Why caesar was a tyrant

Why does Antony shake hands with the conspirators? What happens to Portia? How are Octavius and Caesar related? Why does Brutus refuse to swear an oath? Why does Brutus kill himself? Free-Will Honor Ethics vs. Quotes Tyranny. And why should Caesar be a tyrant then? Poor man, I know he would not be a wolf, But that he sees the Romans are but sheep I.

Popular pages: Julius Caesar. Caesar was no exception to this rule. Throughout the Civil War Caesar let his Senatorial enemies live. It was said that he wept at the sight of Pompey's head when he arrived in Egypt. This is because he wanted Pompey to live so that Caesar's glory would be enhanced through his achievements over Pompey. Julius Caesar was no tyrant.

He may have assumed dictatorial powers, but they were used to bring order in a desperate time. Caesar passed legislation that was not popular among the nobility, but it was necessary to allow the plebs to find work and land. When Caesar went to war in Gaul it was deemed illegal by the Senate and they sought to prosecute him. This was seen as an intentional slight to Caesar, so he could not honorably agree to disband his legions.

To defend his name and that of his family he was forced to invade Italy. The privileges he sought had been granted to other members of the Senate when it suited them, but under Pompey the Senate turned against Caesar. Throughout the Civil War Caesar acted like a man who sought to end civil strife rather than prolong it.

He prevented his armies from seizing the property of his enemies. When Caesar defeated Pompey's generals and armies he pardoned them and let them go. These are the actions of a man simply seeking to redress the wrongs done to him when the system failed him. Caesar was assassinated by a group of Senators on March 15th, 44BC. His assassination brought an end to his reforms, and also to his merciful nature. Mark Antony and Octavian were not so merciful and they ruthlessly destroyed Caesar's enemies.

Octavian used dictatorial powers to dominate the Senate and effectively ruled as one man. This is seen as the start of the empire to historians, but Romans at the time would have seen the Senate still operating and Octavian went to great lengths to give the appearance of the Republic still functioning.

As a result of Octavian's actions the Republic died a quiet death, but some historians see Julius Caesar as the force behind the death of the Republic. Caesar sought to protect his family name, fix the changes to the Senate wrought by the Optimates, and to achieve a greater legacy for himself.

This does not make Caesar a tyrant, simply a man living in his time and, for a while, succeeding. Answer: No, Caesar was not a tyrant by the dictionary definition. A tyrant is one who seized power illegally, and Caesar was given the title of "dictator" by the lawfully elected Senate.

No, to assume that because the senate killed Caesar and the senators though Caesar was a tyrant, therefore Caesar was a tyrant because the senate killed him is circular logic. Only by assessing the actions of a character through the lens of their time period can there properly understood. When his rivals in Rome demanded he return as a private citizen, he used these riches to support his army and marched them across the Rubicon River, crossing from Gaul into Italy.

Returning to Italy, Caesar consolidated his power and made himself dictator. At the same time, he sponsored the building of the Forum Iulium and rebuilt two city-states, Carthage and Corinth.

He also granted citizenship to foreigners living within the Roman Republic. In 44 B. His increasing power and great ambition agitated many senators who feared Caesar aspired to be king.

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