Biography of Julius Caesar

Question 2: What is the author’s bias? Is this a negative or positive portrayal of Caesar What might have motivated Suetonius to portray Caesar in this way?   

The author, Suetonius, was said to be a quiet and studious man. He was a dedicated writer, so he wanted to be objective, fair, and realistic in documenting the lives of the Roman emperors, i.e., the Caesars.  He was primarily motivated by his passion to document the rulers’ lives and perhaps to serve as legacy for political people. His portrayal of them is neutral and realistic and so it is neither negative nor positive. He likewise did not insert any personal interpretation or commentary.  He used a pattern for describing the emperors as objectively as possible such as family history, physical description, strengths, weaknesses, attitudes or manners, and quotes.

Question 3: What was the context in which Suetonius was writing? Where and when was this document written, and what was going on at that time?               

Suetonius lived and wrote this biography sometime during the Imperial Era of the Roman Empire. It was said that he dedicated the document, i.e., the collective biographies, to a prefect or a leader of a private unit of the Imperial Guard army whose purpose was to serve as bodyguards to the Roman emperors.

Question 4: Who was the intended audience for The Life of Julius Caesar?        

The Life of Julius Caesar is intended for students or anyone who has an in interest in Roman history particularly the lives of the Roman emperor.  It is also for those who would like to understand the errors of the past or what lessons they could offer that would contribute to a better leadership or politics. Studying this biography leads to an understanding of how the government functions and what factors lead to its evolution or transformation.

Question 5: Can you link The Life of Julius Caesar to other things you’ve learned about, either in class or elsewhere? How might this source add to our understanding of history?                                                                                         

Reading and understanding The Life of Julius Caesar provides a background information on how the Roman emperors ruled Rome and how the succeeding emperors were influenced or affected by the life of Julius Caesar. It could be that Julius Cesar gave the emperors and other rules on how to act/function as an effective emperor and in what manner to live that kind of life. His life and his death also provided some clues on how to honor and pay respect upon his death for other rulers to follow.