ABSTRACT
Ambitio was an attitude governing the pursuit of public office at Rome. It tends to mean the acceptable attitude towards canvassing for votes at election time. Caesar's ambition in the period covered by this chapter seems to have been more traditional than subversive. He progressed steadily and legitimately through the cursus honorum. Caesar worked hard to build a broad-based political support. This chapter aims to outline the steps by which he achieved this. In the process, Julius Caesar is described as driven, energetic, and talented, but not a rebel or dissident who harbored a dangerous monarchic ambition. Caesar's personal style, confidence, and charm must form part of the explanation for his rise. If Pompeia's link with Sulla must be emphasized, it should be remembered that the family of Caesar's mother, the Cottae, were known for strong ties to Sulla. It would not be appropriate to conclude too hastily that Caesar was cynical about religious ritual or the gods.
