BC70-51 Julius Caesar Conquers France

The twenty years from 70-51 BC were dominated by the exploits of Julius Caesar (pictured).

In 58 BC Julius Caesar conquered Gaul (France) and as general of the Roman armies in Gaul he then decided, in 54 BC, to invade Britain in order to secure Gaul for Rome. The Celts in Gaul had been receiving aid from their close relations in southern England, British Celts may even have fought with related tribes in Gaul against the Romans and, most importantly, defeated Gauls would slip away to Britain to regroup.

Caesar's invasion of Brtain was successful but inconclusive. Landing in Kent, he did battle with several tribes and the following year, in 55 BC, he returned and easily defeated King Cassivellaunus, a tribal chief. After exacting a promise of tribute from the defeated tribes, Julius Caesar left. His real prize was Gaul and that's where he wanted to be.

After Julius Caesar left, contacts between Rome and Celtic Britain grew. Trade flourished, and some Celtic princes were sent to Rome to be educated. With Roman influence, the notion that kingship should be hereditary, rather than a title awarded for the best warrior, was taking hold in Britain. If princes could flee to Rome to appeal for help in succession squabbles, not only would the Celtic tribes have weak kings but they would also be inviting foreign rule.

During Julius Caesar consulship in 59 BC, he was charged with violating the Roman constitution but he remained immune from trial as long as he held governorship. His governship expired at the end of 49 BC and hanging over his head during all of this time was the question whether or not he could stand for the consulship of 48 BC in absentia and maintain his immunity.

In other parts of the Empire, Pompey established the province of Syria in 64 BC.

170-189 Germanic Invasion, Syrian Revolt & Christian Martyrs

During this 20 year period the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius (pictured) co-ruled with his adoptive brother Lucius Verus. Both emperors were dead by 180, and the next emperor was Marcus Aurelius' young son Commodus.

By 175 Marcus was in dire straits facing a Germanic invasion of Northern Italy and a revolt in the eastern empire. Avidius Cassius, Governor of Syria and a native of Syria, declared himself Emperor and then Palestine, Arabia and Egypt fell under his control.

Around the same time, in 177, when Christians in Lyons and Vienne in the Rhone Valley started boasting of their power to cast out demons, Marcus Aurelius ordered their execution and in doing so created the Martyrs who seemed to enjoy the prospect of dying for their faith.

Under the pontificate of Victor I, the African Bishop of Rome from 189-198, the Church recognized the need to avoid persecution and ridicule by stamping out the crazy Christian cults and imposing centralized control - but his first effort to do so, deciding that Easter should be observed on a set Sunday each year, was not accepted by the churches in Asia Minor and he showed a remarkable display of authority by excommunicating them!

It seemed to most thinking people - Christian or not - that the persecution that did arise against the Christians was the result of the crazies within the religion.

Marcus died in 180 and his young son, Commodus, then became emperor.