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Julius caesar impact on society
How julius caesar affected history
Essay on julius caesar's impact
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Ambrose Bierce’s Devil’s Dictionary states that “politics is the conduct of public affairs for private advantage.” This quote’s relevance is shown in numerous instances in Robert Harris’ book “Imperium”, which is narrated by the main character Cicero’s irreplaceable secretary Tiro. This sad yet inevitable truth is showcased throughout this novel by several characters which come and go in the plot of this historical courtroom drama. Several characters did either horrendous acts to the civilians they were representing or either plotted belittling political agendas to try and shape the future of the Roman Empire for centuries to come. These characters to be analyzed include: the former Sicilian governor Gaius Verres, prominent military men such as Pompey the Great and Crassus, along with a young and less powerful Julius Caesar, and the novel’s main character Marcus Cicero, as well as some of the pawns to these great political mind’s chess board. The field of politics attracts some of the greatest minds to ever walk this Earth, and brings these rather wise figures many privileges, but a clean pair of hands is seldom among these luxuries. This tale of private advantage in the public sector begins with the prosecution of Gaius Verres by Marcus Cicero in the extortion courts of Rome during Cicero’s early political days.
Gaius Verres was the quaestorian governor of the Sicilian province when his greed finally began to surface when Sthenius of Thermae came to Cicero’s home telling the horrors of what this ruthless governor had been up to. Sthenius claimed that Verres had been swindling Sicilian’s out of their most cherished objects such as bronze statues and anything made of precious metals. This crooked governor was giving out his newly ...
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...is military accomplishments, but Crassus and his successes buried the great Pompey in a sea of jealousy. Thirdly Crassus, Caesar and the other men among the conspiracy aimed at overthrowing the powerful Roman government just to extend their wealth, all the while cloaking the sinister goal of their plan as a farming reform bill that to the common man, would seem like a great plan towards euphoria among the classes. Though some people, especially in the political field, use their distinctive positions for nothing more than private gain. Others use their elected positions to bring about more prosperous days to the citizens they worked effortlessly to have vote for them, as well as private gains once greed takes hold. Marcus Cicero was the best at balancing these two burdens and in the end of this story of dirty handed politics, come out as the victor for now at least.
Julius Caesar (100-44 BC) was one of the most outstanding leaders in history. He was the first ruler of the Romano-Hellenic civilization and achieved his goals with great success throughout his life of 56 years. He was assassinated by the conspirators, who accused him for practicing tyranny. This essay will discuss whether it was right for the conspirators to murder Caesar and what its consequences were.
...ion this all showed that style of governing and ruling an empire started a century long pattern of events that eventually lead to the fall and destruction of the old oligarchy led by the Senate. The combination of desire for personal gain and glory of a politician or general was what weakened the Roman customs and the Senate. This was a cycle among the Senate, to find themselves stuck in a problem and to find others to fix with of course military means but in turn make everything more corrupt with their disruptive practices such as Pompey and Julius Caesar. But they were not the only ones there were others who were to blame for causing such decay and corruption such as Marius, Sulla, Gaius and Tiberius Gracchus. They were the ones who kept this corruption cycle going and it was Augustus Caesar who finally broke the cycle and brought stability and order back to Rome.
Gaius Julius Caesar, born 100 B.C.E. in Rome to the impoverished patrician Julian Clan, knew controversy at an early age. Nephew to Populare Gaius Marius, he was earmarked by the Optimate dictator Sulla for prosciption after his refusal to divorce his Populare wife, Cinna. Fleeing Rome, and not returning until after Sulla’s resignation in 78 B.C.E, upon his return he gained a position as a pontificate, an important Roman priesthood. Slowly but surely throughout his lifetime he worked his way up the political ladder, eventually becoming Consul, and finally Dictator Perpeteus – Dictator for life. One of the most influential political and military leaders of all time, Caesar was also a highly intelligent man and an exceptional orator. However, acquiring this absolute power was no mean feat, and Caesar had well equipped himself through previous expeditions with all the resources necessary to gain power in Ancient Rome.
1. In my nineteenth year, on my own initiative and at my own expense, I raised an army with which I set free the state, which was oppressed by the domination of a faction. For that reason, the senate enrolled me in its order by laudatory resolutions, when Gaius Pansa and Aulus Hirtius were consuls (43 B.C.E.), assigning me the place of a consul in the giving of opinions, and gave me the imperium. With me as propraetor, it ordered me, together with the consuls, to take care lest any detriment befall the state. But the people made me consul in the same year, when the consuls each perished in battle, and they made me a triumvir for the settling of the state.
The Roman Republic had an upstanding infrastructure, a stable social system, and a balanced constitution that solidified Rome’s greatness. Regardless of its achievements, however, the Roman Republic owes much of its success to classical Greek cultures. These cultures, in conjunction with the fundamental values of Roman society, certified Rome as one of the most significant powers the world has ever seen.
As Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon and took the Roman Republic, many came to love and praise him. Being a man of great prestige from his war campaign in Gaul, he was easily excepted by the Roman citizens. Cicero, a public enemy of Caesar's power, wrote, “They fear the man they once trusted [Pompey] and adore the man they once dreaded
On that first fateful day, when Romulus struck down his own brother Remus, the cauldron of Rome was forged in blood and betrayal. The seeds on the Palatine hill cultured one of the most potent and stretching empires of human history. Though this civilization seemingly wielded the bolts of Zeus, they were infested with violence, vanity, and deception. Yet, one man—or seemingly “un”-man—outshone and out-graced his surroundings and everyone within it. He brought Rome several victories and rescued his beloved country from an early exodus, thus providing her a second beginning. This man was Marcus Furius Camillus, and against a logical and emotional mind, he was oft less than loved and celebrated. At times he was disregarded, insulted and even exiled—irrevocably an unwarranted method to reward Rome’s “Second Founder.” This contrast of character between hero and people was perhaps too drastic and too grand. The people were not yet ready to see Marcus Furius Camillus as a model of behavior to be emulated—to be reproduced. Hence, much of Livy’s Book 5 provides a foundation for the Roman people to imitate and assimilate a contrasting, honest, and strong behavior and temperament
Many characters in Julius Caesar demonstrate qualities of contrasting ambitious objectives. Deception and manipulation appear to be two of the main qualities contributing to the plot for the assassination of Caesar. Although Brutus is seen as the leader of the conspirators Cassius established himself as a deceitful manipulator with an immoral agenda. Although seen throughout the play, Cassius’s soliloquy primarily demonstrates the immoral aspects of his character as he is driven by manipulating Brutus’s political position for personal advancement.
Imperium begins when Cicero as a young man from a middle class family. He leaves his small town behind and comes to Rome, looking to make a name for himself in politics. He begins as a lawyer and is immediately noticed for his outstanding oratory skills and daring composure . Gradually, he gains influence in the realm of the courts until he has achieved the title of "the second best advocate in Rome," only beaten by his bitter rival, Hortensius. His next triumph is to take on a daring case against the governor or Sicily, Verres, who has extorted his people for decades and wrongfully imprisoned hundreds of them. Though Cicero has a bounty of evidence of this corruption, he has other huge disadvantages. A huge majority of the court is biased against him because he is new blood, and is not yet a respected lawyer compared to Hortensius who has very good lineage. Verres is also an aristocrat, and is thus backed by nearly the entirety of the aristocracy of the Senate, who would be the jury in his case. However, Cicero won the favor of the jury with his charisma and his courageous and controversial courtroom maneuvers. Now that Cicero is on the political board, he marries into an affluent family so that he might advance his status. He then enters the senate by showing that he has the money to hold a seat and from that moment on he has branded himself as a politician, ever aspiring to up his position on the rungs of the Roman political ladder until he has achieved the power of life and death in politics, known to the Romans as imperium.
Rome became a powerful empire engulfing much of Europe, North Africa, and parts of Asia and what seemed like this great entity called the Romans were always in the search of more territory and land to conquer and assimilate into their ever growing vast empire. However, this was not always the case, before Rome became one of the greatest empires in all of history, Rome was a republic. They were government consisted of a Senate who much like our country today represented certain classes of the citizens of the Republic. During the growth and rise of the Roman republic conquering neighboring territories and competing for land grabs was not Romans primary objectives. Romans believed in the well being and wealth of Rome, and if that meant the total destruction of a potential adversary, then as history will show that is unfortunately to the detriment of the adversary what happened.
Perhaps the most influential politician in the Roman Republic, Marcus Porcius Cato, better known as Cato the Elder, was a superb orator and the careful cultivation of his personality gave him significant political clout throughout the 100s BC. Decades before the rise of Gaius Marius and other generals engaging in the political realm, Cato the Elder warned of “Roman warlords” he feared would dominate politics at the expense of the Senate’s power. A conservative and traditionalist, Cato had genuine fears men and indeed families that exploited their wealth and martial power would cause in-fighting within the state, crippling the government. Notably, the alliance of the Scipio and Aemilii Paulii families beckoned the short-comings of the Roman state,
The Civil War in the eyes of most people is not glorious, but rather one of the worst crimes you could possibly commit when the state is all-important. Only under the most extreme circumstances should one be allowed to (in the eyes of the people that is) begin a Civil War with just cause. Caesar took this into consideration, but too many things were going wrong in Rome for him not to begin the war.
The Roman Republic began approximately around 509 B.C. when the nobles drove the King and his family out of Rome. This monumental incident helped shape the start to the transformation of the monarchy into a republican governmental system. This is known to have begun by that of the Roman nobles trying to hold their power that they had gained. The Republic was “[a] city-state [which] was the foundation of Greek society in the Hellenic Age; in the Hellenistic Age, Greek cities became subordinate to kingdoms, larder political units ruled by autocratic monarchs” (Perry 105)
One of the first occasions presented was the plotting of Caesar’s assassination. Cassius, Casca, Trebonius, Ligarius and the other conspirators all wanted to rid Rome of Caesar. However, not one of them could give the green light.” They needed one who held a high place in the hearts of the people, to support them and to justify their actions. They needed an “honorable” man.
Antony was born the son of “a man of no great repute in public life, nor illustrious, but kindly and honest, and particularly a liberal giver.” Some fifty years later, Mark Antony died in the arms of one of the most famous and stirring women in history. He had served at the highest positions attainable in the politically savage world of the Roman Empire after the chaos that ensued with the death of Julius Caesar. Plutarch’s Antony tells the tale of not only one of the most pronounced and controversial figures in Roman history, but delineates Antony’s personality, character, and nature along with his mighty accomplishments, which some may say were achieved in spite of his traits not because of them. Plutarch’s message, however truthful, leans