"A Companion to Julius Caesar" comprises 30 essays from leading scholars examining the life and after life of this great polarizing figure. Explores Caesar from a variety of perspectives: military genius, ruthless tyrant, brilliant politician, first class orator, sophisticated man of letters, and moreUtilizes Caesar's own extant writingsExamines the viewpoints of Caesar's contemporaries and explores Caesar's portrayals by artists and writers through the ages.;Table of Contents; Author; BLACKWELL COMPANIONS TO THE ANCIENT WORLD; Title; Copyright; List of Figures; Notes on Contributors; Preface; Reference Works: Abbreviated Titles; CHAPTER ONE: Introduction; The Scheme of the Volume; The Contemporary Impression and its Preservation; Enduring Problems in Fathoming Caesar; The Historical Significance of Caesar; The Great Man in History; PART I: Biography: Narrative; CHAPTER TWO: From the Iulii to Caesar; CHAPTER THREE: Caesar as a Politician; CHAPTER FOUR: The Proconsular Years: Politics at a Distance.