carmona

It's been fixed, you should be able to download it now. Got it. Thanks!

Hi sorry I'm a new member so I have a question to ask. How come I can't download the attached documents? Is it because my membership isn't fully activated? I'm very interested in Tacitus and would like very much to read this essay. Thanks!

You don't see the proscriptions that Augustus authorized as similar to Saddam or Mao murdering countless opponents to stay in power? The title of dictator in the Roman sense is certainly not the same as how we define the word today. However, there certainly is a resemblence. The civil war that occurred in China can definitely be compared to the civil wars that were fought in Caesar's and Augustus' time. Saddam was not only a pervert, he was a dictator who did whatever was necessary to stay in power, and he was successful for a long period of time. We do not live in ancient Rome so we do not view its politics in the same light as that of Saddam, Mao, and Hitler. The people of China and Germany loved these men certainly in a similar fashion as the Roman people loved Caesar and Augustus. Some of the peoples whom the Romans subjected of course had a certain hatred towards Rome's leaders in much the same way as we villainize Saddam, Mao, and Hitler. This is not to say that these men led saintly lives. The terrible things that they did were just that - terrible. But so were some of the things that Caesar, Augustus and Caligula commited. We must remember that their political tactics are undoubtedly comparable. We are looking thousands of years back in time when analyzing the Roman system hence we do view it mostly in an impartial light. When we discuss men like Hitler and Saddam, we are severely biased when comparing because we live in these times and the horrors that they committed are still fresh. In order to have a fair comparison of these men as historians, we must put aside our personal fascinations with ancient Rome and our negative biases against our contemporary figures and analyze them all from an impartial perspective. As for the comparison of the Roman autocracy to the structure of the Mafia, I see what you mean. The Roman autocrats were not just "good governers." They operated in a corrupted system that can easily be compared to the modern mafia. I don't see inciting civil war, mass murdering opponents, and dismantling a democratic society and transforming it into an autocracy as actions that ideal governers would do.

Considering that these historical figures have had an immense impact on the history of Rome, what are their differences in character and how did this lead to the development of their legacy? Sure it can be said that Caesar was the product of the Marian and Sullan era, that Augustus was that of Caesar's, and Caligula of Augustus', but that's to put it very simply. These men changed Rome. Caesar initiated it by being appointed dictator for life and Augustus following suit by introducing true autocracy. Caligula's madness may have been a consequence of his position and times, for he had the power and title to do as he pleased, this power of course, being introduced by his predecessors. So, to what extent are these figures a product of their time? Also, are there any figures in our time or in recent history that resemble these ancient Roman leaders? George W. Bush, Osama Bin Ladin, Saddam Hussein, Fidel Castro, Mao Zedong, Adolf Hitler are just a few who come to mind. Are there any others? There are obviously going to varying opinions on who resembles who. I just want to get an idea of how we can compare the figures of the past to those of the present. What do you guys think?