If Caesar's Ides of March assassination was reported by CNN
(neveryetmelted.com)
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If one really studies the life of Julius Caesar, not the stuff written by his enemies, victors and lazy historians, they would be surprised to find out he was assassinated NOT because he wanted to become a dictator, but because the Aristocrats and Usurers could not control him and his ideas. Ceasar was a true warrior and statesman, beloved by the average Roman. I had an excellent Latin teacher who knew history and awakened his class to the idea that what little we were taught about Ceasar was mostly propaganda after his death.
Exactly.
I had a professor who was very good about that stuff. He would emphasize the need to get multiple sources. He had several examples the most recent being the anti-gun book “Arming America” in 2001… prof pointed out that the guy cited records that had been destroyed long before the author was born and no copies survived. There were examples from Greece and Rome. For example the Spartans testing sickly babies off a mountain was first mentioned by Plutarch… 800 years later. Then there was the story of the establishment of the Roman Republic… the Etruscan King that was killed for raping the woman was actually one of the first senators… and the source is Livy who wrote about it centuries later.
I'm curious. Do you happen to remember any of the works cited by your teacher?
The ones I am familiar with are Plutarch and Tacitus. Though I am not sure Tacitus stretches back to Julius Ceasar.
Ty.
Goodness. It was like 40 years ago. Yeah, I'm that old.
One thing I remember was my teacher said to disregard much of what Cicero wrote about Julius Ceasar. Cicero hated Ceasar and his family with a passion. But Cicero is revered in most intellectual circles.
I do remember my teacher likening Ceasar somewhat to JFK - a guy who grew up in an entitled decadent family, but turned from their ways as he figured out the corrupt system that supported such families would eventually fail if the real working class (not just the slaves) became more and more marginalized. My teacher was a libertarian. He said the USA was in fact a Constitutional Republic, but was now more of an evil empire that ignored the Constitution due to greed, propaganda and corruption. And this was 40 years ago!
Yes. Cicero was one that was hunted down by Marc Antony as part of avenging Ceasar's assassination, so bad blood makes sense. (Was even in the HBOs Rome series 😄)
Good to know this perspective. Will keep this in mind going forward and the possible western civ course I may teach for homeschool. Ty.