Julius Caesar Background Definitions you should know monarchyabsolute

Julius Caesar Background

Definitions you should know: • monarchy—absolute rule by a single person (hereditary chief) • republic—a government in which supreme power resides in a body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by elected offers and representatives responsible to them and governing according to law (indirect democracy) • democracy—a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them either directly or indirectly through a system of periodically held free elections • dictatorship—a form of government in which absolute power is concentrated in a dictator (absolute and unlimited rule)

Rome’s Beginnings: • Rome began as a Monarchy • Remained this way for 250 years • People felt oppressed and revolted Think about. . . Why might Roman citizen feel oppressed in a monarchy?

500 B. C—Roman Republic was established—ruled for over 500 years The new government is made up three parts: Two consuls, a senate, and tribunes.

Consuls’ duties and the catch: • Duties Ø controlled the army Ø could declare war Ø controlled taxes, and Ø established laws Think about If the. . . C suppo onsuls we re s leade ed to be th rs e follow , why wou ld the y comm the senate ’s ands? • The Catch—they got advice from the senate, so basically they did what the senate told them to do.

The tribunes were elected officials. These people could be from any walk of life—noble or common. The citizens of Rome voted them into office and they represented of the people. r o f , e l p o e p e h t y b d e t Elec ! e l p o e the p

The Senate • upper class, wealthy • have to be born into to (ancestor must be traced from the beginning of Rome) • once you were on the senate, you stayed on the senate

Julius Caesar got into politics during a time in which the Senate was having problems. In this time of instability and arguing, he became an outspoken leader who looked to gain support from the citizens of Rome. rt o p p u s d e in a g r a s e a Julius C of the people by: ublic p r fo y e n o m g in d n e Sp entertainment t freed a th s w la g in h s li b ta s E n from e m s e d a tr d n a s r e m far heavy taxes

The Republic Begins to fall apart In 60 BC the first triumvirate (unofficial political alliance) was formed. • Caesar (Gaius Julius Caesar) • Powerful and loved by the people • Crassus (Marcus Licinius Crassus) • Old and getting ready to die • Pompey (Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus) • Smart and powerful • Supported by the senate

Crassus died, and Pompey began to fear that Caesar was growing too powerful and popular. Crassus Pompey Caesar

Battle for Power in 49 BCE • Caesar and his army were far away from Rome, conquering many lands for the Roman Empire. • Pompey ordered him back to Rome. As he returned, Caesar attacked Pompey, defeating his forces and killing him in the midst.

The Rise of Caesar— 46 BCE Caesar returned to Rome and was accepted by the people for his military abilities. He was loved for all of the goods he brought back from his conquests, and he was elected Dictator for Life. This meant that he would rule Rome until his death, and the next leader would have to be elected. We Love Ceasar!!!

Many believed that Caesar wanted to be EMPEROR instead of just Dictator for Life. If he was Emperor, Julius Caesar’s son would inherit the throne after his death.

To prevent Caesar becoming a monarchy again, some members of the senate carried out a deceitful plan. . .

Review of the video 1. Julius Caesar dared to claim he was a descendant from whom? • As a child, he claimed he was a descendant of the goddess Venus. 2. In 63 B. C. how many gladiators fought to the death? • 640 fought to the death at his first public games. 3. According to Julius Caesar, what are the 2 secrets to gaining power? • 1. playing to the people • 2. commanding a successful army 4. Who did Caesar fall in love with? • Cleopatra 5. What was Caesar’s motto when he conquered Rome? • Veni, Vidi, Vici

More review 1. What did the Roman people voluntarily vote for? Why? • They voluntarily voted Caesar the absolute powers of a dictator. • He gave the Roman poor what they wanted—no Roman citizen went hungry. Grain to the poor and land to his soldiers—paid for by his own money. 2. What did Caesar ask the people to do that infuriated the Senate? • He asked them to elect him dictator for life. 3. How many times was Caesar stabbed? • He was stabbed 35 times. 4. After his death, what did the Roman people declare Julius Caesar to be? • They declared him to be a god because a comet blazed across the sky.

The Romans were a superstitious people. They believed that future events could be seen in dreams, the stars, and unnatural occurrences. Many Romans believed that fate controlled one’s life.

The day the play begins. . . • The Feast of Lupercal—the festival of fertility (wards off evil spirits) • A race where young aristocrats run dressed in a girdle of goat’s skin and carry a leather throng and hit woman who are considered sterile. By hitting the women, it wards off evil spirits and the women are able to reproduce. • On the eve of the feast, February 14 th, the boys were to pick the name of a woman who will be his “sweetheart” for the remainder of the year.

The Tragedy Of Julius Caesar Shakespeare compresses the actual historical time of 3 years into a period of 6 days The play broken down: • Act One: Caesar returns from defeating Pompey’s son and the Feast of Lupercal • Act Two: March 15 th, beware of the ides of March • Act Three: Days after death of Julius Caesar • Acts Four and Five: battle and a fight for power

Roman Achievements: • law and order; effective road systems; military system unparalleled; at its height the Roman Empire covered all of the Mediterranean area from Gibraltar to Egypt and up into Europe.

Themes in Julius Caesar 1. Chaos results when the prescribed social order is overturned. 2. Good intentions do not always yield a positive result. 3. Language is a powerful weapon, and in the hands of a skilled person it can be used to manipulate others. 4. Violence and bloodshed can never have morally good results. 5. Pride is the harbinger of destruction. 6. Great political ambition breeds great political enmity. 7. Deceit wears the garb of innocence. 8. Recognize and heed warnings. 9. One man’s hero is another man’s villain. 10. Actions often have unforeseen consequences.