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Why is Julius Caesar looked upon so fondly by history?

Posted on 7/19/14 at 7:27 pm
Posted by Tiger1242
Member since Jul 2011
32174 posts
Posted on 7/19/14 at 7:27 pm
Caesar was a dirty politician who took offices, wives, and friends just for political gain, bribed people for votes, and broke laws and traditions left and right. He broke countless laws and rules as Consul, and once it was time for him to stand for all the laws he broke he instead had it arranged for him to be sent off to Gaul where he conquered a whole civilization pretty much just for fame and popularity. Once he achieved his goal and had the support of his legions, instead of owning up to his previous illegal actions as Consul he started a civil war, over threw the Republic, and established himself as Dictator, I mean that's pretty much what Vladimir Lenin did.

Most people in history who have done this are looked at as power hungry sociopathic terrible people, yet Caesar is probably the most famous ruler of all time, and one of the most well regarded. And while his assassination is looked at as the ultimate example of treachery, wasn't it really just people trying to keep their country that had always been a Republic from becoming a Dictatorship?

I mean he overthrew a Republic, which is what America is, and he gets mostly praise and admiration for it today.


ETA; Lenin not Lennon......
This post was edited on 7/19/14 at 7:30 pm
Posted by Kafka
I am the moral conscience of TD
Member since Jul 2007
145396 posts
Posted on 7/19/14 at 7:29 pm to
quote:

that's pretty much what Vladimir Lennon did
paul trotsky was the talented one
Posted by HempHead
Big Sky Country
Member since Mar 2011
55800 posts
Posted on 7/19/14 at 7:30 pm to
Most people are not aware of his actions, just the name and the association with Rome.

I wouldn't say he gets praise, necessarily, but is simply known.
Posted by Carson123987
Middle Court at the Rec
Member since Jul 2011
66737 posts
Posted on 7/19/14 at 7:30 pm to
quote:

Caesar was a dirty politician who took offices, wives, and friends just for political gain, bribed people for votes, and broke laws and traditions left and right.


Just like our shithead politicians
Posted by WeeWee
Member since Aug 2012
41055 posts
Posted on 7/19/14 at 7:30 pm to
I think he is mostly remember as a skilled military commander and leader. As a politician, he was a scumbag that is why he was stabbed to death on the Senate floor.
Posted by tigerpawl
Can't get there from here.
Member since Dec 2003
22628 posts
Posted on 7/19/14 at 7:30 pm to
quote:

Caesar was a dirty politician who took offices, wives, and friends just for political gain, bribed people for votes, and broke laws and traditions left and right. He broke countless laws and rules...
Over here in America, we re-elect these people all the time.
Posted by CaptainsWafer
TD Platinum Member
Member since Feb 2006
58525 posts
Posted on 7/19/14 at 7:31 pm to
He had a great salad.
Posted by Turkey_Creek_Tiger
Member since Dec 2012
12343 posts
Posted on 7/19/14 at 7:31 pm to
Posted by Pear
Member since Jul 2013
1428 posts
Posted on 7/19/14 at 7:32 pm to
Shakespeare
Posted by RollTide1987
Augusta, GA
Member since Nov 2009
66042 posts
Posted on 7/19/14 at 7:37 pm to
1. Julius Caesar was a dictator yes, but he was a good dictator who put through many important reforms that benefited the people (not the rich who would later kill him). He put forth many land reforms and fixed the calendar which is almost the same one we use today.

2. Caesar believed in clemency towards his enemies. He could have killed all of his political rivals as was the trend set before by Sulla and Marius. This eventually got Caesar killed. Augustus, the first emperor of Rome, learned that lesson and made sure all of his enemies were pushing up daisies. Caesar was very harsh, however, to the Gauls who went back on their word and revolted. Had they not revolted, they would not have had to pay such a harsh penalty.

3. As a general he was a genius and his battle strategies are still studied in military academies to this day.

4. If you look at the big picture, he had no option other than to take power. His enemies had forced his hand and they thought he would back down. They were wrong.

People make the mistake of assuming all dictators are bad. A dictator is sometimes necessary when the system does not work. The Roman Republic was designed to manage a city, not an empire. If it weren't for Julius Caesar, Rome would not have lasted another 500 years.
This post was edited on 7/19/14 at 7:39 pm
Posted by detmut
Jesuit 81 Metairie
Member since Sep 2011
2307 posts
Posted on 7/19/14 at 7:38 pm to
et tu, Tiger1242?
Posted by CunningLinguist
Dallas, TX
Member since Mar 2006
18886 posts
Posted on 7/19/14 at 7:44 pm to
I would argue Caesar was not remembered fondly. He was the foremost dictator of the Western classical world
Posted by fr33manator
Baton Rouge
Member since Oct 2010
126370 posts
Posted on 7/19/14 at 7:47 pm to
My Boy Willie Shakespeare
Posted by Navytiger74
Member since Oct 2009
50458 posts
Posted on 7/19/14 at 7:51 pm to
I don't think Caesar is really held in very high regard, to be honest. He's just really well-known for a figure from antiquity.
Posted by LSUSUPERSTAR
TX
Member since Jan 2005
16428 posts
Posted on 7/19/14 at 7:53 pm to
If I could overthrow our republic and take command, we would be better off.
Posted by Vegas Eddie
The Quad
Member since Dec 2013
5997 posts
Posted on 7/19/14 at 8:20 pm to
He's not


/thread
Posted by OMLandshark
Member since Apr 2009
114113 posts
Posted on 7/19/14 at 8:25 pm to
I don't think that Caesar is all that well regarded. There's a reason Brutus is a pretty sympathetic protagonist to the eternal play "Julius Casear". Caesar isn't positively regarded, he's just regarded as the ultimate ruler, and probably only next to Alexander the Great, he truly is. Not greatest, but ultimate ruler.
Posted by biglego
Ask your mom where I been
Member since Nov 2007
77866 posts
Posted on 7/19/14 at 8:32 pm to
Bc Gauls and Britons didn't write the history books
Posted by rickyh
Positiger Nation
Member since Dec 2003
12512 posts
Posted on 7/19/14 at 8:52 pm to
Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears. We come to bury Caesar not to praise him. The evil that men do live after them, the good is oft interred with their bones.So let it be with Caesar. The noble Brutus-- Am I the only one with this speech embedded in my mind. I am 60 and can still recite most of it. That is what school does to a person when you are forced to remember something.
Posted by Champagne
Already Conquered USA.
Member since Oct 2007
49409 posts
Posted on 7/20/14 at 12:23 am to
I upvote because you provide some food for thought.

Ceasar IS very well-known and famous, but, as you point out, he was probably not the best Roman in history.
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