Julius Caesar Project
Julius Caesar was a dictator but also a leader. He ruled the Roman Empire from 60 BCE to 42 BCE. When he ruled, he ruled with force not letting anyone spread corruption. Many thought he was a Hero for all he did for the city of Rome, but many also thought he was a Tyrant, because of all the force he used to control the city. Julius Caesar was arguably the greatest leader of all time, but did it come at a cost? Julius Caesar was a hero for the city of Rome. “Quickly it showed that Caesar was not merely a conqueror and destroyer. Caesar was a builder, visionary statesman, the likes of which the world rarely gets to see. Combined with his generosity in granting citizenship to individuals and communities was to rejuvenate both the Roman legions and the Roman governing class. He also helped reform the calendar, which, one slight adjustment, is still the one in use today. He established order to reduce congestion in Rome, draining large tracts of marshy land, and he gave full voting rights to the inhabitants of his former providence south of the Alps”. (Caesar, Dictator of Rome pg 2) “During his lifetime he held just about every important title in the Roman Republic including consul, tribune of the people, high commander of the army, and high priest. Julius Caesar promised to solve the economic problems. The people loved him. They wanted to see Julius Caesar in a strong position of power so he could solve these problems”. (Caesar’s Response pg 6)
· This quote says that Caesar was not a Tyrant; he was a leader for the people.
· He helped people with lower income status gain citizenship within Rome.
· He helped form a sense of time, which was necessary for the Roman population.
· He let farmers vote, which gave them a sense of freedom.
· He had lots of experience with power, which made him ideal for his position in the senate.
· The people loved Julius Caesar.
I think that Julius Caesar was a great leader. He did not kill his political enemies or suppress the people. He also helped reduce congestion within Rome. And he built many new colonies. And he revised the tax laws, resettling romans into new housing. He also developed a new calendar, which is still in use today. The Romans would have developed somewhat differently without the help and guidance of Julius Caesar. As Julius Caesar expanded Rome there was need for a prominent leader and a stronger government. Julius Caesar filled that role very well declaring himself dictator for life. Rome praised him so much that they named a month after him, the month of Julius Caesar. While declaring himself lifetime ruler isn’t something we come by in modern society, it was necessary at the time. Julius Caesar was loved by the people of Rome. And his skills were greatly appreciated by the people of Rome. Most of the leaders after Julius Caesar were lousy in compare, but Rome held on. This shows that Julius Caesar had a huge impact on the Roman society.
To me it defiantly matters that Julius Caesar was a hero, because many of his standards and revisions are still in use today. Like the calendar he revised or the aqueducts he created to carry fresh water into the city of Rome. If Julius Caesar wasn’t a hero then why is it that we still remember and use him today?