Marius vs. Sulla (Click to enlarge!)

Test Essay - 4

Julius Caesar and the fall of the Republic

By Thomas

The assassination of the dictator and leader of Rome, Julius Caesar, may have begun the ultimate downfall of the glorious Roman Republic. Julius Caesar came to power alongside Pompey and Crassus in 60BC all of whom had a very military oriented background; however after an internal conflict with Pompey, who supported a Senatorial government, Caesar crowned himself dictator, a title which he would eventually keep for life. While Caesar’s rule was triumphant and active while it lasted, he made many controversial and unconstitutional decisions, and with the fear that Caesar would continue to make irrational militaristic decisions, the Senate, which largely believed in the abolishment of a single ruler, chose to assassinate Caesar on the Senate floor. The assassination of Julius Caesar would not only end the rule of one of the greatest military leaders in human history, but prove to be an unforgiveable mistake which would lead to the end of the Roman Republic.

One of the primary reasons for the collapse of the Republic after Caesars death is the lack of a distinguished ruler to follow. Between Octavian, Marc Antony, and Lepidus, and the lack of a proper heir, the Empire would be once again split into three districts, forming the Second Triumvirate. Having already failed once, the political situation was only asking for another internal conflict which would once again break up a centralized Roman Republic, and with the defeat of Pompey in a naval battle and Marc Antony’s departure to Egypt, the Roman world was essentially handed to Octavian who would take advantage of Rome’s fragile state in order to pursue his self interests of becoming a complete ruler. While the leadership of Caesar might have been drastic and perhaps brutal, the position was not only earned, but kept, well managed, and was on the constant search for expansion. The dormant attitude that many of Caesar’s successors would introduce to the people of Rome would not only make Rome a vulnerable target but would promote stagnation and laziness. Caesar’s heart lay within Rome, and the militaristic attitude he carried was much more successful then the perhaps inadequate successor candidates.

The second piece of evidence of the association between the fall of the Roman Republic and the assassination of Julius Caesar was that the dictator as a personality would become a symbol and icon for Rome, and the fall of a great leader such as Caesar would bring down many ideals of the Roman civilization along side of him. The Roman ideals are based around brutality, fame, fortune, independent success, and arrogance and Caesar represented many, if not all of these traits. Rome, first of all, must have been ruled by a single, dominant leader or party that was prepared for war and the punishment of internal conflicts. Caesar himself was gathering momentum through many facets such as military victories against Pompey’s son in Spain, and the alliance between him and Egypt’s Cleopatra, and the Senate’s fear that Caesar was destroying Rome is an example of why the Senatorial system was not completely successful in the Roman’s case. Caesar lead by example during his reign, by exhibiting the power of Rome and demonstrating what Roman represented, and ultimately the fearful Senate would bring down Caesar and many of the old Roman ideals with him.

The killing of Julius Caesar was perhaps the most significant and important event in the Roman Republic. The Senate, afraid of their own leader would assassinate him, bringing down the whole political system along with him, when in fact by keeping him it could have preserved the Roman traits which began to diminish in the Empire. This would become the most unforgiveable mistake that the Roman Senate would make.

Charlemagne

Charlemagne emerged as Frankish king at the beginning of the Middle Ages, and was crowned Emperor of Rome in 800AD. He reconquered much of France, northern Italy, as well as bits of Western Germany. Pope Leo III crowned him Protector of Rome and Emperor of Romans on Christmas Day, 800 AD after his defeat of the Lombards (barbarians in Northern Italy). He was a patron of the arts, and revived much of the religion and culture of the Catholic Church. He brought about the first reemergence of civilization since the collapse of the Roman Empire. His strong, catholic beliefs and conquest of central europe brought about the end of the barbarian incursions and spread the catholic faith. He was the first leader, since the collapse of Rome, to bring education and intellectual enlightenment to the people of Europe. After his death, his empire was passed on to his son, Louis the Pius. Charlemagne's rule of western europe brought about end of the barbarians and began the middle ages.