Unit 3 Academic Ideas New

Front 1

Last

Back 1

He accepted the existence of factions and parties, and was sympathetic to the optimates eg. he sees Sulla as sincere and a good reformer. He can be criticised for deploying 20th century outlook on Roman politics.

Front 2

Millar

Back 2

Views the Roman Republic as a 'form of democracy' where politicians havw to win people's votes; therefore he believes the people had power.

Front 3

Paterson

Back 3

'parties, factions and family groups in Roman politics are largely the creations of modern commentators' Agrees with Wiesman that Roman politics was about ambition of individuals. Both are sceptical of existence of parties.

Front 4

Paterson (pt2)

Back 4

Thinks existenxe of optimate party was 'wishful thinking' for Cicero and that the boni weren't united enough to be a party. Sees being a popularis as more about methods than beliefs; 'aristocrats who used popularis techniques were in no sense radicals who sought to change the political system'

Front 5

Mouritsen

Back 5

Voting and assemblies were 'essentially a charade', politics was 'controlled by the elite' and assemblies are only a 'civic ritual, not decision making bodies'.The idea of people having power a sham.

Front 6

Brunt and Syme

Back 6

Criticised others for being too focused on politics and therefore the 1% ruling class. Roman politics was detached from reality of lives of the population including; Italians, equites, the rural and urban poor.

Front 7

Last (JC)

Back 7

Takes a positive view of key individuals and can be criticised foe hero-worshipping (hagiography). Dismissive of most populares but respects Julius Caesar: a 'genius' who showed above all 'will'.

Front 8

Last (Cato)

Back 8

Admires Cato 'he stood alone among his generation in devotion to a cause and an ideal without any thought for his own advancement'. On his suicide 'the idea of the Republic was kept alive by the death of a martyr'

Front 9

Last (Cicero)

Back 9

Admires 'genius' of Cicero and relies too much on his views as sources and derives admiration for optimates from there.

Front 10

Brunt (Pompey)

Back 10

Says Pompey's ambition was 'fatal to the Republic'. He was a great administrator and had no desire for tyranny but 'loved applause and courted popularity'. Pompey enabled Caesar's steps towards power: gave him chance to make his name in Gaul through triumvirate and an excuse to seize power in 49.

Front 11

Grant (JC)

Back 11

Biography of Caesar makes strong argument for his realism rather than popularis (criticised for hagiography)

Front 12

Grant (Cato)

Back 12

Cato was not as high-minded, intelligent or able.Pompey was limited, brutal and short-sighted in his ambiti

Front 13

Garland (Caesar)

Back 13

In biography of Caesar focuses on his 'cruelty' and his 'vanity' as well as his 'vitality'. Suggests Caesar was unpopular among the elit

Front 14

Dudley (Caesar)

Back 14

Severely criticises Caesar suggesting the Gaul campaign was 'solely for military glory' and was unnecessary and suicidal.Caesar was 'ruthless and without scruple' and showed 'contemptuous disregard of Republican convention'.

Front 15

Syme (Cato)

Back 15

Negative about the selfishness of Rome's elite. Sees Cato as arrogant and largely made things worse. He says his motives were partly personal: his hatred of Pompey and Caesar.Says his 'stubborn refusals accelerates the war'.

Front 16

Smith (Cato)

Back 16

Generally sceptical of Cato; believes he was 'good but far from great' and he 'more than any other created the Triumvirate'

Front 17

Scullard (Cicero)

Back 17

Calls Cicero 'one of the greatest sons', admiring his thought and humanitas (writing and philosophy).Though he admits Cicero has been criticised for 'irresolution and even cowardice' he points to him standing up to Sulla and final stand against Antony.

Front 18

Carpocino

Back 18

Wrote a biography of Cicero designed to expose him as selfish, an ambitious liar and self-publicist whose letters are limited historical value.

Front 19

Rawson and Tempest

Back 19

Written balanced, fair-minded biographies of Cicero: praise honesty, literary brilliance and bravery but admit flaws- vanity, pomposity, vacillation (indecision).

Front 20

Brunt (general)

Back 20

Paid too much attention to the elite and their ideals. The fall of the Republic was about the elite mishandling relationships between elite and the Italians, equites, rural and urban poor. Loyalties of poor men on generals for land and income; they supported their general rather than the system. urban poor. Loyalties of poor men on generals for land and income; they supported their general rather than the system.

Front 21

Syme 2

Back 21

Wrote 'Roman Revolution', arguing the ruthless selfishness of the elite class grew dissatisfaction below. Individuals were able to draw support from the angry large group. Sees elite as crippling flawed by their own selfishness, arrogance and exploitation of the rest of Italy.

Front 22

Smith

Back 22

Saw the collapse of Rome as a 'moral failure', leading to a 'disintegrating society' and sees a fundamental moral and spiritual weakness in politics and the society of Rome.

Front 23

Beard

Back 23

Places blame on key individuals and their role eg. sees Pompey as 'the first princeps' who first broke the system and established dangerous precedents and Caesar as 'the first emperor'.