I wondered about this too, but I have spotted a hannibal, and a gauis julius, and then started thing with a family tree, this game is more of a what if then a dictacted history tree. Random factors with with said tree will not always keep the same offspring every game. To be honest I like this feature more, but for quick campaigns they could have added a starting figure from history.

I am still playing a long campaign and I havent reached the civil war yet and right now I have 3 main generals fighting 3 different factions. I will make my own julius ceasar from this mix, if they havent died of old age by then..:)

On that note, I find it funny that my faction leader is currently 85 when everyone else seems to have died in their 50-60's. But I just figured it was cuz I moved him to the capital at 50 and havent done a thing with him since.