Hi folks! This week, we have some testimony from the Roman world itself about Julius Caesar, the popular and beloved dictator whose reforms ended the civil wars and whose assassination on the ides of March, 44 BCE, started them up again. What do you think made Caesar tick? Why did he matter so much to Rome’s people and soldiers?

César was very brave to put himself at risk as politics and that make him a leader and he can influence others with his strengths and people would look up to him.

One passage that really jumped out at me was Plutarch’s description of Caesar’s boldness and ambition even as a young man, particularly his willingness to place himself in dangerous political and military situations. I fancied how fearless and self-assured he seemed, almost to the point of recklessness. Plutarch seems to be communicating not only Caesar’s extraordinary courage but also hinting at the traits that would make him both a brilliant leader and a controversial figure. I’d like to find out more about how his contemporaries reacted to this ambition.

I was particularly struck by Appian’s description of Julius Caesar’s funeral, especially the moment when his body and wounds were displayed before the crowd. This detail stood out because it shows how powerful emotion and spectacle were in Roman politics. Seeing Caesar’s mutilated body transformed him from a political leader into a symbol of betrayal and injustice, provoking intense grief and anger among the people. It was surprising how quickly public mourning turned into collective outrage, suggesting that Caesar’s influence over the Roman masses remained strong even after his death.

Appian appears to be communicating that Caesar’s true power lay in his relationship with the people rather than with the Senate. By emphasizing the crowd’s reaction, Appian shows how popular support could challenge traditional elite authority and destabilize the Republic. The funeral demonstrates that Caesar’s assassination did not end his influence but instead amplified it, contributing to further political chaos. I would like to learn more about how much of this reaction was deliberately orchestrated by figures like Mark Antony versus how much was spontaneous, as well as how Appian’s account compares with other ancient sources.

A detail that stood out to me was when Caesar refused Sulla's order to divorce his wife, even though it put his life at risk. It honestly surprised me to see how fearless he was at such a young age. Plutarch seems to use this story to show that Caesar's influence began with his personality, particularly his confidence and his ability to stand his ground even against someone as powerful as Sulla. This part stood out to me because seeing this side of him makes it easier to understand why people were drawn to him, since he came across as someone who wouldn't betray the people close to him and wasn't afraid to take risks, which are qualities people view as trust and admiration for a leader. I'd like to learn more about how these early experiences shaped his political choices later on in life.

Reading Appian was shocking because of how distraught everyone was. For so many people to be in distress and grief about him was proof of the influence he had over his people. In the passage it is mentioned that the people burned down the senate house where he was killed and hunted down the murderers. They were so moved by his death that they refused to let his murderers go free. "To think that I actually saved the lives of these men who were to kill me." This line was the nail in the coffin as it really highlighted the level of betrayal these people had committed. Also, as I was reading it, the line where it states Antony, "...stripped the clothes from Caesar’s body, raised them on a pole and waved them about, rent as they were by the stabs and befouled with the dictator’s blood..," made me wonder if this was what truly set the people off. Of course they were upset about the ordeal as a whole but Antony's actions felt like the moment a rebellion was incited. His words and actions spoke directly to the people and enhanced their already high feelings motivating them to avenge their beloved dictator.

While I was reading Appian, when it came to Caesar's funeral I found it particularly interesting that Antony decided to get rid of Caesar's bloodied clothes and began waving them around as if it was some sort of prize. I thought this was so interesting because it reminded me of a scene that you'd see in a packed movie theater, so whoever was writing this at the time likely dramatized it from the actual truth. There's likely a lot of accounts of this happening so this is just one of them. I think the author was trying to say to us that Julius Caesar was a lot more then just a leader, but he was also someone to look up to and was a warrior as well. He was the shining light that many Romans looked up to at that time and I really respect that about his character. I'd like to know more on if someone waving around Caesar's bloodied clothes was true or not.

When reading from Appian, on Caesars funeral I found it really interesting that Antony stripped Caesar of his blood soaked clothes and started waving them around. This was interesting to me because it feels really theatrical so it makes me wonder if this is a reliable account. I think Appian was trying to communicate that Antony is "acting" in order to gain support from the masses and that's why he chooses to depict the funeral like a play. I would like to find out how accurate this really is.

The detail that jumps out at me as I read through Caesar’s early career is that his health was constantly battling against him. Despite the health conditions he faced, he continued going into war and not adapting a soft lifestyle which would have been understandable for him to do. It struck me as surprising because many rulers would have arguably chosen the latter and allowed their generals to go into wars and take on other responsibilities while they enjoyed the luxuries of their ruleship. I think the author was trying to communicate the type of ruler and person that Caesar was. Key traits such as determination and resilience come to mind upon reading of his manner of being and I believe the author’s intention was to convey that. I would like to find out more about Caesar’s progression into the middle of his life especially in regards to what Cicero mentioned about Caesar’s tyrannical purpose behind his actions. 

I chose the passage from Appian about Caesar’s funeral, and the part that really stood out to me was how wild the crowd got when his body was brought out. People were crying, yelling, and throwing anything they could find into the fire to build the pyre. It surprised me because I never realized how intense the reaction to his death was and how much regular people seemed to care about him. I think Appian was trying to show how huge Caesar’s influence was and how his death basically pushed Rome into even more chaos. It also made me want to learn more about how much of that reaction was real emotion and how much might have been stirred up by politics or people trying to take advantage of the moment.

What stood out to me when I read the Appian was the degree of grief and mourning of the people as Antony gave his speech. Despite the Republic of Rome’s ideology against kings, the public’s mourning of his death show they supported Caesar’s dictatorship, as he made many reforms that helped Rome for the better. I think the author was trying to communicate via Antony’s speech how Caesar positively impacted the lives of the people of Rome. I want to learn more about the state of Rome after Caesar’s death and how dictatorships were impacted going forward.

What stood out to me the most in the passage was Julius Caesar's symbolism of royalty and power during the Roman empire." This represented his quick defeat of the Pontic army and his calendar reform when he realized that time was moving faster than the original calendar. The author wanted to show that Caesar was more than a leader, a warrior and a ruler. He was a heroic figure that the Romans looked up to in times of desperation. He also humanized Caesar by having him shave his hair and show sensitivity to his appearance. Caesar wants to earn the people's trust so that they can help him keep the Roman community strong for the future. I would like to know more about the downfall of Caesar and how it led to his execution.

What struck me most was Caesar’s use of spectacle, especially the famous phrase “I came, I saw, I conquered,” which captures his ability to turn military victory into powerful public messaging. The piece shows how Caesar uses triumphs, generosity, reforms in a great interplay resulting in his securing loyalty and projecting authority. I would like to find out more about how Caesar's calendar reform was received at the time , and whether ordinary Romans understood its importance or regarded it merely as pomp of his authority.

As I read Appian’s account on Caesar’s Funeral, I was able to learn more about the injustices that had occurred towards Caesar upon his death and after it. I took interest in hearing how his murderers were pardoned and had their status elevated without any form of punishment. I’m not shocked the people of Rome were overwhelmed with so much anger they chose to burn down the Senate-house and went after those who killed Caesar. To them, these murderers took away someone who was the epitome of a Roman which is explained through his achievements, reforms, and care for his people & country. Caesar is practically praised like a God which shows how high he is regarded. I believe the author wanted to express how Mark Antony’s speech gave a voice and life to the feelings of those who supported Caesar by mentioning wailings and mournful hymns. It even gave life to the revenge they chose to enact to the murderers of Caesar. I want to learn more about whether the state of Rome depleted after the death if Caesar.

I chose the reading from Plutarch on Caesar's early career. One detail that stood out to me was Caesar refusing Sulla’s order to divorce his wife. This surprised me because it showed how bold he was even as a young man, especially since Sulla was killing people who opposed him. Plutarch shows that Caesar’s courage and ambition were already visible, which helps explain why he became so influential later.

The author seems to be communicating that Caesar’s rise came from his strong character his determination, confidence, and willingness to challenge authority. What I found most interesting is how one early decision helped build his reputation and made powerful people realize he was someone to watch.

I’d like to learn more about how accurate Plutarch’s version is and how much of it was shaped to make Caesar look exceptional.