Julius Caesar rose to power in Rome in the 1st century BC, growing his influence through brutal military campaigns in Gaul and Italy. Though he proclaimed himself dictator for life and a god, he was assassinated in 44 BC, sparking a civil war. Alexander the Great, mentored by Aristotle, reigned over Macedon from 336-323 BC and conquered the Persian Empire to unite the east and west, but died at age 32. Alexander envisioned his empire as a space for diverse peoples to coexist in peace, defending civilization against threats.