Claudius’s Decision to Invade Britain in AD43 as Motivated by a Desire to Emulate Julius Caesar

Not only did Julius Caesar want to be seen as protecting Rome’s interests and as a conqueror of lands but also if he invaded Britain in 55 BC, it would put him in a good position politically in the Senate. However, he was more concerned with his own self-importance than to exercise proper battle planning and his first invasion of Britain in 55 BC was not a success.

Julius Caesar, a Roman general, dictator, and leader, is considered to be one of history 's most influential and powerful rulers to this day, in which his rise to power, conquest of Europe, and controversial downfall all remain to be told during modern days. The play Julius Caesar written by William Shakespeare, portrays the events leading up to Julius Caesar’s assassination, and how those who conspired against him banded together and plotted Caesar’s demise. Many of those conspirators assassinated Caesar due to his quick rise to absolute power, his “acts” of disrespect against the senate such as his failing to stand to receive the title of becoming a “god,” and pure jealousy and anger towards Caesar’s success and rule over the Roman empire. Caesar, an ambitious man, was able to conquer many lands and peoples for Rome through successful military campaigns in which he became one Rome’s best generals due to the amount of successful battles he had won and the amount of blood he had shed for Rome’s expansion. However, Caesar’s trait of ambitiousness would prove to be a double edged sword.

having a friend that was better at publicly speaking and/or more experienced with the law and the courts to speak on your behalf and present your defense for you. Not a while after, the Greeks banned the right to request a “great speaker” and furthermore made it a rule that no one could accept a fee to plead the case of another. This stopped the orators form being able to present themselves as legal professionals or experts. The new rules also made it impossible to establish organized and professional lawyer services, like those that are available today, and, therefore, slowed the progression of the legal profession almost to a stop.

Throughout history, literature has been able to captivate and enchant audiences of all backgrounds. Words have an undeniable ability to sway a crowd’s emotions and truly affect them. William Shakespeare, one of the most revered writers of all time, had such skills. His plays are timeless pieces of art considered the foundations of the English literature. Shakespeare’s most dramatic and infamous tragedy, Hamlet, has earned its place as a cornerstone. In the play, Shakespeare poetically writes speeches that show the true colours of the characters, whether good or devious. The main antagonist, Claudius, shows his treachery to the Elizabethan audience, through his speech to his wife Gertrude. Claudius’ conversation with Gertrude in Act 4,

In Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, various characters manipulate others in order to gain power and fulfill their personal desires. The character who portrays the most immense manipulation is King Claudius, the brother of the late King Hamlet. Thus far, Claudius advertises himself as a sensible, honorable man who lives to serve the greater good, yet his manipulation exposes his dubious intentions, leaving him with an unfortunate fate.

Power and control are overbearing characteristics for some individuals in the works of literature. Claudius killed his own blood blood brother to gain the crown, kingdom, and

prove himself and show that he would not run again. War used to be something

In the play Hamlet, Claudius is known as the villain of the play. He is the lead antagonist who is characterized as a cunning, incestuous, and vile, usurper. Many readers and critics of the play do not dispute this perception, especially after reading how Claudius became the King of Denmark; He steals the throne by poisoning his brother, the previous king, and quickly marrying Queen Gertrude his widowed sister in law (1.5.42, 60-74). The general reading of Claudius’s character paints him to be a corrupt, cowardly politician, in addition to being Hamlet’s (the protagonist) foe. This portrait engages first-time readers to judge Claudius immediately and although this perspective of his personality is proven to be true, it is limited. Claudius

Specifically, in Act five, scene two, the chain of events is all due to Claudius aiming to murder his nephew. By poisoning

effects for which I did the murder- my crown, mine own ambition, and my queen.” Claudius

Julius Caesar is a man famous for his death, but his death was in fact the least exciting part of his life. Stretching from 100 BC to 44 BC, he accomplished much with his life as both a politician and ruler during a prosperous time of ancient Rome that he created. Julius Caesar was an admirable leader of ancient Rome that carried his fame into modern times because of his interesting early life, ways as a military leader, and time as dictator.

It is important to known that at first Rome thought Britain was like Neverland. They thought Britain was imaginary. Julius Caesar wanted to see if this was true or false so he gathered a crew to sail to Britain. His troops were hesitant to go as they just fought of the Germans. Julius Caesar gave a very inspirational speech saying that his army could leave and Julius Caesar would look at them no differently however if they were to stick with him that Julius Caesar would give them everything they wanted. From this his crew decided to stay and discover this mysterious island. The Roman army finally arrived in Britain. The British saw the Romans come ashore and begun to rally up troops. When the Romans arrived a harsh storm broke out and the Roman

Julius Caesar is perhaps the most well known in the history of Roman Emperors, yet there is no denying that his reign was filled with controversy, no reason more so than his devious rise to power and his mischievous ways of suppressing the senate. There is no doubt that in ruling as a Dictator; Caesar lost the support of the Roman people, who had fought for freedom against an Etruscan King, a role in which Caesar was playing. His death in 44BC coincided with what many believe to be the year in which the Republic completely its eventual ‘fall’ that it had been plummeting to since 133BC, and it is only by looking at the differences in the end of his reign to that of Augustus’ in 27BC that

I feel like a heavy anchor sinking helplessly in a violent and thick sea; waves of a blood-stained clarity batter and bash my fragile body mercilessly and relentlessly. First, I see my mad son slay my husband’s dearest advisor through the tapestry of my own bedroom, and just now my once thought mad son has confessed there had been a method to his most distasteful lunacy, that it was nothing but a mask he donned to fool a, supposedly, equally imprudent King. “A murderer and a villain, a slave that is not twentieth part the tithe of your precedent lord.” That is what my dearest son said about Claudius.

In the book of Hamlet, William Shakespeare introduces the character King Claudius in act one scene two. The character makes an impression of a powerful man who commands respect from every individual. Shakespeare portrays Claudius’ role as the most crucial and intriguing person. In the play, Claudius is the most mysterious, the most controversial and the most discussed character as many people look at him only to see a villain. As the play starts, Claudius is the King of Denmark, who has inherited Gertrude, and the uncle to prince Hamlet. As with the rest of supporting characters in the play, Claudius is underdeveloped to his complete potential (Mabillard,n.p). His major role that he plays in Hamlet is to spawn Hamlet’s anger and confusion