Julius Caesar Symposium

Panel

Cornell Notes Question: What role does power play in Julius Caesar?

• Key Points• Notes

Government and Philosophy

Types Of Government

Direct Democracy In a direct democracy all citizens have a chance to participate. The people directly control and are responsible for the laws that govern their society. All citizens can take initiative to create public policy. An example of a direct democracy is ancient Athens where they held assemblies to pass laws.

Representative Democracy Like direct democracy, representative democracy is a government by the people. Representative democracy is a form of government in which people elect leaders to write and manage laws for the country. These leaders are responsible for representing the will of the people and are elected at regular intervals. They are also often bound by a Constitution.

Theocracy The word theocracy contains the Greek root “theo” which means “god.” A theocracy is a rule by god or higher power. In a theocracy, religious leaders usually lead the society and religious law is used to settle disputes and rule the people. The Islamic Republic of Iran is an example of a modern theocracy.

Types of GovernmentOligarchy The philosopher Aristotle originally used the word “oligarchy” to refer to rule by the rich, but the literal definition of oligarchy is “rule by the few.”

Monarchy Kings, queens, princes, and princesses. Monarchy is rule by a king, or monarch, and he usually gains his power because his parents were rulers (monarchs) also. Some modern monarchies like Spain and Japan have constitutions, while others do not.

Dictatorship In a dictatorship power is not inherited, but usually is acquired by force. A dictator has absolute control over the lives of his citizens, like Kim Jong Il in North Korea. Because a dictator has absolute power, opposition is usually suppressed and people are prevented from voicing their opinions.

Autocracy A form of government in which political power is controlled by one individual such as a monarch, dictator, emperor, etc.

John Locke

“We have reason to conclude that all peaceful beginnings of government have been laid in the

consent of the people.”

John LockeIf the ruler didn't keep the contract, the people could

overthrow the government.

Locke also believed that the people were entitled to natural rights such as life, liberty and the protection of

their property.

Thomas Hobbes

Governments were created, according to Hobbes, to protect people from their own selfishness and evil.

The best government was one that had the great power of a leviathan, or sea monster.

Hobbes believed in the rule of a king because he felt a country needed an authority figure to provide direction and leadership.

Thomas Hobbes

"During the time men live without a common power to keep them all in awe, they are in that conditions called war; and such a war, as if of every man, against every man. “

"No arts; no letters; no society; and which is worst of all, continual fear, and danger of violent death: and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short."

World History

What does BC, AD and BCE, CE mean?

• CE stands for "Common Era." • AD is an abbreviation for "Anno Domini" in Latin or "the year of the Lord" in

English. Both measure the number of years since the approximate birthday of Jesus of Nazareth

• CE and AD have the same value. That is 1 CE = 1 AD, and 2011 CE = 2011 AD. The word "common" simply means that it is based on the most frequently used calendar system: the Gregorian Calendar.

• BCE stands for "Before the common era." • BC means "Before Christ,“ Both measure the number of years before the

approximate birthday of Jesus. A year in BC and BCE also have identical values. • Although many people believe that Jesus was born at the end of 1 BCE, most

theologians and religious historians estimate that he was born sometime between 7 and 4 BCE.

• BCE & CE became more preferred as a more secular approach to dating, although both systems use the same Christian references in time.

The Government, Structure and Constitution of the Roman Republic

• The Roman Republic was governed by an elected Senate who were appointed for life - the wealthy, aristocratic Patricians ruled Rome

• The 300 members of the senate, all from aristocratic families, grew in power• The senators selected new senators to replace any who died• Roman Senators also appointed two senators to become joint heads of state for

a year• The heads of state were first known as praetors and later as consuls• Every consul had the power of veto to forbid any action of the other• To avoid serious stalemates in a crisis the constitution of the republic provided

for another more powerful office - that of dictator• A Dictator could only hold office for a period not exceeding six months to

ensure he did not achieve total power• As time moved on the poor people of Rome, the Plebeians (Plebs), protested at

their total lack of power and exclusion from any benefits of the Republic• The protests of the Plebs led to the creation of two powerful new officials

called the Tribunes of the People whose role was to safeguard the rights of the plebeians

Most content from http://www.roman-colosseum.info/roman-empire/roman-republic.htm

What led to the Decline of the Roman Republic?

• The 500-year-old Roman Republic eventually became corrupt and weakened by bloody civil wars, political in-fighting, power plays and dissatisfaction with the Senate.

• These all led to the decline of the Roman Republic. • Julius Caesar eventually seized power and became

dictator, ending the Civil Wars, but signaling the end of the Roman Republic.

• The adoptive son of Julius Caesar, Octavian, became the first Emperor of Rome as Caesar Augustus.

Roman history timeline• 509 BC: Roman republic replaced Etruscans rulers• 451-449 BC: The Decemvirate formed - a body of

10 magistrates and establishes The Code of the Twelve Tables

• 390 BC: Gallic invasion of Italy and the Destruction of Rome by the Gauls

• 343-341 BC: First Samnite War (for control of Italy)

• 326-304 BC: 2nd Samnite War• 298 to 290 BC: The Roman Republic fights the

3rd Samnite War• 264 BC : Introduction of gladiator 'games' in

Rome• 264-146 BC: The Punic Wars - a series of three

wars fought between Rome and Carthage by the Roman Republic

• 260 BC : Rome builds its first major fleet• 202 BC : Battle of Zama, Scipio defeats Hannibal

(Carthage)• 215 to 148 BC : Macedonian Wars (Four Wars)

with Northern Greece

• 135 - 132 BC: Slave revolts in Sicily. (1st Servile War)

• 133-132 BC: The tribune Tiberius Gracchus unleashes the mob with promises of food and lands. He is murdered by members of the senate whose wealth and power is threatened

• 104 - 100 BC: Second Sicilian slave war (2nd Servile War)

• 91 BC: Drusus, tribune proposing reforms, is murdered in Rome, triggering the Social War

• 90 BC: Civil War in Rome • 88 BC: Sulla marches on Rome and becomes

Dictator • 78 BC: Death of Sulla • 73 BC: Outbreak of Third Servile War, led by

the slave and gladiator Spartacus • 71 BC: Revolt of Spartacus crushed by

Pompey and Crassus• 70 BC: Crassus and Pompey become joint

consuls of the Roman Republic

Growth of the Roman Empire

Julius Caesar• 102/100 BC- July 13/12 - Caesar's Birth• 84 BC- Caesar marries the daughter of L. Cornelius

Cinna • 75 BC – Caesar in exile; Pirates capture Caesar • 73 BC - Caesar is elected Pontifex • 69 BC- Caesar is quaester, (Roman magistrate).

Cornelia, the wife of Caesar, dies • 67 BC - Caesar marries Pompeia • 65 BC - Caesar is elected an Aedile, a magistrate who

looked after the city of Rome, its corn supply, municipal regulations, and games.

• 63 BC - Caesar is elected Pontifex Maximus • 62 BC- Caesar is praetor. Caesar divorces Pompeia• 61 BC- Caesar is Propraetor of Further Spain • 60 BC- Caesar is elected Consul and forms the

Triumvirate, one of 3 who held power• 59 BC- Caesar is Consul • 58 BC- Caesar defeats the Helvetii and Germans • 55 BC- Caesar crosses the Rhine and invades Britain • 54 BC- Caesar's daughter, who is also Pompey's wife,

dies • 53 BC- Crassus is killed • 52 BC - Caesar defeats Vercingetorix • 49 BC- Caesar crosses the Rubicon - Civil War begins

• Caesar Crossing the Rubicon

• The Rubicon was a stream separating Gaul from Italy. When Julius Caesar led his troops from Gaul to the Rubicon, Caesar paused on the northern end of the bridge debating whether to cross or not. It would be a crime against Rome for proconsul Caesar to bring his troops in from the province, but if he didn't, he would be stripped of command and prosecuted. Although he hesitated, Caesar did cross the Rubicon, in January 49 B.C., thereby starting a civil war.

To cross the Rubicon means to take an irrevocable step that commits one to a specific course.

• 48 BC - Pompey is murdered • 47 BC - Caesar invades Egypt and appoints Cleopatra queen

46 BC - Thapsus Battle (Tunisia) against Cato and Scipio. Caesar made dictator. (Third time.) • 45 or 44 BC (Before the Roman Festival of Lupercalia) - Caesar is declared dictator for life; literally perpetual

dictator• Ides of March, 44 BC - Caesar is assassinated • 44 BC - Marcus Antony controls Rome • 43 BC - The Second Triumvirate established in the Roman Republic between Octavian (Julius Caesar's

adoptive son) and Marc Antony• 42 BC Octavian takes control of Italy • 31 BC Battle of Actium, Octavian defeats Marc Antony and Queen Cleopatra • 27 BC Octavian, became, as Augustus Caesar, the first emperor of Rome and the Roman Republic comes to

an end

ROMAN EMPIRE timeline

• 27 BC to AD 68 Julian-Claudian Dynasty - Augustus Caesar, Tiberius Caligula, Claudius and Nero. Famous events during this period included the lost legions of Varus, the reign of terror by Sejanus, the invasion of Britain and the great fire of Rome

• 68 - 69 AD The Year of the Four Emperors • 69 – 96 AD The Flavian Dynasty ; Famous events of

this period included the Destruction of Jerusalem, the Eruption of Vesuvius and the Building of the Colosseum

• 96–192 AD The Five Good Emperors and the Nervan / Antonine Dynasty ; the Pantheon was built in Rome,plague in Rome

• 192 - 193 AD The Year of the Five Emperors, turmoil and chaos in Rome

• 193 - 235 AD The Severan dynasty marked the end of Pax Romana (Roman peace)

• 235 - 284 AD The Crisis of the Third Century was the period in Roman history of Military Anarchy which lasted over 50 years. Not one single Emperor died of natural causes during this time. Events of this period included revolts, civil wars, street fights, fierce foreign enemies, plagues, famines, fire and earthquakes.

• 238 - 268 AD The "Barracks Emperors" were all military generals who seized power by force.

• 268 - 285 AD The Illyrian Emperors came from Illyria which was a region in the Balkan Peninsula. During this period was the worst persecutions of the Christians

• 285 AD The Roman Empire was split in half by Diocletian - The Western Roman Empire and the Eastern Roman Empire aka the Byzantine Empire

• 285 - 364 AD The Constantinian dynasty - named after its most famous Emperor, Constantine the Great; policy of toleration towards the Christians.

• 364 - 394 AD The Valentinian dynasty; Empire is invaded by the fierce Barbarians the Visigoths and the Vandals.

• 394 - 476 AD Theodosius I was the last emperor of both the Eastern and Western Roman Empire

• 476 AD - The Western Roman Empire ended officially with the abdication of Romulus Augustus on 4 September 476.

Connection of Julius Caesar to 16th Century England of Shakespeare

• Play was probably written in 1599 • Queen Elizabeth had been reigning 60 years on the

throne of England• No heirs to the throne, much like Caesar• Social issues – monarchy had taken much of the

power from the aristocracy.• New rising gentry class acquiring wealth and power.• Many nobles had died during the Wars of the Roses,

a series of civil wars fought in England in the 15th century.

• Elizabeth, her father (Henry VIII), and her grandfather (Henry VII), rarely appointed new nobles to replace those who died. They saw the nobility as a threat to their power and preferred to keep the number small.

• Was Shakespeare making a comparison to the changes in Elizabethan England with his Julius Caesar? http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/

juliuscaesar/context.html

Social Psychology

Social Psychology: Conformity and Obedience, and the Mob Conformity occurs when people yield to real

or imagined social pressure Example: You maintain a well-groomed lawn

to avoid ticking off the neighbors.

Solomon Asch (1951, 1955, 1956) 1955: A group of seven subjects, all male undergraduate students, were shown a large card with a vertical line on it and were then asked to indicate which of the three lines on a second card matches the original “standard line” in length.

Solomon Asch ctd. Everyone in the group are given a turn to match the

line lengths, and then they announce their decision in a group.

The subject the 6th chair didn’t know it, but everyone else in the group is an accomplice of the experimenter.

All accomplices give the correct answer for the first two trials. Beginning on the third trial, they begin to give the wrong answer.

Out of the next 15 trials, the accomplices give the same incorrect answer on 11 of them.

What did the person in the 6th chair do?

This experiment was repeated with 50 different young men.

The 50 participants in the 6th chair conformed to the wrong answer 37% of the time.

13 never caved in to the group, and 14 conformed on over half the trials!

Why do people conform?

Stanley Milgram (1963) How can regular citizens be

persuaded to act in cruel ways?

Stanley Milgram ctd. Subjects were a diverse collection of 40 men from

the local community recruited through advertisements to participate in a study at Yale.

The subjects were told that the purpose of the experiment was to study the relationship between mental acuity and stress.

Each subject would meet the experimenter and another subject, a likeable, 47-year-old accountant. The accountant was actually an accomplice to the experimenter, but the subject didn’t know it.

The subject was “the teacher” and the nice accountant was “the learner.” These assignments were made through a rigged drawing.

Milgram ctd. The subject watched as the accountant

was strapped into an electrified chair through which a shock could be delivered.

The subject was told that the shock would be painful but “would not cause tissue damage.”

The subject was taken into a room next door that housed the shock generator that he was told to control.

The 30 switches varied from “Slight Shock” to “XXX.”

Milgram ctd.

The accountant was asked questions. When he answered them correctly, he was not shocked. When he answered them incorrectly, the subject was told to administer increasingly severe shocks for each wrong answer.

THE SHOCKS WERE NOT REAL, BUT THE SUBJECT DIDN’T KNOW IT!

As the severity of the false shocks increased, the accomplice would begin to scream, beat on the wall, and beg for mercy.

When the level of the false shocked was nearing its severest, the accomplice would fall silent, as if he was no longer conscious.

Milgram ctd.

As the shocks continued, the subject would ask the experimenters things like, “Should I stop now?” or “Am I hurting him?” The subjects were told by the experimenters to continue until the end of the experiment.

65% of the subjects delivered the entire series of shocks.

Why?

“The essence of obedience is that a person comes to view himself as the instrument for carrying out another person’s wishes, and he therefore no longer regards himself as responsible for his actions.”

—Stanley Milgram

Julius Caesar Connection

Ask yourself the following questions as you view Julius Caesar:

Why do the senate members fear the main body of Roman citizens?

How do we see conformity among the conspirators, and what are the consequences?

How does Mark Antony persuade the people to revolt during the famous funeral speech? He doesn’t tell them straight up to revolt, so how does he do it?

Literature and the Humanities