Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar (c. 100-44 BCE) was a Roman general and statesman whose rise to power and assassination marked the transition of Rome from republic to empire.
Caesar rose through Roman politics as a skilled military commander, most notably leading the conquest of Gaul (roughly modern-day France) between 58 and 50 BCE, which greatly expanded Roman territory and his own political power.
In 49 BCE, Caesar defied the Roman Senate by leading his army across the Rubicon River into Italy, igniting a civil war that ended with him becoming dictator of Rome.
His accumulation of power alarmed many senators, leading to his assassination on the Ides of March (March 15), 44 BCE, by a group of senators including Brutus and Cassius. His death triggered another civil war that ultimately led to the rise of the Roman Empire under his adopted heir, Augustus.