Julius Caesar
Who was the un-crowned emperor in the history of Rome? Well, Julius Caesar of course! Caesar is one of the most controversial characters of history; the people that are for him see him as a defender of the rights of the people against an oligarchy. The people against him see him as an ambitious troublemaker, who forced his way to dictatorial power and destroyed the republic. In my opinion Julius Caesar was an efficient leader until the day he was assassinated in March 15, 44 BC by his senators in Rome. If he wasn’t an efficient leader then why would people speak so highly of him? Julius Caesar was a dictator, but his dictatorship was a critical point in Rome’s transition from republic to empire, but did Julius Caesar have the important qualities including being clever, ambitious, respectful, responsible and honest?
Julius Caesar was very clever. Julius Caesar wanting to avoid war between Pompey and Crassus -the two most wealthiest and powerful remaining Romans suggested a 3-way partnership. Which was later called The Triumvirate, but that’s not the only reason why Julius Caesar suggested that, Julius Caesar wanted more glamorous political and military opportunities, so realized that he would need allies to have his back in difficult situations. The Triumvirate including Pompey -for his money and military might, Crassus -also for his money and important political connection, and himself as the key office of consul. Julius Caesar used his cleverness to make friends and use them for their resources. Besides using his people to become more successful he also used the power he won very wisely. For example he restarted the calendar because it was false, and he also improved it, he gave the poor people an opportunity to start all over by forming colonies, he made libraries and altered the power of corrupt senate. Cleverness is an important quality in a leader.
Julius Caesar was also very ambitious. When Julius Caesar was offered the crown three times and denied it all three times shows that he was very ambitious because the crown was not the real one, you know that when Casca tells Brutus and Crassus: “Yet ‘twas not a crown neither, ‘twas one of these coronets” (Holt Literature and Language Arts 2010, Page #744, line #236-237). This shows that Julius Caesar wanted more than just the crown, and that he thought he was too good for it. Julius Caesar never listened to anyone, or any warnings. For example, when the soothsayer told him to beware of the Ideals of March; Julius Caesar didn’t listen, when Calphurnia told him about her dreams in which he died; Julius Caesar didn’t listen. Or when they saw the owl in day time, the slave caught one fire and the sky spit fire, he didn’t take that into account. All of that shows that Julius Caesar had a big ego; this proves he was ambitious because a person that has a big ego only does things that will benefit him in the future, or things that only help him, but being a leader, if something benefits you it also benefits your people. A famous quote from Caesar is “"Veni, vidi, vici" meaning I came, I saw, I conquered. A leader with ambition will never rest until he has what he wants for his country.
I don’t think Julius Caesar was indeed respectful because if he was not respectful he wouldn’t have taken the people into consideration. “Here is his will, and under Caesar’s seal to every Roman citizen he gives, to every several man, seventy-five drachmas” (Holt Literature and