week 8 daily 3

The people who killed Julius Caesar were justified by their actions completely. The people who killed Julius Caesar were magistrates who assassinated him because he declared himself dictator. The first person to try and kill him was Casca but when Caesar blocked his attack and fought back Casca called for the other senators to come out and kill Caesar.  It is estimated that around 60 men came to kill Caesar and participated and Caesar was stabbed 23 times. The group that killed Caesar called themselves the liberators. After the death of Julius Caesar the lower class and the middle class accused the group of aristocrats and thus ended the Roman republic. Antony, seeing that the republic was weak, seized the opportunity to step in and try to end the republic, probably with the idea of ruling Rome himself. However, Julius Caesar left and adopted son to control Rome when he had passed and the son’s name was Julius Octavian. Octavian vowed that he would avenge his father’s death and rid Rome of the liberators and have Brutus and Cassius killed. Antony, Octavian and Lepidus, who was also named by Caesar Caesar’s master of the horse Lepidus,, who was also named by Caesar Caesar’s master of the horse Lepidus, all went to war against the group called the liberators in two wars and the army led by Brutus and Cassius was defeated at Philippi and they were killed. So in conclusion, the liberators were justified for the killing of Rome’s ruler and had what was coming to them.

week 8 daily 2

Rome was first a republic then switched to an empire. In my opinion Rome succeeded better as an Empire. When Rome was a republic there were many problems between the people of the higher classes, Aristocrats, and the people in the lower classes, the Plebes.  In the Roman republic everything was based around the Senate and the Senate was controlled by the Patricians. The Patricians did not look at the impact things had on the Plebes just what it had on the rich Patricians. But as and Empire the Romans had more order. Everything and everyone was under the command of the emperor. Some emperors leaned more towards the Patricians others towards the Plebes. But overall the Plebes gained much more power. Also, the romans militarily and economically and in technological advances became so much better (and I say that leniently).In military means the Roman Empire gained much more land as an Empire led by the Generals appointed by the Emperor. Economically the whole city of Rome became more prosperous by giving more power and opportunity for the Plebes. After all and country is only as rich as its poorest class, in the romans case the Plebes. Also in technological advances some of the emperors invented great things to advance technology and make Rome run much more smoothly. Such as Claudius who made more advanced river systems and religious reforms which shaped the Roman society in a big impacting way. Over all the Romans just achieved much greater achievements as an empire.

Week 8 daily1

The Julio-Claudians were not all as bad as historians make them seem. However, a couple of the Julio-Claudians made their name disgraced and laughed upon. Possibly one of the craziest, most out of his mind, worst of the Julio-Claudians was Nero. Nero was so crazy and delusional that he set his own city of fire, which is known as the great fire. Nero stood atop the wall and played the fiddle or sang portions of the ilium while the city around him burned. After the city was burned, Nero blamed the Christians and as a result of this had the Christians prosecuted and thrown into lions dens to become eaten. He also got into an argument with his mother. Nero wanted to get a divorce but his mother would not let them. He got into a big argument with her and then he had her killed. If all of this does not prove how crazy and out of his mind Nero was he thought his magistrates were plotting against him so he had them all assassinated. Each and every last one of them killed just because of his crazy thought. Claudius also was a crazy wako of a ruler. One of his enjoyed “activities” was chaining people up and throwing them off cliffs. He also was sick early on in his rule over Rome and never really did become sane after the incident.  While the Julio-Claudians were not the nicest rulers they still had some contributions that were good but overall the Julio-Claudians were not mentally stable to be ruling an empire.

daily 4 week 7

Hannibal, or in his language to his people known as hanba’al, was born in Carthage ,the main seaport of the large Mediterranean sea, in 247 B.C.  His father was the general of Carthage’s army and his name was Hamilcar Barca. At this time Carthage and Rome where mortal enemies after the Romans had beaten them in the first Punic war and took Sicily. Hannibal’s father, Hamilcar, raised Hannibal to despise the Romans with the intensity in all his heart.  When Hannibal was only six he had to take a blood pact to be mortal enemies and general rivals of Rome for the rest of his life. Hannibal kept this pact with him his whole life. In 218 B.C. he took a massive army into southern Spain who would travel over numerous mountain ranges including the Alps with war elephants. Hannibal marched strait around Rome down the eastern side of Italy and then came around the tip and headed North straight for Rome and at the battle of Cannae he defeated Rome.  Hannibal did deserve his title as a monster. He massacred towns and showed no mercy on the Romans. He crushed them leaving none alive. However, He really had no choice this was how he was raised. Just like how we learn to tie our shoes from our parents, Hannibal learned to hate the Romans from his father. You really can’t blame the Romans for calling him a monster and treating him like one and you especially can’t blame Hannibal for the way he acts because nobody taught him different this was Hannibal this was who he was.
http://www.livius.org/ha-hd/hannibal/hannibal.html my source

daily 3 week 7

The struggle of the orders in ancient Rome was directly influential on the later roman political system. In order to understand this I have to start by going over the struggle of the orders. The struggle of the orders was the way the political legal system was set up at first. In this system the senate was only occupied by the higher class of patricians or aristocrats. The lower class of plebeians was not involved in this at all.  However, the aristocrats made the laws in the senate and passed them without the Plebes in mind. There for the Plebes could not be in the senate but were directly affected by the laws passed by the senate. The Plebes did not like how the senate was run so they protested it. The conflict caused and uprising almost to the point where there was a civil war. Nobody wants to go to war so the Plebes and the aristocrats got together and discussed solutions. The solution they came up with that became the political system was still a senate, but it created a highly influential position for one Plebe. This Plebe would be in the senate and had a unique power. He could veto, or deny, proposals by the senate that would affect the Plebes negatively. This made the Plebes more satisfied and calmed the protest. At this time the Plebes where given a large power amongst the senate and now had great power for one of the first times. Both the Plebes and the patricians where satisfied with the agreement. 

Daily 2 week 7

My future in ancient Rome did not look too bright. At the time of 464 B.C. I would be invading Carthage the greatest naval power of their time. I would be at war with the Carthaginians for twenty three years. I would be invading the island of Sicily taking over many of the cities there that were owned by Carthage.  When the Carthaginians attempt to raise their fleet we will crush them and blaze through. This will be the first time Carthage won’t rule the sea. Neither side of this battle, Carthage and Rome, really won the first Punic war. Carthage signed a peace treaty and gave Rome their island that the war was fought on Sicily. War was my future as a man in the times of Rome in 464 B.C. However, in this modern age I probably will not be going to war. In this day and age I will be in battle not in a war sense but in a political and economic sense. I will probably be a man of business fighting battles with other companies not with other armies. I will be wining by receiving more income not by defeating an army. In the end in this modern time it comes down to was I successful economically. Where as in the ancient Roman times it was am I still alive. My future in the past was far more risky but asserted my dominance over others and my future in this modern day is proving my dominance over other smaller companies.

http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/ROME/PUNICWAR.HTM : SOURCE 

Daily 1 week 7

This concrete floor was influenced by the romans because the romans invented the use of concrete in buildings.

http://rome.mrdonn.org/builders.html my source for information.

Week 4b special question

When Alexander was 19 he became king of Macedonia when his father was assassinated along with the countries of Greece that his father had conquered. Alexander launched a long campaign to take over Persia to avenge the Persian wrongs they had done only 150 years ago when they invaded Greece. This campaign lasted 10 years and alexander was victorious. He never lost a single battle; he was undefeated. Alexander’s journey was entirely worth it; however what happened after his death destroyed what he worked so hard to build.

The first major battle against the Persians was the battle of Issus. “Alexander had not yet even gotten out of turkey. He was still trying to get down the mountains and find the way to the sea. Darius however was waiting for him.”(Boise state university) Alexander had to get across a river to fight his opponent Darius. He had Parmenio lead an attack left and Alexander took his force from the right straight at Darius. Darius got scared and fled which made the entire Persian force collapse. (Boise state university). The Biggest and could be said most influential battle against the Persian Empire was Gaugamela.  The Persians Outnumbered the Greeks by at least 4-1. However, Alexander had a plan. Alexander led his Calvary way right leading the Persians Calvary chasing him and his Calvary thinking they can take alexander by himself. But in a feat of wit, on alexander’s signal the Calvary turned and headed straight for Darius.  Again the Persian leader fled (YouTube video we watched). But alexander forced him out of his empire and took over the capital, burned the palace, and became ruler of Persia.

Alexander came through turkey and down the coast into Egypt. When he arrived in Egypt he was greeted warmly. In fact, the welcomed him in and made him pharaoh (Michael wood). When Alexander came into Egypt he walked across the desert to an oasis known as Siwa. It was here where alexander started his own myth. When he came to the temple the oracle there came out and said he had been waiting for Alexander and Alexander was the son of the god Zeus (movie).  Alexander accepted this and embraced it throughout his conquest and every one believed it.

After Alexander defeated Darius for a second time he continued to chase him up into Afghanistan.  But as the King got closer and closer to Darius and his fleeing army Alexander found him face down dead in a pool of water (movie). Alexander felt sorry for the king and chased after Bessus up to the Hindu Kush Mountains. In order to catch Bessus Alexander ordered his army to go through the Mountains. He led his troops through the Mountain range and caught Bessus who thought he had lost Alexander (movie). Alexander took Bessus and ordered that he be killed by stake back in Babylon. (movie) this marked the end of the Persian Empire.

After conquering the known world Alexander traveled to india and attempted to take it over. Alexander slaughtered everyone there. In panic the people fled to a mountain base called aornos. This fortress was unreachable by alexander because of a valley between them. So alexander ordered his engeneers to build towers and a bridge. In seven days’ time Alexander was able to siege the fortress. His siege equipment put constant firs on the base while alexander leads his men to the base.  The people at the base tried to surrender but alexander slaughtered everyone. (movie/Wikipedia)

Through Alexander’s journey he was told he was a god, conquered the greatest empire of their time, and sieged a base not even Hercules could take over. Alexander built the largest empire in the known world, and his generals separated it after his death. Alexander’s journey was worth it but the aftermath of the conquest when Alexander dies makes it not worth it.

week 6 WEEKLY

                      Power: The Evil Corruption

                      Alexander the great had a lot of power. He became the king of Macedonia and many countries in Greece at the age of 19. With this start and a huge feat of strength and courage he would take on the entire Persian Empire. The Persian Empire was the largest empire by far. But the young lad would take it by storm and rule close to the whole known world. However, with this great power comes great responsibility. I believe that Power corrupts and in conquering Persia Alexander became more Persian then Persia becoming more Greek.

                       Power corrupts the weak willed people. Without strong willpower one will surely fall to the depths of corruption. This is because when you get power you want more and more of it and there is never a sufficient amount you always want more. Power is in a lot of ways like technology. When you buy the “new thing” 6 months later it’s upgraded and the “new thing” isn’t so new anymore. Power is like a never ending chain. The more power you get the more you want.

                       How power works is it gets into peoples egos and makes the infected person do things theyd never do without it. They get snobby and mean. They forget about friends they use to have and try to fit in and impress the other powerful people. But more than anything they try to conquer or prove they are better than the other people in power. In a lot of ways Power is like disease. It infects people and then it goes away and the person infected gets better.

                       When Alexander was corrupt with power he wanted to conquer the whole world. He marched straight into Persia and conquered it. Alexander always wanted more. In Gaugamela he wanted to chase the fleeing Persian king but he had to pull back is men or he could have lost his entire army. When Alexander took over Persia though, he took up a lot of Persian influence. His veterans in his army that had fought for him for a while said that he was going Persian on them. Alexander the great started wearing the elegant Persian robes after conquering this nation that showed that he could like Persia. Alexander avenged Persian wrongs but now he was dressing like them. This makes me believe that he was more so influenced by Persia.

                       In conclusion Power isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Too much power is a bad thing. If you get to lead that’s great. Just don’t let it go to your head. If you have weak will power it will take over your body and you will become corrupt. Everybody deserves to be a leader at some point. Power can boost self-confidence but it can bring out the worst in people too so you have to be careful. Too much power corrupts people and that amount is different for everyone. Alexander was corrupt towards the end of his journey and Persia definitely influenced him.

week 6 daily 4

I would have followed Alexander the great into battle against the entire Persian Empire. There is a short story that I shall pass down through the ages.

                We marched for days without end. Alexander is fierce and is always on the move. I am fortunate to be fighting under his reign. I will follow him till the end of the earth and farther if he asks of it. Until my last living breath I will follow the great Alexander. He is the son of a god and will be victorious over all.  Tomorrow we march on Persia. It will be brutal but we will brand this battle into the minds of Persia, Greece and history. People many moons from now will remember the day Alexander the great led his men on and attack to fight Darious at Gaugamela. The great god Alexander will never be defeated and one day when I return home to Macedonia I will tell my children, and my children’s children, and they will the will there children’s children of this day I fought alongside the great Alexander. I am to ride with Alexander himself and we shall destroy Darious and his army for what they did to Greece 150 years ago and when this battle is done the world will remember the great battle that took place on this day and everyone will remember that today we fight and WIN for the great Alexander. Alexander has never lost in battle the odds are very massive for this battle but we will prevail. I will never leave Alexander’s side until I have left this earth and even then I will be looking down watching over him. Nobody will forget the bravery, courage and fierceness of the army of the great king of the world Alexander.

week 6 daily 3

After Alexander the great’s death his empire went up in to an uproar. His land was split between his generals and they all fought over who got what. This was because Alexander the great had no successor or plan for when he passed. Alexander the great did not think he could die. He was only 30 years old about and he was told he was the son of a god.  This was not at all organized as you can tell. What I believe should have happened to Alexander the greats amazing empire is the empire should have become a democracy ruled by no one person. I think that it should have remained one empire but had a court of law and followed the same rules. This could create peace among the nations. If there was peace there would be no need for all the bloodshed. People could live in harmony with one and other. Alexander the great worked far too hard for his generals to split it up. As a whole it was the strongest empire in the world. But when it split up it was not a whole and was susceptible to attack. Alexander the great probably had a backup plan he just never told anybody. He did not want to put the idea out there that he may die. He wanted to remain strong.  I think that if Alexander had a son which he probably did he just did not know of him there would be a lot less chaos. 

week 6 daily 2

Aristotle was a philosopher and he tutored alexander the great. I think that Alexander the great listened very well to his teacher and applied it to his war tactics and strategies. Aristotle was taught by Plato and Plato was taught by Socrates so you could say that Aristotle was part of a chain of some of the most known philosophers of their time period. When we learned about Greece we learned that people respected Socrates’s studies and teachings based off of the many people who wept as Socrates did not fight against his prosecution at his trial and drank the poison willingly. These teachings passed down into Alexander the great who studied under Aristotle. So Alexander the great learned the teachings of three of the greatest minds of that century. Aristotle studied and wrote about physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology. Alexander the great knowing these things taught by Aristotle assisted him in being a better leader. Alexander the great used physics in battle to come up with strategies to beat the Persians. Knowing rhetoric’s Alexander could persuade people to follow him and cities to join him or surrender instead of fighting against him and his great army.  Alexander was also logical he used logics in figuring out what the Persians would do in battle and what he could do to defeat them. Also learning from Aristotle just gave Alexander general knowledge as well. Alexander was smart and educated so he could make educated decisions. Alexander had to of listened carefully to his tutor, Aristotle.