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[[File: Caesar One.jpg|200px|thumbthumbnail|left|Bust of Julius Caesar]] 

Some allies of the Romans in Gaul (modern France and Belgium) were defeated by Germanic tribes. This was used by Caesar as a pretext to intervene in Gaul and to begin its conquest. Caesar was to prove to be a remarkable general of genius.<ref>Grant, p. 98</ref> He successfully defeated the Germanic tribes with great brutalityafter he went north. The Gaul in the North and West were alarmed by the appearance of Romans and they began to form defensive alliances. These alliances were interpreted by Caesar as a threat to the Romans Rome even though this may not have been the case.

He ordered his legions to march to the far north of Gaul and he conquered much of the area and later he . He also extended Roman influence into the south-west. Caesar had begun the conquest of Gaul without the sanction of the Senate and many regarded his campaign as an illegal war. At a conference in Lucca in 55 BCE, Caesar 's consulship was extended . In addition to extending his consulship and his command , Caesar was in charge of Gaul for another five years.

FinallyEventually, Caesar did find the time to launch a raid on Britain. The Roman general was a great propagandist and he wrote reports on his campaigns that informed the public of his achievements. These are considered to be classics of Latin Literature. While Caesar was popular with many, he was hated by many Senators in Rome. He continued his campaigns and at the Battle of Alessia, he won a decisive victory that ended the conflictin Britain. After his victory, Caesar had command of commanded a large army of seasoned troops who were loyal to him and many partisans in his native city.

Much He used to spoils of the wealth he made in his Gaul was used and Britain to finance his supporters. Caesar had by now even eclipsed Pompey. However, the Senate wanted to strip him of his army and to prosecute him. This led him When he responded to demand the Senate, he demanded that he be allowed to retain control of his legions. He sought to protect his interests from the Senate. When his request was refused by the Senate, Caesar crossed the Rubicon and occupied Rome. While it was an aggressive step to take, Caesar justified it as an act of self-defense against those who sought to harm him and his supporters.<ref> Plutarch, ix</ref>

How did Caesar seize control of Rome? He was a member of the Populares Party and he was eventually able to secure leadership of this political group. Based on his support and influence he participated in the informal arrangement known as the First Triumvirate. This informal political alliance elevated him to become one of the most important politicians in Rome. This allowed him to become Consul and command a force of legions. Despite objections by the Senate, he used his legions to conquer Gaul and invade Britain. The support of the other parties in the Triumvirate allowed him to ignore the Senate. In the aftermath of the conquest of Gaul, he sent his troops across the Rubicon and occupied Rome. After he seized Rome, he triggered a Civil War that he won. While his rise was both remarkable and swift, it was ultimately short-lived because [[Why was Julius Caesar assassinated? |he was assassinated in 44 BCE]].