Julius Caesar, the lawyer of Rome

It was the year 77 BC in Romewhen the cruel senator Dolabella was to be tried for corruption.

With its significant influence, political and economic power, and also by using the violence Against all who opposed him, Dolabella hired the best lawyers and bribed magistrates and jurors.

Nobody dared to be the fiscaluntil suddenly, against all odds, a young Patricio, only twenty-three years old, agrees to take the accusation, defend the people of Rome and challenge the power of the elites. The name of the unknown lawyer was Gaius Julius Caesar.

They are widely known achievements of Julius Caesar as a politician and military man, where he reached the highest magistracies of the Roman State and dominated the politics of the Republicafter winning the civil war that pitted him against the most conservative sector of the Senate led by his son-in-law and former member of the triumvirate, Gnaeus Pompey.

Less known is the facet of Julius Caesar as a lawyer.

Julius Caesar lost the trial against Dolabella, however, that apparent defeat left invaluable lessons in the young patrician that would be essential in his triumphs as a soldier, strategist and politician.

In 59 BC he was elected consul. His colleague during the consulate, Marcus Calpunius Bibulus, a henchman of the conservative group opposed to Julius Caesarwithdrew in order to hinder his work, but he did, however, manage to push through a series of legal measures, including an agrarian law that regulated the distribution of land among veteran soldiers.

After his consulate he was appointed proconsul of the provinces of Transalpine Gaul, Illyria and Cisalpine Gaul, the latter after the death of its governor, Celer. His government was characterized by a very aggressive policy with which he subjugated practically all the Celtic peoples in several campaigns. This conflict, known as the “Gallic War”, ended when the republican general defeated the last pockets of opposition, led by an Avernian chief named Vercingetorix, in the Battle of Alesia. His conquests extended Roman rule over the territories that today comprise France, Belgium, the Netherlands and part of Germany. He was the first Roman general to penetrate the unexplored territories of Britain and Germania.

It is probably to Julius Caesar that our current system of law owes the most, since as a result of his conquests in Gallic territory and the consolidation of Roman rule in Hispania and other provinces of the Mediterranean and the Middle East, his culture was able to permeate a large part of the ancient world, this being the origin of our current system of administration of justice, as well as of a large number of countries.

His influence was such that the month of July owes its name to him, as he was born on the 12th of this month, in the year 100 BC.

Let it be the month of the great extraordinary and phenomenal Gaius Julius Caesar, Roman soldier, politician and lawyer.

As always, it is a pleasure to greet you, hoping that these few words have been to your liking and, above all, useful. Until next time!

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He holds a law degree from the Escuela Libre de Derecho de Sinaloa, a master’s degree in constitutional law and amparo, and a master’s degree in commercial and business law, with honors, from the Universidad Panamericana, Guadalajara campus. He graduated with honors from the postgraduate courses in civil and commercial procedural law, law of obligations and contracts, and tax law taught by the Universidad Panamericana, Guadalajara campus, and is a specialist in the areas of administration, civil, family, commercial, agrarian, amparo, notarial, and corporate law. He is currently enrolled in the Senior Business Management program AD2 at IPADE. He is director of the legal services company LMA, Integradora Legal, based in Culiacán and Mazatlán. He is a member of the Mexican Bar Association, AC, was president of the steering committee and founder of the Sinaloa chapter, and is currently a member of the national council of said college. He also belongs to the American Bar Association. Professor at the Escuela Libre de Derecho de Sinaloa, and serves as advisor to the advisory board of the State Commission on Human Rights of the State of Sinaloa. He was secretary of agreements of the First Criminal Court of La Paz and external legal advisor and Interim Secretary of the Municipality of Rosario.

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