Caesar — English Dictionary

Proper noun

1. An ancient Roman family name, notably that of Julius Caesar.

   Related words

   czartsartzarkaisercaesarCeasarCasarCesarCæsarCesareCaesarean

   Examples

   The Caesars were an ancient and aristocratic family, which for eight generations had been prominent in the commonwealth.

   More examples (1)

   Habel, 63 ff., believes that up to 51 the emperors bestowed priesthoods on the Caesares, using their special power of commendation; but that these Caesares were forced to wait until a place in a college was vacant; that after 51 the Caesares were elected by the senate.

   To the powerful, the Caesares were flattering, deferential, sincerely devoted, self-sacrificing, loyal, eagerly serving.

   More examples (6)

   Five of the Caesares were killed during the years 90-85 (D. G., 3, 114).

   […] Off. 1.133 and Att. 13.19.4 do not establish the uterine relationship of Catulus and the Caesares, merely the fact that Catulus and the Caesares were regarded as fratres.

   Of the two plebeian candidates Silanus obviously counted on the assistance of Manlius, who was in office and to whom he was related from the grandfather, but his rival, a Minucius who had become a Marcius, counted on the patrician rival Caesar and on the other consul, L. Aurelius Cotta, because the Caesares were related by marriage both with the Marcii and the Cottae; in fact, Silanus was defeated by their coalition.

   The Pulchri were a branch of the Clodius family, just as the Caesares were of the Julii.

   He was joined on this commission by C. Caesar Strabo (RE Iulius no. 135), of another branch of the Caesares, who had stressed his heritage by adding the old Julian praenomen Vopiscus (see the cos. 473, MRR 1.29) to his name as a cognomen.

   By about the middle of the 2nd cent., the Caesares were claiming descent from *Ascanius and, through him, from his grandmother Venus (see the coins Crawford, RRC 258, 129 bc, and 320, 103 bc, the latter with a symbolic reference to Apollo, the ancient god of the gens).

2. The government; society; earthly powers.

   Usage

   • Figurative

   Examples

   Render therefore vnto Ceſar, the things which are Ceſars: and vnto God, the things that are Gods.

   let it be clearly understood that we are dealing with Life solely in its geological aspects. We appeal unto Caesar; let us be judged by Caesar’s laws.

   More examples (3)

   Caesar may discriminate unjustly against certain races. Christians are not to take issue with Caesar's laws on such matters and flout them, but should submit.

   It is the story of churches that split apart over this issue and of ministers finding ways to justify the return of slaves because they were under the aegis of the laws of Caesar, not the laws of God.

   But I know that Caesar's laws have been broken, and someone has to pay. I'm your man. These are good monks. If they committed any crime, it was to believe in me.

Noun

1. A title of Roman emperors.

   Examples

   Constantius Chlorus and Galerius became Caesares in 293; […]

   More examples (2)

   Owing to the victories gained in the wars from 295-297, the two Augusti, Diocletian and Maximian, and the two Caesares, Galerius and Constantius Chlorus, took the title of Carpicus Maximus, the last three receiving this title five times after the fighting from 302-303 (see Table 13).

   For within the principia the highest, and focal, point of the whole ensemble is formed by the ‘temple of the standards’, on whose lintel a Latin inscription proudly proclaimed the completion of the work: ‘The Repairers of their world and Propagators of the human race, our Lords Diocletianus and Maximianus, the most unconquered Imperatores, and Constantius and Maximianus (i.e., Galerius), the most noble Caesares, have successfully founded the camp (castra), under the care of Sossianus Hierocles, vir perfectissimus, governor (praeses) of the province, devoted to their numen and maiestas’.

2. An absolute ruler; an autocrat.

3. A Caesar cocktail.

   Usage

   • Canada