Julius Caesar and the Fall of the Roman Republic Essay

How was it possible that under the dictatorship and after the deification of Julius Caesar the Roman republic fell, when it had been structurally sound for four centuries before? When the republic was established around the end of the 6th century B.C.E., the Romans made clear that they wished to avoid all semblance of the monarchy that had ruled for two centuries before. (T.J. Cornell, The Beginnings of Rome: Italy and Rome from the Bronze Age to the Punic Wars (c. 1000-264 BC), London and New York: Routledge, 1995; p. 215) The rule of the Republic was to be split into powers of the senate and consuls, a system that worked for over four centuries. The republic would face problems with the rise of the first triumvirate in 60 B.C.E.,†¦show more content†¦Caesar was becoming a living god in front of the senate. In order to stop his ascending reign, Caesar was executed. Based on ancient Greek belief, Caesar’s work as a man had already been done and he was awarded the title Divus after his death, symbolizing his apotheosis to divine status. Caesar was deified after his death, at a level that had been done before only in honor of Romulus, the founder of Rome. Caesar had transcended man and become a god that once walked among men. Caesar’s accomplishments were not beyond conceivable for a man, although rare. By awarding Caesar honors and awards while he was alive, the Senate was creating a dictator that was beyond their own control. The Senate had deified Caesar as more than a man so they could justify his assassination. However, by the time Caesar was assassinated he had already changed the course of history, leaving an heir and a trail of followers that saw it was more than possible for one man to control Rome. Caesar’s apotheosis was a turning point for the Roman republic that impacted and attributed to its decline in 27 B.C.E. How Caesar Was Divine Ancient Romans, even before Caesar, had indicated that a human could have become divine after death. In cases of the Romans, ancient custom required divine honours as a law to be given to the father by the son. When fathers died, sons would perform funeral rites at the grave of theirShow MoreRelatedJulius Caesar And The Fall Of The Roman Republic1122 Words   |  5 PagesJune 2017 Julius Caesar and the fall of the Roman Republic Julius Caesar was one of if not the greatest ruler the Roman Republic has ever seen. He was born in 100 BC to Aurelia and Gaius Caesar. Although his family was hailed by Roman aristocrats, they were still very poor. When Julius Caesar was only 16 his father died. Rome was very unstable at this time, almost being in chaos. Around the time his father died Caesar decided to make an effort bringing back the nobility of him country. 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