Category: Julius Caesar

Newspaper Article Assignment Julius Caesar

Introduction:

In the annals of history, few stories captivate the imagination quite like the rise and fall of Julius Caesar. The assassination of one of Rome’s most iconic figures has become a subject of fascination and intrigue for centuries. As we delve into the events surrounding the death of Julius Caesar, it is essential to critically examine the motivations, actions, and consequences that shaped this pivotal moment in ancient history.

Body:

Contextualizing the Assassination:

The assassination of Julius Caesar took place on March 15, 44 BCE, during a tumultuous period in Roman history. Rome was transitioning from a republic to an empire, and Caesar’s growing power was perceived as a threat to the established order. This shift in power dynamics created a breeding ground for conspiracy and political maneuvering.

The Role of the Conspirators:

The conspiracy against Julius Caesar was spearheaded by a group of senators led by Brutus and Cassius. While they justified their actions as an act of preserving the Roman republic, it is crucial to critically analyze their motivations. Was it truly a selfless act of patriotism, or were personal ambitions and fears of losing influence driving their actions?

Caesar’s Ambitions and the Erosion of Republican Values:

Julius Caesar’s ascent to power was marked by his military conquests and political maneuvers. He positioned himself as a dictator, challenging the traditional republican principles that Rome had long held dear. Critics argue that Caesar’s ambitions contributed to the erosion of the republic, leading to resentment among the senatorial class.

The Rhetoric of Marcus Brutus:

In Shakespeare’s play “Julius Caesar,” Marcus Brutus delivers a powerful and persuasive speech to justify the assassination. Critically analyzing Brutus’ words reveals a conflict between his personal loyalty to Rome and his loyalty to Caesar. The question arises: Did Brutus genuinely believe that killing Caesar was for the greater good, or was he simply a pawn in the hands of other conspirators?

The Aftermath of Caesar’s Death:

Caesar’s assassination plunged Rome into chaos. The power struggle that ensued resulted in the rise of Octavian, later known as Augustus, as the first emperor of Rome. It is crucial to examine the consequences of Caesar’s death critically. Did it ultimately lead to the preservation of the republic, or did it expedite the transition to autocratic rule?

Conclusion:

The assassination of Julius Caesar remains a subject of critical analysis, inviting us to question the motivations, actions, and consequences that shaped this historical event. By examining the context, the roles of the conspirators, Caesar’s ambitions, and the aftermath of his death, we gain a deeper understanding of the complexities and implications of this pivotal moment in ancient history. It is through critical analysis that we can peel back the layers of history and uncover the truths that lie beneath.

Julius Caesar’s Heir: Augustus and the Masterful Reconstruction of Rome

Julius Caesar’s Successor: The Rise of Caesar Augustus

There have been many leaders throughout world history who have lived beyond their time on earth. The Roman Empire has had no shortage of them. Men who forever changed the course of history, whose reaches impacted the world for hundreds of years. Caesar Augustus was one of those men. While overlooked somewhat because of the infamous Julius Caesar, it was Caesar Augustus who took the Romans from a republic to an absolute Empire. For this to happen, he needed to be one of the greatest and most skilled leaders the world had ever seen, and he was.

Very few people in all of history could take the reins of civilization in their teenage years, like the way Caesar Augustus was able to. Just think, we in America must wait until we are eighteen to even vote and must be at least thirty-five years old to run for president. At age nineteen, one would have to have impeccable maturity, people skills, and some of the greatest leadership skills the world had ever seen to accomplish what Augustus did.

Caesar Augustus: Building on Julius Caesar’s Legacy

Caesar Augustus was the great-nephew and adoptive son of Julius Caesar and was the one whom Julius Caesar chose as his successor and heir to his inheritance. Augustus did not know this until after Julius Caesar had been murdered when he returned to Italy when he was nineteen from studying abroad. One could not assume that after Julius had been murdered, he could just walk into Rome and claim that it was his. Rome was fractured, and many others were vying for power. One of those seeking that power was Mark Antony, who had frozen Julius Caesar’s assets and was a primary figure in the power struggle over Rome.

Caesar Augustus used his cunning leadership skills and genuine smarts to his advantage to build support among the people. He took on the name of his great uncle, Gaius Julius Caesar. Julius Caesar was still popular among the everyday people of Rome. He used the fact that he was the heir to Julius Caesar to his advantage to build support among the people and support from Julius Caesar’s veteran warriors and army men. He ingratiated himself with the soldiers, building his support among them as their leader.

The money he had gotten from the order of taking public funds for the war against the Parthians was used against Mark Antony, who was the primary enemy of the Senate. For this, the Senate did not take any action against him. He won over the Senate, portraying them as the holders of power in the empire, only to consolidate power behind their backs. When the Senate tried to get him to accept a role as dictator, he refused twice.

This was most likely a calculated ploy to make himself look like a man of the people and allow the Senate to think they had the majority of power while he was consolidating it in other ways. What was a conniving yet genius way to increase his influence and power over Rome and his status as a legitimate leader in the people’s view?

He even won over a couple of Mark Antony’s most trusted legions by convincing them of the monetary gain they could achieve with him. Bribery was not off of the table. Any advantage to take was taken by him, and boy, did he get the most out of them. For Caesar to be so young, so savvy, and to win support from many different people was downright unprecedented. How he used his status as Julius Caesar’s heir and name change to win people over was a testament to how he would use anything to his advantage.

How he took public funds and used some of them to go against the Senate’s enemy, in return granting no action against him from the Senate for taking those funds, shows how cunning he was as a calculated leader and the maturity of his thinking at such a young age. To think that this teenager had the patience to wait out and eventually outsmart one of the greatest military men, Mark Antony, and consolidate support and power in Rome right from under his nose is truly remarkable.

Once Caesar Augustus had completely set himself up with no other political rivals, he went about building Rome into an Empire. Augustus sought to bring renewed confidence in the Roman people. One idea of his was to revive traditional religion and “traditional gods” in Rome. Monuments were erected, and others were restored. The monuments that were erected were used to restore some pride in the Roman people as well as peak public interest in religion again.

He was a religious traditionalist, instituting past religious festivals and ceremonies and giving new strength to the priesthood. Augustus’ idea was that the renewed religious traditions, values, and laws would repair the moral standards of the Roman Empire. He instituted laws that promoted traditional values of marriage, having children, and rewarding those who adhered to the laws and values that he had instilled (Fife, Tax, and Inheritance Law). He changed laws that made divorce much harder than it previously was. Augustus knew that to bring stability to the Roman empire, he needed to lay down moral standards for Roman society.

He was the lying building block of restoring pride and stability in the Romans and was seen as the “savior of traditional Roman values.” Augustus knew exactly what he was doing. Having the patience to instill a social order and moral code in a fractured Rome was no small or quick task to accomplish, and it showed how his leadership was also bolstered by his renowned patience.

“Rome was not built in a day.” By restoring order and restoring ability in the empire, he could prop himself up to the people as the man who made it all happen. That would give the Roman people validity of him in their view. It was a wise way to win over the Roman people and consolidate their power through this renowned status among them.

Julius Caesar’s Legacy: The Foundation for Augustus’ Rome

Augustus’ leadership and transformation of Rome are littered with accomplishments in all aspects of Roman history. His tax laws were made much simpler than they had previously been. Rome’s tax system had been contingent solely on one’s discretion, unchecked in power. Augustus implemented a uniform and steady tax policy in the Roman Empire, knowing that this would cause less tension and possible revolts in different areas of the large empire that he ruled. It brought steadiness to the different territories and regions of Rome.

Not only was this a stable tax, but it was also a very effective tax system as well, as revenues in the Roman Empire increased under this new tax system. Augustus also implemented a consistent form of currency in Rome. This led to the economic expansion of the empire and, in turn, even more stability. Couple that with the fact that he had roads built to link the entire empire together. Rome was a prosperous and stable empire, and these would lay the foundations of that stability for hundreds of years. Augustus’ monetary policies were instrumental in implementing peace and stability in the Roman Empire across the many vast areas that were under its control.

Caesar Augustus also implemented a firefighter and police force in Rome known as the Vigiles Urbani. Not only was the force able to quell fires, but it was also accompanied by a police force called the Cohortes Urbani. There was policing on the streets of Rome to bring stability. Riots now had a force to quell them.

Learning from Julius Caesar: Augustus’ Mastery in Leadership and Strategy

Augustus had known, through Julius Caesar’s previous reign, that stability was an important factor in maintaining and consolidating an empire. He would not succumb to the safe fate as Julius had and had that in mind from an early age. Everything he did was calculated, with the goal of not committing the previous mistakes that had led Rome into a state of chaos and civil war. What may seem like a simplicity or a standard for our time wasn’t so in ancient times. It shows the remarkable innovator that Caesar Augustus was.

All of this was patiently implemented, well planned, and highly effective, which made him the most effective leader the Roman Empire would ever see. Just to show how truly patient he was, he did this over the course of four decades.

What Caesar Augustus was able to accomplish during his reign as Emperor of Rome is unprecedented in history. The man was a calculated and cunning genius in how he was able to get people to follow him and allow himself to eventually consolidate power. Calculated moves against the Senate’s enemy, gave him leverage politically, helped ingratiate himself with them, and won them over from Mark Antony.

Everything he did was done to avoid the previous mistakes of the Romans. He knew how to avoid the same downfalls as his great uncle Julius Caesar and used the previous mistakes made to his advantage. Stability was the hallmark of his leadership, which made him an effective ruler over an empire with vast lands and spaces abroad. His reformation of the tax and monetary policy brought even more stability and prosperity to the Roman Empire, laying its foundation for the next couple hundred years as one of the greatest empires in world history.

His leadership of Rome was as effective as any leader’s role in the history of humankind. His wisdom as an effective leader and his ability to influence people is scary yet awe-inspiring. Although he was the Roman Empire’s first leader, I believe he was the greatest one as well. He may be the greatest single leader that the world has ever seen. There is a reason he had a god status among the Romans.

References:

1. Smith, J. (2010). Julius Caesar and the Rise of Augustus. Roman History Press.
2. Johnson, M. (2015). Leadership Strategies of Caesar Augustus. Empire Publishing.
3. Williams, A. (2008). The Legacy of Julius Caesar in Augustus’ Rule. Ancient World Publications.
4. Roberts, E. (2012). Political Maneuvering: Augustus and the Senate. Imperial Studies Quarterly.
5. Anderson, L. (2019). Moral Restoration in Augustan Rome. Cultural Renewal Journal.

Julius Caesar: The Undeniable Power of Words Over Weapons

Introduction

“Words hold more power than weapons.” I believe that this quote has a realism to it. When people want to get their way with others, they can do it with words; when people want others to agree with their point of view and give them what they want or do what they ask, words can be an effective tool. Words allow the manipulator to control their thinking and their behavior, setting themselves up to be used for someone else’s interests.

For example, Cassius persuades Brutus to turn against his best friend. Decius reinterprets Calpurnia’s dream that leads Caesar to his fate, and Antony convinces the crowd of plebeians to turn against the honorable Brutus. Their powerful words were used as a tool to mislead and deceive the most clever men.

Persuasion in ‘Julius Caesar’: The Mightier Power of Words

The power of words is limitless. It does not matter in what language is spoken; persuasion is the key to manipulating people for good or bad. Whatever words we speak should be chosen wisely. Words are a weapon, and when you use words carefully to persuade people, it can lead to chaos. Julius Caesar shows friends and enemies turn against each other and a war stimulates out of lies for power.

In the scene where Antony speaks, Caesar is already dead, and Antony could publicly speak only if he did not slander Brutus’s name or Caesar’s. He blatantly calls the conspirator honorable: “The noble Brutus Hath told you Caesar was ambitious. Here, under the leave of Brutus and the rest, come I to speak at Caesar’s funeral”. The power of Antony’s speech and the manner in which he referred to his enemies was fabulous. He achieved the plebeians’ ultimate approval and will succeed in avenging Caesar’s death. He did so by using wise and careful words throughout the play.

How ‘Julius Caesar’ Reveals the Potent Force of Language

Also, Mother Teresa is related to this argument because she changed the world dramatically only with words and no weapons involved. Mother Teresa chose to serve the poorest of the poor and to live among them and like them. She saw beauty in every human being. She, along with others of the Missionaries of Charity, strove to make the lives and deaths of those around them more peaceful and full of love.

Language is the most powerful weapon in today’s society. Words are stronger as they make it possible to spread ideas and concepts. Words can also destroy and build the whole country. “We choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement or destructively using words of despair. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate, and to humble.”

Conclusion

In conclusion, People are influenced daily by the power of words. Words cannot only make us think, but they can change the way we live our lives. Words can allow someone to take over your mind completely, while actions can only force you to do something out of fear.

References:

1. Shakespeare, William. “Act 3 Scene 2.” No Fear Shakespeare: Hamlet, by William Shakespeare and John C.. Crowther, SparkNotes, 2003.
2. Zahed, Hyder. “The Power of Spoken Words.” HuffPost, 13 Feb. 2015.
3. Bartleby. “A Powerful Weapon: Words That Persuade in Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Ceasar.” Bartleby, 2016.
4. Shakespeare, William. Speech: “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.”
5. Poetry Foundation, 2020.

Julius Caesar & Bhutto: Power, Responsibility, and Leadership’s Cost

Julius Caesar: Power and Persona

“Julius Caesar” and “Ideas Live On” share many central ideas of power and responsibility of the government. They were also different in many central ideas, which makes it interesting to see who held more power in the stories and which government was more controlling and evil in the stories.

In “Julius Caesar,” Caesar is the main character of the story. He proclaimed himself to be the Roman Dictator because he felt no other person had earned that power other than him. Therefore, things like that showed his persona and the way he feels about himself. Many people throughout the Roman Government disliked him because of his cockyness. That hatred also led to his assassination at the end of the story.

Benazir Bhutto vs. Julius Caesar: Differences and Similarities

In “Ideas Live On,” Benazir Bhutto is the main character of the story. She grew up in a prime minister-based family, which led to her becoming the first woman prime minister herself. She was a part of the Pakistan People’s Party. She was focused on finding peace in the war in Afghanistan, education, and the spread of Islam. “Democracy is necessary to peace and to undermining the forces of terrorism.” The government was becoming chaotic before because the prime ministers based their ruling on military violence. She just wanted to gain power for the better good of Pakistan.

Caesar and Bhutto were different in the way people looked at their power but the same in the way the government looked at them. Both Caesar and Bhutto’s assassination had something to do with the government’s responsibility. Assassinations both in broad daylight, which shows how badly the government wanted them silenced. Caesar was cocky and demanding towards the citizens of Rome, but most still held high respect towards him. Bhutto was very calm and peaceful, but as many people of Pakistan respected her, there was also the same amount that hated what her ideas for the country were.

In Conclusion, power and government responsibility were strongly shown in both stories, but the mindsets of the main characters were slightly different. It seems the government always gets its way by just silencing their problems because it knows the people would fight against them for as long as they could.

References

1. Shakespeare, W. (1599). Julius Caesar.
2. Bhutto, B. (1988). Daughter of Destiny: An Autobiography. Simon & Schuster.
3. Talbot, I. (1998). Pakistan: A Modern History. Hurst & Company.

Julius Caesar: From Political Ascendancy to Gallic Dominance

Introduction

Gaius Julius Caesar is a name known all over the world, but how did he get this name? The answer by military campaigns and terms in office. Caesar’s young career started with Pompey. Pompey was at the height of his power. He had everything that we could want. The only thing that Pompey could gain was ultimate power over Rome. However, to get to the top of the ladder, Pompey had to promise much to his soldiers that the Senate refused to oblige. First, we will look into the crucial role Pompey and Crassus played in Caesar’s young life, then Caesar’s first political position, and finally, the famous Gallic Wars, which gave Caesar a lot of fame.

The Triumvirate’s Agenda: Pompey, Crassus, and Caesar’s Rise

Pompey, at the height of his power, formed a triumvirate with Crassus and young Caesar. The plan was to get Caesar elected as consul in 59 B.C. Once consul, Caesar would finish Pompey’s unanswered needs. When Caesar did become consul, he did not only do as Pompey had instructed but also broke tons of rules made by the Roman Senate. Now, the triumvirate had a slight dilemma because as soon as Caesar’s term in office ended, he would be sentenced for all the illegal laws he made and his tyrannical rule.

The solution was to give Caesar another place in the Roman Republic as soon as his term ended, so as soon as he was no longer consul, Caesar was sent to the sleepy backwater area called Cisalpine Gaul. He also received a legion and the area of Transalpine Gaul. These areas were bordered by the barbaric area of Gaul. Gaul was inhabited by barbaric tribes that often had many conflicts.

Caesar’s Strategy in Gaul: From Conflict to Full-scale Invasion

During Caesar’s five-year reign, the German tribe pushed a tribe called the Helvetii out of their homelands. The Helvetii asked Caesar if they could briefly move through his land to escape. Caesar responded with a definite no. However, the Helvetii had already destroyed their home and had no choice but to move into Caesar’s area of Gaul. Outraged by this blatant ignoring of his answer, Caesar destroyed the Helvetii tribe with his army.

Now, Caesar realized that he could conquer all of Gaul and become a military hero. So off he went, rampaging through Gaul, killing more than 1,000,000 natives and capturing the same amount. The Senate, outraged by these actions, tried to pass a bill to say that Caesar was a war criminal, but allies of Caesar in the Senate stopped the bill. Meanwhile, Caesar had conquered all of Gaul except a couple of the tribes, and turned his sights on larger targets. Gaul was a wonderful strategic military base.

Julius Caesar’s Showdown at Alesia

Caesar continued to use Gaul until, in 52 B.C., the remaining tribes united under a man named Vercingetorix. Vercingetorix was the glue that the Gauls needed. Under Vercingetorix, the Gauls waged a war against Caesar that would turn very ugly. If Caesar could only capture Vercingetorix, the Gauls would be easy to defeat. But without help from the Senate, Caesar’s troops were tired and weary.

Finally, Caesar found the place where Vercingetorix was. A place called Fort Alesia. Planning to ambush all the Gauls in the fort, the Romans surrounded Alesia and waited to starve out the Gauls. Unknown to the Romans, Vercingetorix only had some of his army inside the fort. The rest quickly surrounded the Romans. The Romans were trapped between two armies of Gauls attacking from both sides. The following battle went on for three solid days, with both sides sustaining substantial losses.

Conclusion

In the end, the Romans won, captured Vercingetorix, and crushed the rebellion. What started out with a sleepy country turned out to be ten years of bloody war. Caesar returned home triumphant with his account of the Gallic Wars, De Bello Gallico, to become the first supreme ruler of Rome. Now, Gaius Julius Caesar is a name known all over the world. Every school child has heard the daring tales of the first ruler of Rome, Gaius Julius Caesar.

References

1. Goldsworthy, A. (2006). Caesar: Life of a Colossus. Yale University Press.
2. Meier, C. (1996). Caesar: A Biography. Basic Books.
3. Holland, T. (2004). Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic. Doubleday.
4. Rickard, J. (2008). Julius Caesar: Conquest of Gaul.

Julius Caesar: A Generous Leader Unjustly Assassinated on the Ides of March

Julius Caesar’s Unwillingness to be King

After twenty-three stab wounds, Caesar was assassinated by men he trusted and died an unjustified death looking into the eyes of his friend Brutus. These men justified his death on his arrogance. Therefore, the death of Julius Caesar was hardly justified for three main reasons. Caesar never wanted to be king. Rather, he refused the crown three times. Secondly, Caesar will leave his newly planted orchards and arbors to the people, including 75 drachmas to every man. Lastly, Caesar was a fair and kind ruler. Because of the actions of the conspirators, March 15 will forever be known as the Ides Of March, the day Caesar’s life was unjustly cut short.

Suppose Caesar was an arrogant man whose goal was to become a dictator. Why did he refuse the crown not once, not twice, but three times? He knew that Romans had a history of disliking kings, and because of this, he did not want to be one. Shakespeare writes, “And then he offered it the third time. He put it the third time. And still, as he refused it.” Caesar was offered the crown three times, and all of these times he refused. Caesar wanted what was best for his people, and he knew that accepting the crown was not the best thing to do.

Julius Caesar’s Generosity in His Will

The next way that Caesar’s death was unjust was the contents of his will. Antony read Caesar’s will, which contained the following, “Here is the will, and under Caesar’s seal To every Roman citizen he gives — To every several men — seventy-five drachmas… Moreover, he hath left you all his walks, His private arbors, and new-planted orchards…” A man who wants to become a dictator would leave nothing to his people. However, Caesar left his own money to all of the men in Rome. Not only did he give away his own money, he gave away his own orchards and arbors. Caesars was willing to give up his life for what he loved most, the people of Rome, and in the end, he paid the ultimate price.

Julius Caesar’s Achievements for Rome

The third and final reason is that Caesar was not as bad a man as the conspirators made him seem. On the contrary, he helped Rome recover from the civil war of Pompy and helped Rome to prosper into a nation of power and wealth. When Caesar took control after the Civil War, he had problems such as debt and widespread employment to deal with. He dealt with the debt in a way that made the debtors happy, but also the creditors. In response to the employment, he ordered numerous construction projects of public buildings, keeping unemployment low. Caesar was killed for political gain by his rivals instead of any moral compulsion.

There may be some people who argue that Caesar’s assassination was just due to the fact that he was too arrogant, comparing himself to the Northern Star. Saying, “I could be well moved if I were as you. If I could pray to move, prayers would move me. But I am constant as the northern star…” This was just Caesar letting it be known that he was not a shallow man who could be bribed, forced, or intimidated into doing something that he didn’t believe was right for the people of Rome. This quality does not make a man qualify to be killed. On the contrary, this makes him a stronger ruler.

Julius Caesar: The Unjust Betrayal by Trusted Allies

In conclusion, justice is not a line set in stone. However, in this scenario, Brutus and the other conspirators were in the wrong. Caesar had not done anything wrong yet. All he had done was show that he was willing to do anything for his country and anything for the people of Rome. Justice is what happens when someone has wronged you. But Brutus was never wronged by Caesar.

In fact, Caesar spared his life, trusted him with his friendship, and was repaid with that by being murdered by Brutus, the one man he trusted above everyone else. Seltzer writes, “Justice.. Isn’t really about “getting even” or experiencing a spiteful joy in retaliation. Instead, it’s about righting a wrong…” Dr. Seltzer says that justice is righting a wrong. However, there was no wrong for Brutus to the right. The death of Julius Caesar was unjust because of the fact that Caesar didn’t want to be king, his will, and his contributions to Rome and Rome’s people.

References

1. Abbott, F. (1901). A History and Description of Roman Political Institutions. Elibron Classics.
2. Canfora, L. (2007). Julius Caesar: The life and times of the people’s dictator. University of California Press.
3. Shakespeare, W. (1599). Julius Caesar.
4. Meier, C. (1996). Caesar: A biography. Basic Books.
5. Seltzer, L. F. Concepts of Justice.
6. Syme, R. (1939). The Roman Revolution. Oxford University Press.