The Catiline Conspiracy Essays

Brian Keeley’s short essay, “Of Conspiracy Theories” discusses conspiracy theories and their value in an epistemological context. Keeley defines a conspiracy theory as “a proposed explanation of some historical event (or events) in terms of the significant causal agency of a relatively small group of persons-the conspirators-acting in secret (Keeley 1999, pg. 116).” Keeley seeks to answer the question of why conspiracy theories are unwarranted. His interest in the warrant of conspiracy theories focuses on ¬the unfalsifiability of conspiracy theories and how conspiracy theories are founded upon an extraordinarily large amount of skepticism. In section III, Keely discusses what a conspiracy theory is, and contends that there is no grounds for

Maggie Koerth Baker’s piece titled Why rational people buy into conspiracy theories represents the reasons why rational people believe in conspiracy theories. Throughout the article Baker tries to explain the reasons behind the belief of conspiracy theories supported by research and evidence. This paper will review Baker’s article as well as her main arguments, will evaluate the quality of Baker’s writing and focus on any areas of weakness within the article.

The conspirators were wrong to kill Julius Caesar because he contributed to the upturn and reformation of Rome into an orderly state. Caesar reformed Rome and prevented Rome from demolition. For instance, Caesar "reorganized the town governments in Italy, reformed the courts, planned to codify the law to improve administration. Besides

believing he had aspirations for kingship and ultimate power. These ideas were the start of a conspiracy against a man that they believed would be the downfall of their great Roman Republic. Ultimately his death was a result of various scruples against Caesar held by senators and some of Caesar’s closest friends, which created an animosity that made Caesar’s death inevitable.

Caesar’s boundless power was not agreeable to all of the Senate. Sixty members of the Senate, led by Marcus Brutus, secretly plotted to assassinate Caesar and restore power to the Senate and Republic. Marcus philosophically tested members of the Senate to determine who would support the cause, least he be discovered before the deed could be carried out. Cassius, Labeo, Brutus surnamed Albinus, Tillius Cimber and Casca were among the sixty senate members willing to support Marcus. The conspirators determined the best opportunity to carry out the deed non-conspicuously was during a Senate meeting in which Caesar

The common people were upset because Cincinnatus was given absolute power over Rome. Power corrupts, and people who are given absolute power are wont to abuse it. The common people’s fears were justified, but they were never realized. According to Livy, Cincinnatus “resigned after holding the office for fifteen days” (Duiker, 115). The common people probably felt guilty for doubting Cincinnatus’

In this article, one of the main issues is that the tower’s structural engineer, Lee Robertson, addressed the problem of terrorism in the plans for the building, claiming he “designed it for a (Boeing) 707 to hit it”. In the center of the tower there is a central support core. This core is built of sheer concrete reinforced by 44 beams of construction grade steel, which were sealed in asbestos. When the plane hit the north tower it took a direct hit to the core, but the plane that hit the south tower went in on an angle, almost parallel to the core structure. The fuel barley grazes the core of the south tower, with most

In May of 2011 a video by the National Inflation Association (N.I.A) surfaced on YouTube gathering over two million views and opening the eyes of people to the American college system.  According to the producers of this video, "College is the largest scam in US history!" Is college a worth-while investment? Is it just a way for the government to stimulate the economy? Are college degrees really a necessity in performing on the job? All of these questions have been asked and answered with both yes and no. Four writers with different views on this matter have written up articles concerning this issue. While

Have you ever wondered how things would turn out in the United States if certain situations did or didn’t happen? Imagine what the United States economy would be like if 9/11 didn’t happen the day it did, John F. Kennedy were never assassinated, and AIDS were actually created by the CIA. All of these conspiracy topics and more contain a mass amount of information. If they are indeed true, would we have more freedom as citizens or would our economy come crashing down? Some conspiracies of the United States have shaped citizen behavior and affected our economical and future with complete freedom forever.

Tiberius Gracchus and Cicero were two men who were both concerned with wellness of the citizens of Rome; however, they had different opinions on the best way to achieve political advancements. Throughout the different generations of the two men, the same issues plagued Rome, and throughout their lifetimes the separate factions of the senate became more polarized as they continued to disagree about the fate of Rome. Cicero wrote letters to his friends and family which today offer great primary information about what it was like in Rome during the late republic. In our virtual reality game, Saeculum, I get firsthand insight into the issues that plagued Rome when my clients come to me with the issues of land, food, and water. I am tasked with

Background Cicero was one of the greatest orators in Ancient Rome. He was not of noble birth, but in 64 BCE became consul, one of the most powerful offices in the Roman Republic. Cicero's time as consul was difficult, and he successfully prevented an overthrow of the Republic and his own assassination. Once Julius Caesar began to amass more and more personal power, however, he receded from active politics because he believed the ideals of the Republic would be diffused with tyranny. Once Caesar was assassinated, Cicero again became popular but because of his dislike (public and private) of Mark Antony, as Antony's power grew, Cicero's diminished. He was killed in December 43 BCE after being declared an enemy of the Republic.

There are moments in history that can almost mirror later events. Patterns can be found in the types of people that obtain power, how they obtain power, and what the circumstances of the state surrounding their rises to power are. There are also events that can seem entirely different from each other, and yet when looked at closely show real resemblance in specific ways that power shifts throughout history. Catiline is an example of failure to secure power. He raised an army of revolutionists who were found out before they could carry out their plan to murder hundreds of senators. Fidel Castro, who did achieve power later in his political career, created a plan to attack that Moncada Barracks which failed, in the end. Catiline’s Conspiracy

To most a fairy tale, to some an interesting topic of discussion, however, to a small population, 5 % to be exact, Government conspiracy does exist. How, you might ask, do I intend to prove that indeed government conspiracy is real? I do not intend to prove it. In fact I only intend to inform you of its ever growing ploy of world domination, capitalism and control and open your mind to the idea that government conspiracy is out there. Throughout history as it is known to repeat itself, I will show facts that support this “theory” and dismiss the legendary lies we have been taught to believe through a system known as memetics.

Unlike Res Gestae, Letters is missing an agenda, which gives this source more weight in terms of being a more genuine account of a Roman emperor. We are able to paint a picture of Trajan, not by him directly addressing an audience, nor Pliny doing so for that matter. Instead, we are reading records of personal messages between the two, giving us a more genuine, fluid, and indiscriminate representation of Trajan. As promised, we are able to conclude that Pliny’s letters provide us with a deeper and better insight into his unique language/narrative of Roman

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)