Julius Caesar: A Hero or Villain (PART 1)
Julius Caesar:
A Hero or Villain?
Perhaps Both
It's the age of tyranny, the end of the republic, a time of treachery and the beginning of an empire. This is the reign of Julius Caesar: Rome's greatest general. He was both a hero and a villain, he expands a kingdom and launches a bloody civil war. Ruthless rivals conspire a deadly plot against him. New research reveals that his own actions led him closer to death and a long simmering conspiracy seals his fate.
The republic of Rome has survived for 400 years. But it's an empire without an emperor; instead it was ruled by elected officials and the law. The Senate is at the very top of the society; an elite class of men, all equal, all desperately competing for fame and glory. Their ambition is the force that fuels the state. The Romans understand what a powerful incentive individual achievement and reward it can be and Rome's greatness depends on giving great men incentive to do great deeds. To win honor and prestige they expand the empire and build a city; risking that one day one man may become too powerful.
Caesar Emerges
By 44 BC Julius Caesar is the greatest of these men. He pushes all the ideas that the republic has always encouraged to absolute extremes, but his actions will bring the republic to its knees. Caesar realizes that he's living in an age where the old ways are about to change and so he is willing to take a series of steps that will lead to civil war and shake up the system. It will cost him his life. No one is left to challenge him, he manoeuvres, claws and kills his way to the top becoming dictator and the most powerful man in Rome. For that reason alone Caesar is a marked man, there are those that are willing to do anything to stop him. They are conspiring together very carefully this whole event that has to be very carefully choreographed yet it ends in complete savagery. He dies being stabbed 23 times on the floor of the Senate's meeting house. The journey to this day or the "Ides of March" began 450 years earlier. Then also, the aristocracy began to exile a dictator, its own king and a Roman republic was born. The final king was a tyrant, he was expelled and from that point of his explosion the Romans utterly determined that no longer will they be ruled by one man. Their word for king wreaks with an object of the most passionate hatred. The revolt is celebrated throughout the republic and its leader becomes a legend, his name is carried proudly by his descendants.
Brutus, one of Caesars closest friends, is among the Senate. He is an immensely important person, Brutus is the very symbol, the nature, the foundation, origin of the republican institutions. Romans place enormous value on history, tradition and family. Self appointed guardians are the heads of ancient clans, these were the men who really ran the city. Private meetings among these men took place in luxurious surroundings where business proposals were presented to honourable men with strong political ties. This is where the future of the republic was stitched up.
Ruthless Politics in Rome
It's a ruthless world where violence is just another political tool. Perhaps it makes sense to think of aristocratic factions in the republic operating almost like mafia families. Those who were rewarded power by the republican system of government have the ability to win legions, wealth and the backing of their wildest dreams. Between them they allocate political appointments, trade concessions, and military commands. But just as the mafia operate within rules so did the Roman aristocracy. Ideally the way the legislative structure is set up is to have not one man in the republic outshine the others. Forty years before Caesars time the Romans lived through a failed system of viscous dictatorship. A general by the name of Sulla has seized power. Sulla wins a terrible bloody civil war and he posts the names in public on a list of senators who were to be killed and the property that was to be confiscated or sold. That was the world in which Caesar grew up in. Young Caesar was stripped from his wealth and forced to flee. Sulla with a sort of gracious wave of the hand finally decided to pardon him. Sulla who was an ambitious a gambler, probably saw in Caesar someone rather like himself, and as he parted Caesar he gave warning that he ,this young man, was very dangerous. Sulla was probably first to notice Caesar and his potential, twenty centuries since then, countless others have tried to understand him; a man whose extraordinary actions are well recorded, but whose motives can be difficult to grasp.
All hail Caesar.S
ketch done by Cirius
What are your thoughts on Caesar-I would love to know what you think.
If you found this blog post helpful feel free to subscribe to my blog post newsletter!
The city of Arro, southern France, was established by Caesar as a colony for the most trusted veterans of his military campaigns. This amphitheatre is the largest and best preserved outside Rome, in the nearby Riverbed of the Rhone, archaeologists have pulled hundreds of artefacts, but a key discovery has been made in 2007 from its location. With the resemblance to some first century coins some historians believe this very life-like sculpture is a portrait of Caesar.
The Real Julius Caesar
You can see some characteristics, such as the heavy furrows on the brow, the chin, the adam's apple and the creases on the neck-all of these characteristics are familiar from Caesar's coins. If it is Caesar, it's not like any image of him, almost all of the others are thought to be produced after Caesars death;they are romanticized and he is more god than man. But this could have been drawn from life, the Romans in this period don't represent themselves as particularly handsome (or the more impressive looking human beings) but they do emphasize maturity, age distinction, these were men you could trust to run the state. But the problem is if you look at an artifact like this its rather lifeless , it's very hard to get inside the mind of that person.This was a big problem for the people of the time, they were worried about Caesar, they didn't know what he planned in the long term. If this is face of Caesar then we know what he looked like.
Caesar the Conqueror
We also know what he did because he wrote his own accounts, he conquers the entire nation of Gaul, (the whole of modern France), Roman historians say he fought more battles than anyone else. The people of Rome give him more honours , more titles , and more power, than anyone else in their history but they will still cut him down.
A pattern begins to emerge in the career of Julius Caesar, with every triumph and every success, he takes a step closer to death, he becomes a threat to the republic, and a danger to himself, simply by succeeding. What's striking about Caesar is that everything that he does he is simply good at it. Early on Caesar follows a very traditional path, he masters one skill essential for public life: speaking to the crowd. He is a formidable orator, he forms in the law courts, obtains magistracies and almost everything his hand turns to turns into gold.
Legal cases are heard at the forum, Rome's center for public activity and here in the open air people first see Caesar perform. He has a famous family name, but no inherited wealth, instead he deploys the weapons he does have, he has quick wit and most of all charm.
It looks like a stage and there's a good reason for that, this high platform was where the roman orators addressed the crowds and assemblies of the roman people, public life in Rome was just that: public. When Julius Caesar appeared in a law court as an advocate, the trial occurred over there on the raised platform in the middle of the forum.
Anyone passing by could listen and pay attention and that was what Caesar hoped for, he had to make the crowd stop, he wanted the people to notice him, the outcome of the trial didn't matter half as much as Caesars fame. One thing that is clear about Caesar is that he wanted to be grander than his moment, bigger than mortal, that he was doing all this for posterity.
Caesar repeatedly turned adversity to advantage, he won a minor public office, he was required to fund gladiator games out of his own pocket. Though he has no money he manages to stage the most lavish games ever, he runs up massive debts, but banks are making political gains, popularity means high office, and high office pays because his growing fan base is an investment. He is like the owner of a football team who is willing to splash any amount of money to buy the most expensive players and to really rub it into the faces of the opposing fans. Caesar appeals directly to the fans and the old regime finds it disturbing. His enemies in the Senate who are well aware of what he's up to are forced to rush through legislation trying to limit the amount of money spent on gladiators. The Senate should be apprehensive, the gladiator games of 65 BC create a close bond between Caesar and the common people and will never be broken.
When Caesar gains momentum, in a surprising move he now targets one of the great offices of state-Pontifex Maximus, the head priest. Traditionally a job for a senior senator, he controls one of Rome's revered institutions: the temple of Vesta.
The Temple of Vesta; one of the holiest places in Ancient Rome, this building served as a residence for the Vestal Virgins priestesses who were obliged to do 24/7 services in the temple.
Caesar becomes Head Priest of the Temple of Vesta
Here the vestal virgins guard a sacred flame, the symbol of Rome itself, a flame that is believed to protect Rome, for as long as it burns. As head priest Caesar will be at the top of the roman establishment, many see it as a ceremonial role but he sees its political value. This is one of the holiest places in Ancient Rome. This building served as a residence for the priestesses who were obliged to do 24/7 services in the temple, alternating. While the Vestal Virgins commit to 30 years of service, the job of head priest is held for life. The cult of Vesta serves, in effect, survival of the community, it is the peoples welfare that is at stake. So there is a great deal of political capital in being able to secure that office. The head priest is also elected by the people of Rome, so Caesar only needs to win their support.
Brute Force:
Caesar simply wins at everything he does
Once again, he burrows a vast fortune, then sets out to buy the vote. Caesar left his house in the morning of the election, he turned to his mother and told her that he'd either return home as a victor or never return home again. Failure to him would leave him with debts he'll never recover to pay, and he would be stripped of his rank as senator but Caesar proves to be a fearless gambler, a trait he'll display throughout his career. He spent his money well,-he won election to the post Pontifex Maxiumus. For the rest of his life he was Rome's senior priest, he also got to live in the Domus Publica, its right in the center of the Forum, this allowed Caesar to be physically and politically at the very heart of Rome. It was another step up the political ladder. Now the establishment sees who its really dealing with.
Caesar is not prepared to wait for power; he uses the government but does not respect it.
Caesar makes it clear that he has contempt for the old order, that he's not willing to play by the old rules, that he's willing to impose his own rules, and that he has a genius, a talent and an ability to speak to the people and manipulate the system that make a lot of people very nervous. Caesar has arrived and no one can ignore him, and neither can they see the threat that he will become.
Secret Dealings
between three of the most powerful men in Rome
In Rome, politics is viscous and unforgiving based on secret deals and sudden betrayals, decisions that determine the empire are made behind closed doors. This is where Caesar makes his name. There is already a shadow government that was really running Rome. Some of the city's godfathers spot his talent early on, they have bankrolled his political campaigns. One of the reasons that Caesar was successful in his political career is because he proved himself as useful to cynical men who wanted to use the republic for their own gains. But now with a growing support and enormous reputation, he has something of his own to bargain with. He now plans to run for council, the most senior office of state and forges a pact with Rome's two most powerful men. In that political alliance, Caesar was very much the junior man, Caesar had extraordinary talents but not nearly the wealth or the reputation of the two older men.
Marcus Licinius Crassus is said to be the richest man in Rome and is also a senator of the Republic. Envied and despised by the highborn among the Senate, he craves the power and respect that defeatingSpartacus and his Rebel army would bring him.
First there's Marcus Licinius Crassus, and in a rich city, he is the richest of all, the senator once declared : " no man may account himself rich unless he can fund his own army". He owns dozens of city blocks, is a slum landlord, and runs his own fire department. Crassus buys burning buildings at knockdown prices. Now he's the third partner of a deal between Julius Caesar and Pompey the great. Before Caesar, Pompey was the most successful general in Rome's history, and anyone who was going to succeed would have to model themselves and emulate Pompey. Before Caesar, Pompey dominated Rome's enemies, her Senate, even her skyline. Pompey's theatre was a vast structure rising above the city. Most of it is now buried under modern buildings. Architecture speaks volumes and the buildings make statements. Pompey built these buildings to last so that he ensured his reputation lasted with them and in that regard he was very successful. They were built with the spoils of war as a gift for the people. It holds an audience of 40'000, every one of them in Pompey's debt. Everyone of them reminded of his greatness. This theatre is Roman politics written in stone. It also had a courier, a senate house, a place where the ruling class of republic Rome could come together for a meeting but do so in a duplicitous manner within the shadows of Pompey's monument.This is where Caesar will die long after both Pompey and Crassus meet their own violent ends. These men have fought their entire lives, they are uneasy allies who join forces to divide the roman state. Crassus represents business interests in the east and wants laws passed in their favour. Pompey brings brute strength, his legions, and wants land and reward for his soldiers.
Full Name: Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus Dates: 106 - 48 B.C. Place of Birth: Picenum, Northern Italy Place of Death: Egypt Father: Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo Occupation: Military leader, Statesman
Pompey was one of the main Roman leaders during the exciting final decades of the Roman Republic. He made a political alliance with Julius Caesar, married his daughter, and then fought against him. A capable military leader, Pompey earned the title of "the Great."
Even the greatest vicar in Rome such as Pompey the great has to secure backing across the senate and beyond and to do that he would need magistrates who are able to provide him with votes. That is where Caesar comes in. If he wins the council ship Caesar can give them what they want, he'll have power and at the end of this term a rich province to govern. The deal is made, and after 400 years of proud republican history the power now rests with 3 men.
Caesar's Relentless Ambition:
The Conquest of Gaul
As Caesar does exactly what he set out to do for his colleagues but also secures for himself the entitlement to a province in the north of Italy bordering Gaul which will then enable him to secure the kind of military glory that Pompey has already won. Caesar serves a year as council, then heads out to govern his province and what he does in Gaul (modern day France) will become the stuff of legend. Arles was part of the roman province of Gaul and when Caesar arrived here he felt threatened by Gallic tribes who if they weren't stopped could end up threatening Rome and Italy itself. Whether the threat was real or imagined Caesar needed no encouragement to plan his conquest. He defeats 300 tribes, destroys 800 cities and kills 1 million people and still claims that he is acting only in Rome's interests. Caesar presented his campaigns very much in the interest of Rome's republic. War after war was fought to defend the interest of Rome's allies. Above all the Gallic wars reveal Caesar as a military genius capable of leading his troops to victory after victory.
Most of what we know come from Caesars accounts; propaganda written for the roman people but the facts speak for themselves. One battle in particular shows what a formidable enemy Caesar was. A campaign had been going badly for Caesar and he began to retreat to revolt. He's being pursued by a large army, the Gallic tribes have united under one leader by the name of Vercingetorix. Then he won a minor skirmish when Vercingetorix's cavalry attacks his column. Caesar immediately turns around pursues the Gallics, and went for the jugular. Caesar and his 3 legions pursue Vercingetorix's forces to the hilltop citadel of Alessia. Caesar marched to the city and immediately began work surrounding it with a line of fortifications. The scale of Caesars ambition, his vision, his aptitude to motivate his men can all be seen when he orders them to build. It's a loop around the city, there are watchtowers and man traps, 12 foot high ramparts, and 2 ditches 15 feet wide and 15 feet deep. 15'000 of Caesars men build it all in just 3 weeks. Vercingetorix had sent for help, messengers went to the all the tribes throughout Gaul, they raised an army which Caesar claims consisted of quarter of a million men. So Caesar set his men to build a second line of fortifications. The first was set inwards towards the city, the second faced outwards, and he and his troops have walled themselves in. They are outnumbered 5 to 1, there is no escape, its victory or death.
Vercingetorix Throws Down His Arms at the Feet of Julius Caesar, 1899, by Lionel Noel Royer
The siege lasts nearly 2 months but Caesar defeats Vercingetorix and leaves thousands dead. Alessia marks the end of the resistance of Rome's conquest of Gaul, the impact of Caesar on Gaul was staggeringly violent, for 8 years his legions have marched up and down, they've killed hundreds of thousands of people and enslaved a million more. Caesar expands the empire by almost a third, and his achievements rival Pompey. Slavery, plunder and taxation all reap enormous rewards and make him richer than Crassus. He also acquired glory ,he became the most famous commander of the republic of Rome. 8 years of warfare had turned him into a man that other men would follow anywhere, and he had an army full of fanatically loyal soldiers; so loyal that they were more loyal to Caesar than the roman state. When it came to the crunch and civil war loomed, these men would fight for Caesar and not for the republic.
Rome's Civil War
Pompey the Great vs. Caesar
Rome will soon be hit by a power struggle which will determine the course of history, it will be fought by huge armies across the empire but begins as a personal rivalry. Crassus is now dead. Caesar and Pompey divide power between them, but they balance each other, neither could grow too strong while the other still stands. This alliance between two massive egos is never going to last. Pompey's junior partner is about to outstrip the master, he's about to change the balance, and this drives Pompey crazy. So in 52 BC Pompey and his factions strike first by using the law. The senate relieves Caesar of his command as general on the field and demands that he return to Rome. Clearly it's something he'll never do so he brings his legions up to the border of the small river that marks the limit of his province. For Caesar it's a question of honor, he cannot surrender and his men will follow him anywhere. Now no roman general can cross into Italy with their army without their being a declaration of war against the state but Caesar does it anyways and Rome is now engaged in civil war. Although Pompey and Caesar were cast as opposites, antagonists, they were two of a kind like two scorpions in a bottle locked in a malign and destructive relationship. The rivalry recruits over 50'000 troops who battle their way across roman territories in Italy, France and Spain. Pompey's forces are annihilated in Greece and while seeking an asylum with the Pharaoh in Alexandria, Pompey the great general is murdered. When Caesar returns to Rome after being absent for 4 years, Caesar has no one left to oppose him and he promises a new era of peace and stability. The battles are over and he receives every honor the roman republic can legitimately give him. But the senate appoints him to an office which in the past was only reserved in times of dire emergency. His new title is dictator. There's no telling what he'll do next but slowly the people begin to realize Caesars ambitions. He may want something that Rome forbids and fears. To make himself king would be to kill the republic and to strike at the fundamental ideas which make Rome great. And yet the danger of a monarchy is that it is attractive to some, after all this is a city addicted to glory and takes its name from its founder the first king Romulus.
The Birth of Rome
Romulus, Remus and
the Lupercal
The Romans said their city was founded in 8th century BC. Tradition has it that the twins Romulus and Remus were abandoned in a crib and washed ashore on the Tiber river. It's said that the twins were rescued by a she wolf, Lupa, and she raises them in her cave, the Lupercal.
"La Lupa",Bronze sculpture (made in the 11th or 12th century) of she-wolf Lupa nursing the infants Romulus and Remus.
(The Lupercal Cave near the Palatine Hill in Rome)
Archeologists have found a location on the Palatine Hill that suggests that even after 400 years of the republic this myth was still alive.
Today, archeologists have found a location on the Palatine Hill that suggests that even after 400 years of the republic this myth was still alive. Christian Russo who was working on an excavation project was drilling at exactly the same point in the cave and eventually came across something during the process. This led him into taking out the camera to record his findings. The camera found a richly decorated cave, the mosaics on the wall date to the time of Caesar,and on the basis of its location some scholars believe that this place was once venerated as the Lupercal. So clearly in Caesars time even though the Romans have thrown out their kings, the idea still fascinates them. There is an annual festival called the Lupercalia which brings the city to a standstill.
The Lupercalian Festival in Rome (ca. 1578–1610), drawing by the circle of Adam Elsheimer, depicting a scene of the Luperci dressed as dogs and goats.
Caesar's Failed Public Coronation
In 44 BC Caesar uses it to make his move, and it may be the fact that this celebration (the Lupercalia) goes right back to the monarchal origins of Rome. This was felt by Caesar to be an appropriate time to test the waters to find out whether just possibly the Romans would allow him to become king. Caesar has Mark Antony, his lieutenant offer him a crown, but the crowd didn't find that pleasing, and there was silence and murmurs. Caesar pushed it away and the crowd cheered again. Mark Antony took it up again and offered the crown to Caesar again but once more the great alacrity of the crowd deflated. He has badly misjudged the mood of the people, he now has to backtrack and turn a coronation into a show of modesty. So Caesar refused for the second time and the crowd went wild, they cheered, they applauded, Caesar even said that he would cut his own throat if it would please them. Soon after Marc Antony offers the crown to Caesar a core group in the senate begins to plot his fate. Many are veterans of Pompey's army, defeated by Caesar in the civil war, call themselves "the Liberators" and believe it's their destiny to save the republic from tyranny. Every one of them comes from the upper tier of Roman society. The group's leader is Brutus, his relationship with Caesar is particularly complex because his mother had been Caesars mistress. So he had been connected to the family in a way that was not appealing to Brutus, and Brutus had been an opponent of Caesar having fought against him in the civil war.
The Plot Thickens:
Caesar is in for a suprise
Caesar adapts a deliberate policy of clemency towards those who fought against him during the civil war, not only did he spare their lives, he publicly pardoned them. The Romans look at Caesars clemency with disgust, they had contempt for it and for themselves for accepting this clemency. By beating them and then pardoning them Caesar not only robs them of power but of honor. The pace of events suddenly picks up, its announced that Caesar will soon lead his legions on the campaign abroad, he'll be leaving the city for at least 3 years. The plotters must act quickly, so they agree at the 15th of March, notably also known as" the Ides of March", when the senate will next be in session. It starts with the senators coming to Caesars house to form a nice procession to escort him to the senate. Caesar had been warned to beware the ides of March but he had been contemptuous of it and holds himself above it. Word of a plot spreads but Caesar ignores all warnings. He doesn't credit his enemies with the courage or the strength to strike, he even travels through Rome without a body guard, only Mark Antony accompanies him. The plotters contrive to separate the two. Antony is distracted as Caesar goes to the senate. On this day ironically they gather around the Curia (meeting house) of Pompey's theatre. The conspirators decide to assassinate Caesar in the Curia, a public space, which made it a very powerful statement. The liberators are terrified that their plot may be exposed so they wait anxiously with their daggers hidden beneath clothes. Caesar enters the Curia and takes his place on the gilded throne. First one senator approaches and pleads that one of his exiled brothers be allowed to come home. The plan assumes correctly that Caesar will refuse and this act served as a test that if he were to refuse he would be a confirmed tyrant. They assumed correctly, he does refuse. The pleading senator grabs Caesars robes which is the signal, and the first blow is on the neck, then the rest of the senators step into strike. It was so violent of a stabbing that some of the senators were apparently even stabbing each other in their efforts to get Caesars body.
Death of Julius Caesar painting - Vincenzo Camuccini Death of Julius Caesar Art Print
It was described as like :"the hunting down of a beast." The last blow is struck by Brutus, Caesar's one time friend and at that point he gives up his attempt to survive with his last breath. Confusion and chaos in the senate house leaves as the Senates clear out of the building and what's left behind is the body of Julius Caesar ironically at the foot of the statue of Pompey the Great. They go rushing out onto the streets announcing that the tyrant is dead and liberty is restored and the reaction of the ordinary people is absolute terror; they go running back to their homes and bolting their doors. Caesar was a hero to the people and now he is dead. The so-called "Liberators" have completely misjudged the situation. They thought they were liberating Rome but they plunged it into chaos. With Caesar dead the liberators thought the old republic would be restored and all the power that Caesar gathered for himself will revert to the heads of Rome's leading families. They thought that there was wide support in Rome for the idea of a would-be king should be put down but they were utterly wrong. Instead of celebrating the death of a tyrant and favouring the liberators over Caesar they remained loyal to him and his heirs.
Octavian's takes vengeance over Caesar's murder
The funeral takes place at the forum 3 days after Caesar's death, and his nephew Octavian is revealed as the heir to his state. He now joins forces with Mark Antony and the populous rises up and riots against the liberators burning down their homes. What follows is another civil war and this time Brutus' friends are shown no mercy. Octavian doesn't merely avenge Caesar's death, he actively encourages the cult that emerges, people start to worship the deceased Caesar. Within months people have set up alters to him, within a year he was formally declared a God. Caesar himself probably wouldn't care what the populous thought about him; he was only ever worried about immediate political gain. Although he would have approved of what his adopted son Octavian had turned himself into, "the son of divine Julius". He would then go on to fight his way to power to become Rome's first emperor. This was Octavian's greatest tribute, completing the job Caesar began and in 27 BC he is crowned emperor and becomes Cesar Augustus.
Augustus (Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus) Roman emperor (63 BC - 14 AD)
He begins his reign and takes on the title as "son of Caesar" in order to ensure loyalty of his troops.The success of the Roman republic is built on the actions of great men, though it's citizens live in constant fear that too much power would corrupt one man, this is the paradox at the heart of the city state and Caesar never finds a way to resolve it. He can't seem to see the opposite poles of republic and monarchy but Octavian finds a third way, he negotiates for himself the title "Principes" (First citizen of Rome), he becomes more powerful than any king. And the greatest irony of all is that Octavian manages to create an imperial monarchy creating a tyranny far greater than anything that Caesar seemed to have attempted. To the men in the Senate who killed Caesar, a friend and colleague, this must have seemed radical even revolutionary. They believed the blood of a tyrant would renew their ancient republic but they are wrong. Caesar the name has a potency that will endure long after Rome itself has fallen. Caesars dream of becoming king died with him on the ides of march but paving the way for his heir and successor to become Rome's first emperor. He establishes a dynasty and an imperial system that lasted over 400 years along with a civilization that transforms the world.
#tyranny #tyrant #beauty #Lupa #Lupercal #JuliusCaesar #caesar #Rome #Roman #Italy #MarkAntony #War #Military #History #Pompey #Brutus #Crassus #MarcusLiciniusCrassus #Republic #RomanRepublic #Gladiator #art #power #Octavian #Empire #RomanEmpire #Augustus #ambition #theSenate #TempleofVesta #Gaul #Gallictribe
