Emperor: Young Caesar

Emperor: Young Caesar is an upcoming epic film based on the novels by Conn Iggulden about the early life of Julius Caesar. The film will be directed by Burr Steers from a screenplay by William Broyles and Stephen Harrigan.^[1] On May 20, 2010, producers Gianni Nunnari and Mark Canton announced that the film would be the first in a planned trilogy chronicling the life of the late Roman dictator.^[2]

Synopsis

The film will attempt to adapt the first two novels of the series which span the years from 92 BC to 71 BC:

• The Gates of Rome - Caesar grows up with his childhood friend Marcus outside Rome, terrorized by the slightly older neighbor Suetonius Prandus. Caesar and Marcus are trained to be warriors under the tutelage of ex-gladiator and soldier, Renius. After Caesar's father and others are killed in a slave revolt, the children go to Rome to join Caesar's uncle (in reality not related by blood) Gaius Marius and the populares faction. Marius, who is consul, is waging a political war against the conservative optimates led by Cornelius Sulla, the main antagonist. After a triumph celebrating Marius' victory over African tribes, Sulla is shipped of to Asia Minor to fight Mithridates VI of Pontus. Meanwhile, Marius takes possession of Rome and Caesar falls in love with Cornelia Cinna, daughter of a populare. Marcus goes to Macedon to join a legion as he is, by his unnoble birth, not in position to become a senator. Upon Sulla's return, civil war rages (historically, though simplified) between him and Marius. By having left soldiers in Rome, Sulla succeeds in capturing the city and kills Marius when he refuses to surrender. By his dying breath, Marius asks his loyal men to defeat Sulla. After days of tough street-fighting in which Caesar is captured, Sulla emerges victor and is proclaimed dictator. He asks Caesar to join him, threatening him with torture and death if he refuses. Upon seeing the young man irresistibly wanting to turn his back on his dead uncle, Sulla lets him go. Forced to flee Rome, Caesar does so and joins the navy to go to Egypt. Meanwhile, Marcus has been victorious in campaigns against barbarians and is opted to lengthen his contract. He does so, and when asked to sign his name, reveals the surname Brutus (Marcus Brutus). The book closes by Brutus being praised for his great valor.

• The Death of Kings - Opening in the Aegean Sea, Caesar leads a group of men to attack a rebellious fortress in Mytilene (historical) and he is saluted for his courage. Meanwhile, Brutus is forced to flee Greece upon having late meetings with a young woman. Accompanied by cruel but magnificent gladiator Renius, he sets off to Rome. Meanwhile, Cornelia is terrified as Sulla haunts her. Upon raping her on the night where her and Caesar's daughter Julia is born, Caesar and Brutus' friend Tubruk (caretaker of Caesar's estate when they were young) kills Sulla and manages to escape uncaught though others are tortured and killed. Caesar is caught by pirates and forced to ransom 20 talents. He suggests 50 instead, and upon being released on the African coast he builds up a minor army, manages to find the pirate in Greece and takes revenge. Upon landing in Greece, he finds out Sulla is dead and decides to go home. Meanwhile, defeated but surviving, Mithridates rebels yet again to fight Rome and Caesar falls into battle with him, managing to defeat and kill the king (the title of the book, suggesting Sulla and Mithridates. This event is fictitious as Mithridates was historically defeated by Pompey and committed suicide more than ten years later.) Upon returning to Rome, Caesar rises as a lawyer and manages to claim Marius' old house and send the optimate housed in it (general Antonidus) into slavery, receiving enemies among the optimates. Upon the rebellion of Spartacus, Caesar follows the populares Pompey and Crassus who rallies troops and hunts the slave army to Gaul. Cato, who secretly had Pompey's daughter killed as revenge for Sulla now lets murderers kill Cornelia and Caesar returns in sorrow to Rome. Upon tracking down the assassin, Pompey kills him and Cato. Crassus builds a wall to trap the slaves on the coast. Caesar goes out to fight the last battle, depressed but encouraged by old friend Cabera, a healer and friend of Renius. Spartacus fights the last battle against Pompey and seeing his slaves are defeated he puts on his helmet, grasps his sword and charges into the battle, predicting Rome will fall one day. The book closes with Crassus and Pompey riding along the Via Appia towards Rome, passing six thousand crucified slaves. The two have been assuming power and, having exiled Caesar to Spain, enter the city, with Pompey believing Caesar will be no more than he already is.

References