Who was Julius Caesar? Julius Caesar accomplished many things in his day, which most would consider unbelievable. He has been considered a tyrant or dictator, and some believe he was one of the world’s greatest politician. In this paper we will compare the textbook and documentation that was written around 44 B.C.E the time of his death. The documents are considered to be “primary sources”, because of the timeframe in which they were written. To get a grasp on whom, Julius Caesar really was, we need to not only dive into the primary sources, but we need to view his accomplishments. By analyzing his accomplishments, textbook, and the primary sources we can better understand just how Julius Caesar was portrayed during his reign.
Julius Caesar was born into a political family where his father expected him to take a career in the lower part of politics. When Caesar’s father dies he realizes that money runs the political machine in Rome. He then seeks to gain political power by acquiring relationships with political figures that were against the current Roman Dictator Sulla. This gets Caesar caught, eventually pardoned, and set free. He then went into exile.
During his exile he joins the army, but it’s uncertain whether he served as a soldier or as an assistant. Many believe due to his family line he served as an assistant to the governor (Roman-Empire.net). Either way after his first assignment it is said that he was in the ranks of the army that defeated the Spartacus rebellion. After the rebellion was crushed he deemed his career over, and once he left the army he went out to seek further education.
Caesar sought his furthered education in the form of public speaking. This is noticed by Cicero when he stated
“Do you know any man...
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...y. (2004). The Assassination of Julius Caesar, 44 B.C. Retrieved From: http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/caesar2.htm (accessed 21 February 2014).
-Tranquillus, Gaius Suetonius. (Reproduced by Livius: Articles on Ancient History). Lives of the 12 Caesars. Joseph Gavorse. Retrieved From: http://www.livius.org/caa-can/caesar/caesar_t09.html (accessed 21 February 2014).
-Plutarch. (Reproduced by Internet Ancient History Sourcebook, Aug 2000). The Assassination of Julius Caesar, from Marcus Brutus (excerpts). John Dryden. Retrieved From: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/plutarch-caesar.asp (accessed 21 February 2014).
-Athens. (2013). Making of the West, Volume I: To 1750, 4th Edition. Retrieved from: VitalSource Bookshelf Downloaded E-Book.
-Roman-Empire.net. (n.d). Gaius Julius Caesar (100-44BC). Retrieved From: http://www.roman-empire.net/republic/caesar.html
McManus, Barbara F. "Julius Caesar: Historical Background." Vroma. N.p., Mar. 2011. Web. 21 Feb. 2014.
In conclusion, William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar is the quintessence of a tragic hero. He is highly respected in society and holds a position of authority, yet is corrupted by his pride and arrogance. He ignores warnings of assassination, but once he is attacked by his confidant Brutus he realizes his flaws. Unfortunately, he can never repent of his prideful ways, as his life is extinguished. Because he is murdered by one of his greatest friends and did so much to aid the destitute, he is a sympathetic character. Julius Caesar is a complex and multi-faceted man, but the tragedy of his life strikes a chord of sympathy that resonates throughout not only his subjects, but the readers of his downfall for centuries past, present, and future.
Shakespeare, William. "The Death and Life of Julius Caesar." www.shakespeare.mit.edu. N.P., n.d. Web. 22 Feb 2016. ;.
Julius Caesar was unquestionable a cunning Politian as portrayed within historical documents, even though the events were documented after the accounts of his rule materialized there are still numerous theories about his political ability’s and how he was viewed by the people he governed. This paper is intended to present the reader clear vision on how Julius Caesar was viewed during his dictatorship of Rome. Was Julius Caesar a selfish dictator or model politician? There will be five diverse source accounts of the events which will be examined for similarities and differences based on the historical evidences.
“His birth marked the beginning of a new chapter in roman history”. By 31, Caesar had fought in several wars and become heavily involved in politics; being appointed dictator and consul on multiple occasions (Biography.com, 2014). It was Caesar’s assassination and following events that ultimately brought an ...
For thousands of years people have been talking about the great powerful Caesar. He is one of the greatest known dictators known to people today mostly because of all of the things he was able to accomplish during his rein as emperor. After reading primary sources about Caesar, it has given me a better understanding of what other people thought of him during this time period. It’s safe to say that Caesar was obsessed with power and respect from other people that would explain his thirst for war and land, which is one of his greatest strengths and helped in making Rome a great empire.
Julius Caesar was the dictator of Rome in his prime. Some say his journey to the top was paved in corruption, other claimed he was a man of the people. His enemies knew to fear him for his ruthlessness. His followers adored him because everything that he had succeeded in was done for them. Unfortunately, his betrayal transpired by his senators who felt he had grown too powerful and stabbed him to death. However, Julius Caesar’s connection to the political world, his innate ability as an army general, and his desire to advocate for the rights of his people made him a great leader.
Sabben-Clare, J. P. Caesar and Roman Politics 60-50 B.C.: source material in translation. Bristol: Bristol Classics, 1981.
Julius Caesar was a strong leader of the Romans who changed the course of the history for the Roman world decisively and irreversibly. With his courage and strength, he created a strong empire and guided the empire for almost 20 years. His life was short, but had many adventures. I will tell of some of this man’s remarkable life. He did many things, therefore, I will only discuss a few. His name, part of his reign, one of his greatest battles, and his death will be told.
McManus, Barbara F. "Julius Caesar: Historical Background." Vroma. N.p., Mar. 2011. Web. 21 Feb. 2014.
Shakespeare, William. "Julius Caesar."Literature The Reader's Choice Course 5. Ed.Wilhelm, Jeffrey. Columbus: Glencoe, 2009. 772-863. Print.
River, Charles, ed. Notorious Assassins: The Life and Legacy of Marcus Brutus. N.p.: CreateSpace Independent Platform, 2013. Kindle.
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.
In the end, it begs the question, which depiction of Julius Caesar is the correct one, was he a power-hungry warmonger that needed to be stopped, or a man that brought about greatness, and was murdered for it? It has been said many times that there are three sides to every story, his side, her side, and the truth.
Allen, Janet. "Julius Caesar." Holt McDougal Literature. Orlando, FL: Holt McDougal/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012. N. pag. Print.