caesar Flashcards
suetonius’ comments on Caesars reforms
his reforms showed ‘equal disregard for law and traditional practice’
particularly references to his allocation of magistracies several years in advance, conferring of tokens of consular rank on ex-praetors and admittance of ‘half-barbarous’ new citizens to the senate (76)
the
public comments on the nature of the republic ascribed to caesar by suetonius
suetonius criticises alleged publicity declaration from caesar that ‘the republic is nothing - just a name without substance or form’ (77)
Caesar and reduced significance of elections
as dictator he had legal right to NOMINATE candidates for political office - in 45 BC he appointed Trebonius and Fabius as consuls without elections
(given that his endorsement is super powerful this was unnecessary from a productivity perspective, in all likelihood his choices would have been confirmed)
how did caesar make himself appealing to soldiers?
established 12 new colonies to relocate 80,000 veterans
roman elite response to caesars reforms
cicero had ‘come to believe the republic had been broken and was now irreparable’ (swain&davies quote not cicero)
elite generally held belief that he was undermining traditional republican institutions
unacceptably deviant from republican tradition
facts about caesar and dictatorship
elected dictator 4 times and in 44 BC became ‘dictator perpetuus’ -> up until this point dictatorship was an emergency measure with a limit of 6 months, enshrining his autocracy where the initial role of dictator was to limit individuals taking advantage of crisis situations to seize power
historian’s retrospective opinions of caesar
suetonius: ‘he abused his power and was justly killed’ (76)
plutarch: calls caesars dictatorship a ‘confessed tyranny’ (57.1) and added that ‘the most open and deadly hatred towards him was produced by his passion for royal power’ (60.1)
quasi-regal honour he accepted is particularly censured
cassius did: honour bestowed upon him by the senate listed including being allowed to wear triumphal and royal dress as well has stamp his name on coins as a hellenistic king would (44.4-6)
caesar denying his kingship in public
in suetonius 79: he is treated as ‘rex’ but he replied he was not ‘rex’ but ‘caesar’
cassius dio 44.11: Caesar rejects the diadem that Mark Antony offers him at the Lupercalia ‘although pretending to shun the title, in reality desired to assume it’
theories as to why Caesar’s enemies wanted him to be a god
Cassius Dio 44.3.1: ‘puff him up, only to find fault with him on this very account and to spread slanderous reports’
Plutarch 57.3: ‘in order that they might have as many pretexts as possible against him’
graffiti in suetonius
graffiti on a statue of lucius brutus (elder brutus. who eliminated the last king, apparently the predecessor of Marcus Brutus) early in 44 BC saying ‘if only you were living!’ (80)
background on 52 BC - the senate and caesar’s army
Pompey sole consul (meant to be shared power hence duel consulship - key republican framework to share and rotate power)
Caesar and Pompey both impressive military careers- rivalry of popularity and political state comes to a head as big individuals emerge
Caesar hoping for consulship in middle of glorious military phase (successes against the gauls) Senate fear political power of Caesar - recalled him and ordered him to disband his army - he agreed if pompey would too. offended the senate and they threatened to declare him an enemy of the state if he didn’t - illegal on the part of the senate - caesar entitled to keepp army
10th of January 49 BC - Caesar crosses the Rubicon - leading a single legion and effectively declaring civil war - forbidden for leading general
44 BC Denarius (Caesar)
Obverse: CAESAR IMP M with laureate head right; cresent behind L AEMILIVS right BVCA left
Reverse: venus standing left, holding victory and sceptre
