Name: Gaius Julius Caesar
Lived: 100–44 BC, Roman Republic
Known for: Military general, statesman, and reformer
Famous for: Conqueror of Gaul; played a critical role in the fall of the Roman Republic and rise of the Roman Empire
Note: The quote “Alea iacta est” (“The die is cast”) was spoken by Julius Caesar as he crossed the Rubicon River on January 10, 49 BC. It marked the beginning of the Roman Civil War — a turning point that led to the rise of the Roman Empire.