Germanicus

Because not everyone is so "one-eyed" (or should I say "starry -eyed") that they are incapable of seeing differences between situations faced, and how individuals handled them. I too chose Caesar, mostly because there's not a person in the world who doesn't know his name, or at least that of Caesar, but those with a different criteria for "Greatest", could well choose someone else.

Try the links here

Yeah....I loved that crappola too

Certainly, but it is a constant dissappointment to me that all we have to scrutinize it with is our own suspicion of Tacitus motives, which may or may not be correct......oh well, I guess that's the thing with the faded past.

My bad but goods are also Star Trek - I too enjoyed Enterprise before it was canned. The other would be trashy, formula driven fantasy novels - by people like David Gemmel - seriously, every book is the same - but oh - what a formula !

Whether he needed them or not, I think he would have wanted to prevent Agricola from shining too brightly. Tacitus maintains that he wanted Agricola back in Rome, and that Domitian then poisoned him.

Rapes certainly took place, it was part of sacking a city or town, but I doubt in many instances male rape would have been tolerated in the soldiery and have not heard of it before - what's your source ? Sounds dodgy.

A small force was trapped behind a wall.....a massive force was converging on the outer wall from the other side - two fronts. I don't separate superior engineering from on field command as you do - it's the general who decides on how to deploy his engineers, where he wants to put the works, where the troops are stationed, where he wants pits dug and stakes sunk - the credit is his alone. What you're saying in kind of like saying "It's the builders who deserve credit for the building - not the architect."

Hardly - or were the Cimbri/Tuetones not Iron Age warriors of the same ilk ? It took another GREAT General to defeat them. I'm sorry, I can't agree with you wasn't Alesia "superior deployment" ? I already know your answer.

It only lacks effectiveness for you because it differs from your own view. Kind of an obvious observation I suppose....

Those mere Iron Age warriors had defeated many a Roman general before Caesar. Even forced some to go under the yoke.... The fame accrued by Caesar for his conquest of Gaul usually stems from the number of battles fought without defeat, against superior numbers, and at lightening speed. Any difference in quality of opponent as you see it is more than balanced by this in terms of Scipio.

I have heard rumour she is currently writing another for the series - based in large part on Augustus

If Cato or some other "tyrannicide" had have killed Sulla before he had a chance to reform the treason laws, the dispute that lead to Caesars march on Rome may not have occured. Cato hung his whole "Gallic Wars were illegal" arguement on those very reforms of Sulla, Cato should have thanked the dictator. Without those laws, the legality would probably not have been questioned by him.

Anyone know what the attitude of Cato and the other Optimates was to the reforms of Sulla and his dictatorship ?

Nothing wrong with Vs threads provided they relate to Rome which this clearly does. So what do people think ? Were the Celts Caesar defeated a pathetic rable, as some anti Caesarians would have you think ? Is Caesars status as a general deserved ?

Welcome Arvioustus. The thread is fine. Another exsists that I can see regarding what Emperor you'd like to meet, but this is different. I'd like to have met Julius Caesar - no one ever denied him a magnetic personality....and no Cato I would NOT have stabbed him for you

You don't need a strongman to accomplish reform. To pass an agenda You're right - that is interesting. Would be good for another thread as you mention. I think you should read that book you were asking about "Sulla, the Last Republican". I can't agree with all it touts, but it does ask some very good questions and gives some good answers calling into question the popular view of Sulla as a blood thirsty tyrant above all else.

Thanks again Cato. Most disagree with you but hey - just like old times, again, and again, and again. I must say I do find your passionate hatred for a long dead historical figure interesting, in a clinical way at least.

So Cato, why didn't all these reforms work to salvage your precious republic ? I think the labeling of the Senate as a sometimes indecisive, fillibustering body at times cannot be so easily dismissed either. I can see that yes - individual consuls and law makers had success with individual reforms. It does seem to me though that what was needed was either an individual, or two consuls in office for more than a year who could systematicly force through all required reforms. That is why I think the reforms we have established were required - would never have been enacted as a whole. On the subject of Sulla, why do you call him a power grabber ? If he was so eagre for power - why relinquish it after enacting the reforms he thought were needed ?

Sorry Flavius, I just don't see as bleak a picture as this article paints. I also have a problem taking anything seriously that A)-Quotes Patrick Buchanan, and - Uses Catholic doctrine in a misleading manner to support it's arguement. But hey, if you want to doom and gloom about it based on this - you go for it. On a sideline - the world could do with some de-population.

How would this effect the birth rate ?

I concur, but for different reasons. I don't believe Roman society was capable of organising the types of sweeping Reforms already mentioned. Who would do it ? A Dictator ? The Senate ? unlikely.

Statistics wise, Shark attacks are very uncommon, and considering how many people go and swim without getting attacked, we're pretty safe. Bare in mind that the attack on the weekend is the only known attack at a beach where Shark countermeasures (shark lines) were in place. The jellyfish problem is mainly in northern Queensland, and is seasonal, so in Jellyfish season, some beaches are literally closed down. I understand others employ nets, and if you are going in anyway you could wear a skin suit, so any tentacles don't reach your skin. I live in Victoria though, and we have no such problem, just the occasional man-o-war jellyfish that hurts like hell but will not kill you. I swim a lot in summer at the beach. Seriously, if you've grown up here it's just the way things are, poisoness snakes and heat are just a reality in the Summer that you get used to. Like most places, if you lived there you'd get to know the local dangers and how to avoid them. It is a great source of national pride though, and an Australian will always feel good when some outlander jumps a mile high on seeing a snake. I have seen Dingos on Fraser Island, which has a large population.

Clodius snuck in to Caesars place in drag during the festival(no men allowed). Was it to get it on with Caesars wife ? I doubt it. Aurelia (Caesars mother) caught him and hence the scandal. I think he just snuck in as a dare, he was into that kind of thing.

The whole world would be dealing with the fallout problem for generations to come. So not only would the two perpetrators be screwed, they'd shaft the rest of the world too.....nice.