Caesar as Dictator

There has been a lot of dispute lately over Julius Caesar. As Rome's Dictator, naturally there will be those who absolutely oppose or approve of him as a leader and a man, but as with others, I can't completely join any side. I agree with some of his policies and disagree with his tactics. No clear decision can ultimately be reached, but an opinion can be voiced.

Some of Caesar's reforms have done a great deal of good: he has eliminated the corrupt tax system set up by treacherous consuls, sponsored colonies of veterans, reconstituted the courts, increased the number of senators (the more voices, the more chances for a good idea to be voiced), reformed the calendar to be more accurate, and extended Roman citizenship. All of these are good, but I can see where trouble could be brewing. The last could be a countrywide cry of "Rome for the Romans", as many purists would have us stay. But isn't Rome already diversified past that? We all have mixed backgrounds somewhere or another. There will be those who will take each reform for its worth and judge it upon that, or there will be those who only disagree for its sake.

The fact that Caesar has a hand in almost everything in Rome unnerves me though. He is so close to declaring himself king, which all other Romans and I would not stand for. His ambition and his lust for power could so easily become an obsession that could not be stopped. As long as he remains answerable to the people I will trust him, but once he steps over the line he will have the entire Roman empire upon him. He must be very careful to remain only our leader and not our master.

Sources: www.moltenlava.com/uo/caesar.htm
Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 99
myron.sjsu.edu/romeweb/EMPCONT/E022.htm

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