Throughout the history Europe, kings and dictators have been notorious for their unquenchable thirst for power and complete domination; the lure of absolute supremacy and total allegiance was too tempting to disregard. Some made their way by the rights of birth, others by scheming their path through politics. But none are as infamous than that of Julius Caesar and Napoleon Bonaparte. Both Napoleon and Caesar achieved great glory by bringing their countries out of the turmoil that followed the revolutionary ages, utilizing their political and military support as well as their outstanding tactics in warfare. Though Caesar had major accomplishments, Napoleon receives the most praise for his work in creating efficient governmental systems, along with his feats in the military. Together, both men reshaped their countries and gave a new order to their empires, whilst still remaining in favour with the people.
Julius Caesar was born during the instability of Rome- the element of disorder ruled the Republic, which discredited its nobility and could not keep control over Rome’s considerable size and influence. After the death of Rome's dictator, Sulla, Caesar returned from military service and organised a private army to attack Mithradates VI Eupator, King of Pontus, who was an enemy of Rome. Soon after, Caesar began working with Pompey, a former lieutenant that served under Sulla but had switched sides following the dictator's death. At around 68 BC Caesar was elected quaestor (base political office). Eight years later, in 60 BC, Julius served as governor of the Roman province of Spain. Whilst maintaining his relationship with Pompey, Caesar also aligned himself with Roman general and politician Marcus Licinius Crassus, who provided...
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...h France and Rome’s transition from republics to empires.
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Bibliography D. M. G. Sutherland, France 1789-1815 Revolution and Counterrevolution (London 1985). Tom Holmberg, “Napoleon and the French Revolution”, 1998, www.napoleonbonaparte.nl/html/body_nap_and_revolution.html. www.chesco.com/artman/napoleonbonaparte.html (Quotes by Napoleon Bonaparte). George Orwell, Animal Farm, Middlesex, England 1945. Colin Jones, The Longman Companion to the French Revolution, (New York, 1988).
McManus, Barbara F. "Julius Caesar: Historical Background." Vroma. N.p., Mar. 2011. Web. 21 Feb. 2014.
Julius Caesar (July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general, statesman, Consul, and author of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the events that led to the demise of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire. On March 15 44 B.C.E, the Roman dictator Julius Caesar was murdered. There are multiple accounts of this incident, while all accounts came after the death of Caesar, the writing on the incident portray Julius Caesar to have been a selfish dictator.
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.
I have chosen to compare Napoleon to Frederick the Great. I will compare these two extremely influential leaders through numerous techniques; including their military history, the administration of their territories, the legacy they left upon their countries, among others.
This ambition led to a dictatorship, which they consider Napoleon's ultimate betrayal. However, other historians such as Tombs and Furet see Napoleon’s regime as “the most convincing, though temporary, solution to the political and ideological problems bequeathed by the Revolution.” Napoleon’s dictatorship can also be considered a natural progression from the authoritarian nature of the French revolution. One idea that is undebatable is that if Napoleon betrayed the French Revolution, this means that his actions, motives and policies were disloyal to the Revolutionary ideals of Liberty, equality and Fraternity. Napoleon was an outstanding military commander and enjoyed many successful campaigns.
Today in the world in which we live many people look back at Napoleon as a legend. Although he has many lasting affects on the world and holds a very important part in history, today that kind of aggressive dictatorship would not be tolerated. When people look back at Napoleon's leadership they think of all the needless wars and lives that were lost due to his obsession with power. Today, people would not want to live under the strict control of any form of government like dictatorship. When many people think of this form of government they are very cautious because with dictatorship comes a very restricted life. People do not want any one individual to have all the power because bad decisions are made sometimes and the people have to pay. People would rather have control of their own government instead of it having control of them.
Julius Caesar is the leader of Rome and is seeking to become king in a matter of time. Though he is a good military strategist, he lacks knowledge in running government and is too greedy to have any concern for the peasants when he is alive. Caesar is all about conquering and power and he is afraid of nothing. Before he is murdered, he says “The things that threatened me ne’er looked but on my back. When they shall see the face of Caesar, they are vanished” (II, ii, 575). Th...
Kreis, Steven. “Europe and the Superior Being: Napoleon.” The History Guide: Lectures on Modern European Intellectual History. 13 May. 2004. 6 Dec. 2004.
McManus, Barbara F. "Julius Caesar: Historical Background." Vroma. N.p., Mar. 2011. Web. 21 Feb. 2014.
Alvin B. Kernan. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2009. Print.
With all the glory and the splendour that some countries may have experienced, never has history seen how only only one man, Napoleon, brought up his country, France, from its most tormented status, to the very pinnacle of its height in just a few years time. He was a military hero who won splendid land-based battles, which allowed him to dominate most of the European continent. He was a man with ambition, great self-control and calculation, a great strategist, a genius; whatever it was, he was simply the best. But, even though how great this person was, something about how he governed France still floats among people's minds. Did he abuse his power? Did Napoleon defeat the purpose of the ideals of the French Revolution? After all of his success in his military campaigns, did he gratify the people's needs regarding their ideals on the French Revolution? This is one of the many controversies that we have to deal with when studying Napoleon and the French Revolution. In this essay, I will discuss my opinion on whether or not was he a destroyer of the ideals of the French Revolution.
Napoleon Bonaparte was an interesting ruler in that he was compromised of attributes of both a tyrant and a hero. Napoleon had a strong following throughout his reign and even during his two exiles. He was the emperor of France between 1799 and 1815, following the fall of the Directory. Despite the efforts of the French Revolution to rid the country of an autocratic ruler, Bonaparte came to power as Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte I in 1804. He claimed that he preserved the goals of the Revolution, which can be easily argued as his rule became more dictatorial as it progressed. Despite his departure from some of the gains of the Revolution, he overall was a hero for the French people. Through his military ventures, political changes and social reform, Napoleon proved himself as a hero. This is not to say that there were aspects of his reign that were tyrannical, but he was overall beneficial for France.
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.
Allen, Janet. "Julius Caesar." Holt McDougal Literature. Orlando, FL: Holt McDougal/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012. N. pag. Print.