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Julius Caesar did not need much help to gain power. He did this pretty much on his own when he marched on Rome with his army, starting a civil war and seizing power militarily. He had a battle veteran legion which became battle hardened during his Gallic War. Pompey, the general of the opponents of Caesar, fled to Greece to raise troops in the Roman provinces in the east. Caesar then seized Rome.
The two most important supporters of Caesar were Marc Antony and Marcus Aemilius Lepidus.
Mark Antony served as a military commander during Caesar's Gallic War until 50 B.C. when he went to Rome to try to mediate the conflict between Caesar and Pompey, the leader of Caesar's opponents. He was elected plebeian tribune and summoned the senate to negotiate a compromise, which Pompey was willing to accept. However, this was by Lentulus and Cato who were two hardeners of the opponents of Caesar. They forcibly expelled Antony from the senate and he fled Rome and returned to Caesar's camp in northern Italy. The senate reconvened and order Caesar to relinquish his military command, disband his armies and return to Rome to face a trial. Caesar marched on Rome with one of his legions and started the civil war which put him in power. Antony did not always prove to be a good political asset for Caesar. During the civil war Antony was appointed governor of Italy while Caesar pursued Pompey in Greece. However, Antony mishandled a political issue and dealt with it with military force. Caesar had to return to Italy to resolve the situation and removed Antony from political office and took him with him in his civil war campaigns.
Marcus Aemilius Lepidus was a more shrewd politician. Lepidus took charge of Rome while Caesar was fighting his enemy Pompey in Greece. He secured Caesar's appointment as dictator, which he used to preside over his own election as consul. He then became the governor of "Nearer Spain." He suppressed a rebellion there though a mixture of diplomacy and military action. Caesar made him master of the horse when he was appointed dictator the second and third time. This was the second highest position in Rome when a dictator was in charge.
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What part of the empire did Julius Caesar gain his military experience before taking power?
Spain
How did Julius Caesar gain control of Rome?
Julius Caesar gained control of Rome by winning the civil war with Pompey.
How Did Julius Caesar Rule Come To An End?
Julius Caesar defeated Pompey the Great (Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus) and his lieutenants in the Civil War, who led the Senatorial forces. He then was appointed Dictator--but never actually considered Emperor in his lifetime. It was his adopted son, Augustus (Octavian, Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus) who became the first Emperor by gradually accumulating and holding offices that gave him the appearance of power to go along with his actual power (from control of the treasury and army). He had defeated Mark Antony and Cleopatra (at Actium, 31 BCE) to gain undisputed control of the Roman World.
How did Julius Caesar help Cleopatra gain power?
Julius Caesar was top dog in the Roman world at the time he entered Egypt. After the Alexandrian War, he established Cleopatra as queen along with her younger brother as co-ruler. Then Caesar and Cleo took that famous trip down the Nile. That was not a love fest, but a political statement. Caesar and his Roman troops were telling the Egyptian people that Cleopatra was the queen backed up by the force of Rome. That was how Cleopatra gained power.
How were Octavian and Julius Caesar alike in what they wanted for Rome?
Both Octavian and Julius Caesar wanted a strong central government which could gain control over the provinces and end Rome's political and administrative disarray.
