For several years after this Caesar served in the Roman army in Asia Minor, returning to Rome after Sulla's death in 78. At first he devoted himself to public oratory in the law courts, and in 76 went to Rhodes to study rhetoric under the famous teacher mo10. For several years after his return to Rome in 74 he busied himself in strengthening his position with his party, and soon came to be looked on as one of its leaders. The senatorial party was at this time supreme, and Caesar had to win his way to power gradually. He went through the various grades of office by which Roman citizens rose to the rank of Consul, being in succession Quaestor, Curule Aedile, and Praetor. In 63 he was elected Pontifex Maximus, becoming technically the head of the Roman religion. This success over the aristocratic party showed clearly that its power was wan ing, and that Caesar was now one Of the leaders of the Roman state. In 61, immediately after his Praetorship, he went to Spain as Propraetor or Military Governor. Here, in his first com mand, he at once showed his ability as a general, in quelling the rebellious native tribes. His manner of living at Rome (for he was not only one Of the ablest but one of the most dis solute of men during the earlier period of his manhood), and the means by which he had obtained office and ingratiated himself with the people, had plunged him heavily into debt. But the Governor of a Roman province had plenty of opportunities for enriching himself at the expense of the provincials, and one year in Spain freed him from all his debts, as well as making him known as a brilliant commander. In 60 he returned to the city and was elected Consul for 59, with a colleague of the aristocratic party, who was, however, too weak and insignificant to be able to thwart his measures. The three leading men of Rome at this time were Pompey, representing the nobles; Caesar, the leader of the popular party; and Crassus, whose in?uence was largely due to his immense wealth. Caesar persuaded the other two to form a coalition with him, and thus get the practical supremacy of the state in their own hands. In the end this bargain proved to be entirely to Casar's advantage, as it prevented any active Opposition to him during the next few years while he was absent from Rome securing for himself experience, prestige, and a veteran army to assist him when the final struggle for supremacy came. For one of the results Of the coalition was that Caesar was appointed for five years (58 to 54) governor of Illyricum and the two Gauls, Cisalpine and Transalpine, (the former being the northern part of Italy above the peninsula proper, and the latter the southern part of France). In 55 this command was extended for another period of five years, by an agreement with Pompey and Crassus, who were consuls that year.
