CESARE, GIULIO — Marble head believed to be a contemporary portrait of G. C. — Pisa, camposanto.
during which he was victorious in the campaigns in Spain (49–45), the Balkans (48, battle of Pharsalus), Egypt (48–47), during which the events narrated below, concerning Jewish history, took place, Asia Minor (47), and Africa (46); absolute master of Rome from 45 until his death. His programme was to adapt the organization of the State, excessively Roman and Italian in its self-interest, to the new frontiers that by then reached all the shores of the Mediterranean. The principal aims of this programme were the improvement of the social conditions of the people, the reduction of the Senate to a merely consultative body, and the equalization of the provinces with Italy, promoting Latin culture in those of the West, which were more barbarous, while respecting in the East Greek nationality and Hellenistic culture. calendar (v.) for the more harmonious ordering of religious and civil life, firmly established the army as a safeguard of the new political and social order, and thus prepared the way for the definitive arrangement carried out by Augustus.
Relations with the history of Israel began when, after Pharsalus, the Idumean Antipater, adviser to Hyrcanus II and formerly a partisan of Pompey, joined the party of C.; to demonstrate his friendship in deeds, he sent 3,000 Jewish soldiers to the aid of C., who was besieged in Alexandria, and personally fought in the forcing of Pelusium. He also secured for C. the friendship of Arab and Syrian tribal chiefs, as well as the support of the Jewish colony of Leontopolis, so that C. was able to defeat the king of Egypt, Ptolemy Dionysus.
The victorious dictator showed himself grateful to the Jews. He conferred Roman citizenship and the office of procurator (ἐπίτρατος) of Judaea upon Antipater, notwithstanding the claims advanced by Antigonus, son of Aristobulus, who had been killed by the Pompeians for C.’s cause. To Hyrcanus, who ruled in name, he granted the hereditary dignity of high priest, the title of ethnarch, and certain financial rights. He permitted the Jews to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, destroyed by Pompey; enlarged the national territory, incorporating Joppe and certain cities of Galilee that had already passed to Phoenicia and Syria; and forbade Roman troops to establish their winter quarters in that territory. He exempted the Israelites from the tribute in sabbatical years and from military requisitions, and also diaspora (v.) permission to live according to their customs, to collect offerings for sacrifices, and other privileges. No people subject to Rome felt as much sorrow over C.’s tragic death as Israel.