching, largely driven by the commitments he had made to his Triumvirate partners, Pompey and Crassus, but also infused with his own reformist ideas. The most pressing issue was securing land for Pompey's demobilized veterans. The Senate had repeatedly blocked this, fearing that granting large tracts of land to loyal soldiers would further enhance Pompey's already considerable influence. Caesar, however, was determined to honor his agreement. He proposed an agrarian law that would distribute public land, and, if necessary, purchase private land with state funds, to settle Pompey's veterans and also to provide land for impoverished Roman citizens.
This proposal met with furious opposition in the Senate, led by staunch optimates like Cato the Younger and Caesar's own co-consul, Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus. They employed every procedural tactic imaginable to obstruct the bill – filibusters, declarations of unfavorable omens, and attempts to incite public disorder. Caesar, however, was not to be deterred. When it became clear that the Senate would not pass his agrarian law, he took the controversial step of bypassing the Senate altogether and presenting the bill directly to the comitia tributa, the people's assembly, where he knew it would have strong support.
This was a direct challenge to senatorial authority, and it led to tumultuous scenes in the Forum. Bibulus attempted to veto the proceedings, but he was physically intimidated by Caesar's supporters (and likely, Pompey's veterans who had a vested interest in the bill's passage) and forced to withdraw, effectively confining himself to his house for the remainder of his consulship, from where he fruitlessly issued edicts declaring Caesar's actions illegal. Caesar, with Pompey and Crassus providing visible support, pushed the agrarian law through the assembly. It was a significant victory for the Triumvirate and a clear demonstration of Caesar's willingness to use popular power to overcome optimate obstruction.
His optimistic belief in the righteousness of his cause, and his pragmatic understanding that results mattered more than procedural niceties (at least to the beneficiaries of his reforms), fueled his determination. He followed up the agrarian law with other measures, including the ratification of Pompey's eastern settlements, which brought stability and vast new revenues to the Republic, and legislation that benefited Crassus's equestrian business associates, such as a rebate for tax farmers who had overbid on contracts in Asia Minor.
Caesar also enacted reforms aimed at improving provincial governance and curbing corruption. His Lex Julia de Repetundis (Julian Law on Extortion) was a comprehensive piece of legislation that strengthened penalties for corrupt provincial governors and made it easier for provincials to seek redress. This law, drawing on his own observations during his study travels and his anachronistic understanding of good governance, was a genuine attempt to address one of the most serious problems afflicting the Republic. It was a testament to his optimistic vision of a Rome that could rule its empire justly and efficiently, rather than merely exploiting it.
His thoughts on Egypt and Cleopatra, though not directly part of his consular agenda, were never far from his strategic considerations. He was aware of the ongoing political instability in Egypt and the attempts by various Roman factions to intervene, often for personal gain. During his consulship, King Ptolemy XII Auletes of Egypt, Cleopatra's father, was in Rome seeking support to reclaim his throne after being deposed. Caesar, likely with the backing of Pompey and Crassus (who were handsomely bribed by Ptolemy), played a key role in officially recognizing Ptolemy as a "friend and ally of the Roman people" and supporting his eventual restoration. This was a complex and controversial affair, but it gave Caesar his first direct involvement in Egyptian politics and perhaps his first indirect connection to the young Cleopatra, who would have been a princess at her father's court. His optimistic hope was that a stable, friendly Egypt would be a valuable asset to Rome, and his actions were aimed at achieving that, albeit through the often murky channels of Roman foreign policy and Ptolemaic dynastic struggles.
Throughout his consulship, Caesar faced relentless opposition. His enemies in the Senate accused him of tyranny, of subverting the constitution, of ruling by force and intimidation. Cato famously declared that Caesar was destroying the Republic. Caesar, however, remained outwardly calm and resolute, defending his actions in eloquent speeches and pointing to the tangible benefits of his reforms. He argued that he was merely acting in the best interests of the Roman people and the Republic, and that it was the obstructionism of a narrow, self-serving elite that was truly undermining Roman traditions.
His "extraordinary appearance" and his powerful oratory were crucial assets during this tumultuous year. He could command the attention of the Senate and sway the crowds in the Forum with equal skill. His optimistic and confident demeanor, even in the face of fierce attacks, projected an image of strength and unwavering purpose that resonated with many Romans who were tired of political gridlock and ineffective governance.
By the end of his consulship, Gaius Julius Caesar had achieved most of his legislative goals. He had fulfilled his commitments to Pompey and Crassus, thereby solidifying the Triumvirate. He had enacted significant reforms that benefited veterans, the urban poor, and the provincials. But he had also made powerful and implacable enemies. The optimates were more determined than ever to bring him down, and they were already planning to prosecute him for his actions as consul as soon as his term of office (and its accompanying immunity) expired.
Caesar, however, had already anticipated this. Through the Triumvirate's influence, he had secured for himself a proconsular command in Gaul for a period of five years. This would give him command of several legions, immunity from prosecution, and, crucially, the opportunity to achieve the kind of military glory and acquire the kind of wealth and loyal veteran army that would make him an even more formidable power in Roman politics. His consulship had been a resounding success in terms of achieving his immediate objectives, but it had also set the stage for even greater conflicts and transformations to come. His optimistic journey was far from over; in many ways, it was just beginning.