The Manipulation of the Roman Masses by the Roman Politicians During 100 Bc to 44 Bc
“…Was this ambition? Yet Brutus says he was ambitious; and sure he is an honorable man. But were I Brutus, and Brutus Antony, there were an Antony would ruffle up your spirits, and put a tongue in every wound of Caesar that should move the stones of Rome to rise and mutiny… … Here was a Caesar! When comes such another,” addressed wise Marc Antony to the manipulated Roman citizens. (Foote and Perkins, 678 –683).
During 509 BC to AD 27, Rome was a republic where its citizens elected leaders by voting for senators (people from upper class or patricians). On the other hand an emperor had total power or dictatorship since he controlled the Roman society (different groups of people from the wealthiest to the most poor). As the Roman society was divided into various groups, not all had similar rights, including the right to vote. Thus, even if Rome had elections, was it a democracy? During Caesar’s time of reign (100 BC to 44 BC), this was how the government and the Roman society behaved. In William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, the similar intense affect or the change on the ordinary citizens can be witnessed due to the manipulation of these citizens by the upper class citizens such as Julius Caesar, Marcus Brutus, Cassius, and Marc Antony. The Roman emperors, patricians and the equestrians came from the upper class that had power and various rights such as the right to vote. As a result, they were able to manipulate the uneducated, lower classes of ordinary citizens, slaves and freedmen as politicians by the use of their army, their oratorical skills and by means of bribery, intimidation, and by other acts of abusing their position or power. Due to the unequal levels in society, politicians could easily manipulate the people under them.
Majority of the Romans did not have the right and the power to rise and revolt against the politicians since they came from a low-leveled society. The Roman society was classified into different classes though the majority of the Roman
During 509 BC to AD 27, Rome was a republic where its citizens elected leaders by voting for senators (people from upper class or patricians). On the other hand an emperor had total power or dictatorship since he controlled the Roman society (different groups of people from the wealthiest to the most poor). As the Roman society was divided into various groups, not all had similar rights, including the right to vote. Thus, even if Rome had elections, was it a democracy? During Caesar’s time of reign (100 BC to 44 BC), this was how the government and the Roman society behaved. In William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, the similar intense affect or the change on the ordinary citizens can be witnessed due to the manipulation of these citizens by the upper class citizens such as Julius Caesar, Marcus Brutus, Cassius, and Marc Antony. The Roman emperors, patricians and the equestrians came from the upper class that had power and various rights such as the right to vote. As a result, they were able to manipulate the uneducated, lower classes of ordinary citizens, slaves and freedmen as politicians by the use of their army, their oratorical skills and by means of bribery, intimidation, and by other acts of abusing their position or power. Due to the unequal levels in society, politicians could easily manipulate the people under them.
Majority of the Romans did not have the right and the power to rise and revolt against the politicians since they came from a low-leveled society. The Roman society was classified into different classes though the majority of the Roman
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