When looking at the current state of Rome’s government, social structure and Julius Caesar’s military career, it is clear that Caesar must be removed immediately from the Roman government in order to ensure the future of Rome. Although Caesar has made some notable contributions to Rome, his overall ideals do not match those that Rome should represent. Julius Caesar replaced the formerly fair and successful Roman government by positioning himself as a dictator who makes reforms only to seize power (Fitzpatrick, slide 46). Caesar has also made a few social reforms, which on a small scale were positive for the Plebeians but ultimately destroyed the Patrician tradition, to once again gain power. Caesar is a very skilled military commander with many successful conquests, but there are underlying issues with his use of Roman legions against the Roman Republic and excessive actions to glorify himself. On the whole, Julius Caesar does have some positive attributes such as his military tactics and Plebeian support, but they are offset by his power-hungry actions that will destroy the Roman Republic and dignity of the Senate and the Patricians. The Roman government has always emphasized democratic ideals such as sharing government responsibilities while restricting kingship and dictatorship. Rome may have initially been run by kings, but this aristocracy was officially outlawed along with the rise of the Roman Republic (Fitzpatrick, slide 17). Power was also very limited
In the determination of whether Julius Caesar was an intelligent, political hero or an egocentric, dictating villain, it is important to look at all of the facts. Born in 100 B.C.E. and assassinated in 44 B.C.E., Julius Caesar was legendary. He along Pompey, and Crassus created the first unofficial Triumvirate which was negotiated to appease both the Roman citizens and the power hungry rivals. Still, this agreement would not last long. After Pompey’s wife, Julia Caesar and daughter of Caesar’s daughter given to Pompey to establish the Trimvirate, dies in childbirth, civil war breaks out as Caesar leads his army against Rome. He fights until Pompey is murdered in Egypt. As Rome is “shattered,” Julius Caesar one person should rule. He
Chalking up the fall of the Roman Republic to a decline in traditional Roman morality, while not false, sells the events and changes that were the causes for the fall of the Republic short. At the end of The Third Punic War with Carthage we arguably see the Republic at its height. However in only a decade things begin to change, we see events that send Rome as a Republic past a point that Rome could not recover. Gaius Marius’s military reforms, specifically that of allowing for the captive cencsi, men who owned no property, and the creation of professional soldiers is the true catalyst for the downfall of the Republic. By enacting these reforms Marius opened up military duty to Rome’s largest group of citizens, however it created unforeseen issues, such as what to do with these men once they returned from battle. These reforms opened the door for military generals like Sulla and Caesar to gain the unquestioned support of their troops, in many instances gaining more respect from the soldiers then they had for the Roman state itself. These military reforms are a constant through line through the fall of the Republic, touching large political issues such as the conflicts between the Populares and the Optimates, or the rise of The First Triumvirate; socioeconomic issues such as the rise of Roman aristocracy, development of a slave based agriculture system to the profits from war. The complexity in which these reforms help lead to this immoral Roman state is complex and has been
Roman government is the origin for all of our current government system. The Romans has three branches of government: the legislative, the executive, and the judicial. The executive had two councils that decided on pretty much every affair within the empire. In the legislative branch was a senate, which advised the executive branch. Lastly in the judicial they had a Supreme Court. Also there was a written law consisting of twelve tablets that gave allowed the citizens to know their rights. As one can tell, the Roman system of government is much like the one currently residing in the United States of America.
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.
and fall of what may have been ancient Rome’s greatest leader, Julius Caesar. Caesar’s rise to
This investigation evaluates the question, to what extent did Julius Caesar 's assassination affect Rome, politically and socially. Gaius Julius Caesar, famously known for his brilliant military strategies and shrewd political expertise, helped transform the Roman Republic into one of the greatest civilization in the western world. During his reign, Julius Ceasar expanded Rome’s geographical territory across Ancient Europe immensely, conquering areas of present-day France and Britain. The investigation will primarily focus on the political opportunities created by Caesar 's death, as well as the public reaction, from the immediate ramifications to its long-term effect on the Roman government. Effects in foreign and other civilizations not directly involved with Roman affairs or within Rome will not included in the investigation. Sources for the investigation will include The Emperors of Rome by David Potter and the Ancient History Encyclopedia .
In The Assassination of Julius Caesar, Michael Parenti highlights the many significant people and events that characterized the late Roman Republic. Specifically, he focuses on the time period between the election of Tiberius Grachus, to the rise of Augustus, the first emperor of Rome. In this account of history, Parenti presents the social, political, and economic aspects of the Roman culture from the perspective of the Roman commoner, or plebeian. Using this perspective, he also spends a great amount of time examining the causes and effects of the assassination of Julius Caesar. The views that Parenti presents in this book stand in sharp contrast with the views of many ancient and modern historians, and offer an interesting and enlightening perspective into class struggle in the society of the Roman republic.
Julius Caesar was a very influential figure in Roman history. Many features of the Roman Empire came from his reign as dictator. But what, specifically, were some of those great achievements? In this research paper, I will explain Julius Caesar’s youth, the Roman Republic before Caesar came to power, the Roman government before Caesar became dictator-for-life, the effects of Julius Caesar, the reasons for his assassination, and what affects there were when the public learned about his assassination.
The Roman Republic was a “democratic” republic, which allowed first citizens to vote, and to choose their governors in the senate (Hence, their consuls). However, it was a nation ruled by its aristocracy, and, consequently, the entire Republic`s power was concentrated in a few individuals. Furthermore, the Senate was controlled by Patricians, which directed the government by using wealth to buy control and power over the decisions of the senate and the consuls. This situation aroused the inconformity of the people; as result, a civil war took place in the Republic (destroying it), and then the Roman Empire was born.
The principle of the Roman government was to function for the people, hence classifying them as a republic (Res Publica or the Thing or Matter of the People). Before the commencement of the Republic, Rome was ruled by a line of Etruscan kings called Tarquins. The
Ancient Rome consisted of two main forms of government, the Republic and the Empire, each of which lasted about five centuries. At first, Rome was a republic, governed by members of wealthy classes. As the Republican form of government continued, a series of civil wars led to the breakdown of the system, and a new form of government, the Empire, was established in its place. The Empire began with a prolonged period of peace, the Pax Romana. However, like the Republic, the Empire also turned foul and collapsed after the Pax Romana. Still, a citizen of the Empire was better off than a citizen of the Republic. Health problems were less severe in the Empire than in the Republic. Moreover, the Empire was more peaceful and better able to provide necessities for average citizens than the Republic was. The political situation was also better in the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire generally provided a healthier and higher quality of civic life than the Roman Republic.
As Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon River on January 10, 49 B.C., he began to tip the Roman Political outlook. The transition from a republic, a form of government primarily run by the Senate, to an empire, a form of government presided over by a single person, began. The context prior to the crossing of the Rubicon, Caesar’s ability to act as salesmen and a connector, and the stickiness of Caesar’s ideas were all contributing factors in the dramatic change in Roman politics.
The people were angered by the corruption of the rich. Lucius Junius Brutus led the people to kick out the king, hence, changing the government from res privita to res publica. By the 2nd century B.C.E., Polybius tells us that Rome thrived due to Aristotle’s idea of a mixed government” (Lecture 11/10/15). Aristotle’s idea of a mixed government consists of three criteria: element of monarchy, element of aristocracy, and element of democracy. The council house allowed for Aristotle’s idea of a mixed government to become possible because it was used for the Senate, element of aristocracy, and assemblies, element of democracy, to discuss political matters, hence, the ancient city main form of government began as a republic.
Julius Caesar, a man born in around 12 to 13, 100 BC, was considered the start of a new legacy in the history of Rome. Participating in several wars, becoming dictator after forming multiple military alliances, to being assassinated on the Ides of March, Julius Caesar was a politically-flexible, popular leader of the Roman Empire. (Julius Caesar Biography, April 23, 2014) Although Caesar’s birth was never confirmed on the exact date, he was born and raised by his mother, Aurelia, and by his father, Gaius Julius Caesar. (Julius Caesar: Historical Background, April 23, 2014)
Julius Caser was a Roman Dictator who was both loved and hate by those that he ruled over. Throughout the world he has been written about in a variety of different ways and is portrayed as a politician as well as a selfish dictator. Three “firsthand” accounts that were written to give us a better understanding of Julius Caesar were “The Assassination of Julius Caesar”, “Tranquillus, Gaius Suetonius”, and “Plutarch, The Assassination of Julius Caesar, from Marcus Brutus”. We will explore the writings and explain how he is viewed from those around him and compare that to the history portrayed in the History books. With this we will be able to get a better idea of who he was.