5 facts you probably didn’t know about Julius Caesar

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1. Despite popular belief he was not born by Caesarean section, and it was not named after him. His mother Aurelia lived until 54 BCE and Caesarian sections were only carried out when the mother was going to die, as it was often fatal.

2. He claimed that his family ancestry could be traced to the first king of Rome, Romulus and even the goddess Venus.

3. Many of Caesar’s rivals spread rumours about his homosexual tendencies; in response his supporters preached far and wide about their leader’s heterosexual alliances. His soldiers chanted various rude songs such as:

“Home we bring our bald whoremonger; Romans, lock your wives away!

All the bags of gold you lent him, went his Gallic tarts to pay.”

4. Caesar was known for being very self-conscious about his appearance, especially his baldness, which he attempted to hide with a comb-over and the iconic laurel wreath crown. He kept abreast of fashion trends and apparently even removed some of the hair on his body with tweezers.

5. In 75 BCE, Caesar was kidnapped by pirates on the way to Rhodes. He was so insulted by the low ransom price they ordered for his release that he forced them to raise the sum.

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