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 “The die is cast” (originally “Alea iacta est”) was spoken by Julius Caesar as he crossed the Rubicon River on January 10, 49 BC. It signaled the start of the Roman Civil War — a defining moment that led to the rise of the Roman Empire.