Professor Catherine Steel

And I suspect that insofar as Caesar as a 14-year-old, 15-year-old was beginning to think about his political career, the death of his father was a blow because it removed a supporter, somebody who could advocate for him, who might himself hold high office that could promote him. But the wider network of friends and relations and property was still intact.

And any decisions that Caesar might have taken himself were rather taken out of his hands by a strange episode, really the first kind of, as it were, official moment we see Caesar, when he's nominated for the position of flamen dialis. Now, the flamen is a word for priest.

And any decisions that Caesar might have taken himself were rather taken out of his hands by a strange episode, really the first kind of, as it were, official moment we see Caesar, when he's nominated for the position of flamen dialis. Now, the flamen is a word for priest.

And any decisions that Caesar might have taken himself were rather taken out of his hands by a strange episode, really the first kind of, as it were, official moment we see Caesar, when he's nominated for the position of flamen dialis. Now, the flamen is a word for priest.

And there are three particularly important priesthoods, one of which is the Flamen of Jupiter, Dialis, an old form, so Flamen Dialis. And the weird thing about this office is it's regarded as very important, but it was surrounded by a whole set of taboos and restrictions that we know about from the later writer Aulus Gellius, who has a chapter on the Flamenach.

And there are three particularly important priesthoods, one of which is the Flamen of Jupiter, Dialis, an old form, so Flamen Dialis. And the weird thing about this office is it's regarded as very important, but it was surrounded by a whole set of taboos and restrictions that we know about from the later writer Aulus Gellius, who has a chapter on the Flamenach.

And there are three particularly important priesthoods, one of which is the Flamen of Jupiter, Dialis, an old form, so Flamen Dialis. And the weird thing about this office is it's regarded as very important, but it was surrounded by a whole set of taboos and restrictions that we know about from the later writer Aulus Gellius, who has a chapter on the Flamenach.

Which meant that it was practically impossible to combine being Flamandialis with a political career. Because you couldn't ride a horse, for example. So military activity is kind of out of it. And there are various other restrictions about travel and activity and so on.

Which meant that it was practically impossible to combine being Flamandialis with a political career. Because you couldn't ride a horse, for example. So military activity is kind of out of it. And there are various other restrictions about travel and activity and so on.

Which meant that it was practically impossible to combine being Flamandialis with a political career. Because you couldn't ride a horse, for example. So military activity is kind of out of it. And there are various other restrictions about travel and activity and so on.

So unlike most priesthoods in the Roman Republic, including being a Pontifex, which Caesar does become, or Pontifex Maximus, the Flamandialis really was a religious office that kept you occupied with being a religious figure. So Caesar's nominated for this when the previous holder dies by suicide as part of the disturbances of the early 80s.

So unlike most priesthoods in the Roman Republic, including being a Pontifex, which Caesar does become, or Pontifex Maximus, the Flamandialis really was a religious office that kept you occupied with being a religious figure. So Caesar's nominated for this when the previous holder dies by suicide as part of the disturbances of the early 80s.

So unlike most priesthoods in the Roman Republic, including being a Pontifex, which Caesar does become, or Pontifex Maximus, the Flamandialis really was a religious office that kept you occupied with being a religious figure. So Caesar's nominated for this when the previous holder dies by suicide as part of the disturbances of the early 80s.

And when the time comes to fill the office, Marius is now dead. Marius takes power again in Rome in 87 and then enters his seventh consulship and shortly afterwards dies. Cinna, who is Marius' ally and is in effective control of Rome in the mid-80s, while Sulla is absent, will no doubt maybe unpack those kind of complex situation in a moment. Cinna

And when the time comes to fill the office, Marius is now dead. Marius takes power again in Rome in 87 and then enters his seventh consulship and shortly afterwards dies. Cinna, who is Marius' ally and is in effective control of Rome in the mid-80s, while Sulla is absent, will no doubt maybe unpack those kind of complex situation in a moment. Cinna

And when the time comes to fill the office, Marius is now dead. Marius takes power again in Rome in 87 and then enters his seventh consulship and shortly afterwards dies. Cinna, who is Marius' ally and is in effective control of Rome in the mid-80s, while Sulla is absent, will no doubt maybe unpack those kind of complex situation in a moment. Cinna

nominates the young Caesar, Thor, and also, because the flamen has to be married and he has to be married to another patrician, marries Caesar to his own daughter, Cornelia. And it's not entirely clear whether he was actually inaugurated or whether he was just proposed and the inauguration didn't happen because Sulla got back and Cinna is killed in an uprising and various stuff happens.

nominates the young Caesar, Thor, and also, because the flamen has to be married and he has to be married to another patrician, marries Caesar to his own daughter, Cornelia. And it's not entirely clear whether he was actually inaugurated or whether he was just proposed and the inauguration didn't happen because Sulla got back and Cinna is killed in an uprising and various stuff happens.

nominates the young Caesar, Thor, and also, because the flamen has to be married and he has to be married to another patrician, marries Caesar to his own daughter, Cornelia. And it's not entirely clear whether he was actually inaugurated or whether he was just proposed and the inauguration didn't happen because Sulla got back and Cinna is killed in an uprising and various stuff happens.

Tatum, who discusses this in his biography of Caesar, suggests that actually maybe Caesar's mother, who is likely to be quite important in these discussions and thinking about it, thought that maybe that was the best thing. He makes the point, which hadn't occurred to me and I think is quite interesting. We know Caesar was epileptic