Julius Caesar Wasn't Born by Caesarean Section
Despite the name, Julius Caesar was not born by caesarean section - the procedure was named after him centuries later.
About this fact
The caesarean section procedure existed in ancient times, but it was only performed on dying mothers to save the baby, and no woman survived it. Since Caesar's mother, Aurelia, lived well into his adulthood and was politically active, she clearly didn't die in childbirth. The term 'caesarean' comes from the Latin 'caesus,' meaning 'cut,' and was applied to the surgical procedure centuries after Caesar's death. Some historians believe Caesar got his name from an ancestor who was born this way, or from the Latin 'caesaries' (head of hair), as Caesar was born with a full head of hair. The modern, safe caesarean section wasn't developed until the 16th century.