Author: Suetonius (Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus) was a Roman historian and wrote in the Roman Empire during the earlier part of the Imperial Era. He is most famous for his biographies, of which he wrote on twelve Roman rulers (one, of course, being Julius Caesar).
Date/Context: Written in the early Imperial Era of the Roman Empire, Suetonius wrote “Caesar’s Reforms” in AD, so after Caesar was assassinated and long after his rule was over. Caesar had defeated Pompey in 48 B.C.E. and went on to defeat his supporters, leading him to Roman rule. Upon organizing the reforms that Suetonius addresses, senators were discontent with Caesar’s imperial manner and feared him trying to make himself the position of a king. To solve this, they planned his murder.
Summary: Suetonius simply outlines the reforms that Caesar had planned to put in place in Rome, all of which included:
1. Adjusting the calendar to that of which we use now (365 days, 1 extra day every 4 years)
2. Appointed positions in the senate to fill the vacant spots
3. Half the magistrates would be elected by the people, the other half he would personally appoint
4. Reduced those receiving "grain" (aid?) from the public
5. Conferred citizenship to doctors and liberal arts teachers in Rome
6. Did not cancel debts, but still got rid of about 25% of their debt as he made it so that "debtors should satisfy their creditors according to a valuation of their possessions at the price which they paid for them before the Civil War"
7. Made punishments harsher
8. Began more projects to better the empire
However, it was all of these reforms that drove senators to murder Caesar.
Key Quotations: “In particular, for the beautification and convenience of the city, as well as for guarding and extending the bounds of the empire, he formed more projects and more extensive ones every day.”
“All these enterprises and plans were cut short by his death.”
Identifying characteristics: Identifying characteristics of "Caesar's Reforms" include the reforms Caesar implemented during his reign. The document also mentions the reforms Caesar wanted to achieve, but was unable to because of his death.
ReplyDeleteJean: You did a good job at identifying the key quotes that really sum up the document, and those are the quotes I would have chosen also. I like the way you numbered the different reforms, but I feel like you could have added a little bit more about the plans he had that were cut short by his death. I think that this document was relatively harder than some because of its length, but you did a good job with it.
Well done, Jean & Kayti! As mentioned, Suetonius (ca. 70 - ca. 140 CE) lived and authored his works after the death of Caesar. As a historian, he is criticized fictionalizing his accounts and basing them on gossip and scandal rather than the Imperial archives. This is evidenced by his adulatory tone.
ReplyDeleteAnother quote to consider: "Turning his attention to the reorganization of the state, [Caesar] reformed the calendar...he shared the elections with the people...he administered justice with the utmost conscientiousness and strictness."