“Having for many years aimed at absolute power, Caesar had... accomplished what he intended. He had conciliated the ignorant crowd by shows, public works, gifts of food, and banquets; he had bound his own party to him by rewards, his adversaries by a show of clemency. In short he had already brought to a free community the habit of slavery, partly out of fear, partly out of passiveness. ”
-Cicero, Second Philippic
UNIT 3 DISTANCE LEARNING ASSIGNMENTS:
PENNINO EMAIL: apennino@shufsd.org
4/13 NOTES UPDATE: Minor revisions to the notes were made to include "bread and circuses" and a few more quotes.
Complete the following assignments at your own pace. It is advised that you spend an average of 20-30 minutes a day on each of your subjects during remote school.
Extra Creditdue 4/17. You should absolutely use this assignment to review and study. You do not have to complete and turn in. If you do, use the materials provided by this class to answer the questions. If you copy-paste answers from google I will stop reading and give you no credit!
CLASS PARTICIPATION: After watching, you are encouraged to email Pennino with questions or comments
EXTRA CREDIT ASSIGNED 3/30/20: If you can, watch the movie Gladiator starring Russel Crowe, then complete and submit the film guide. We would have watched it in class, but now it's for extra credit.
".. Already long ago, from when we sold our vote to no man, the People have abdicated our duties; for the People who once upon a time handed out military command, high civil office, legions — everything, now restrains itself and anxiously hopes for just two things: bread and circuses."
- Juvenal, Roman Poet, 100 AD
“Six mistakes mankind keeps making century after century:
Believing that personal gain is made by crushing others;
Worrying about things that cannot be changed or corrected;
Insisting that a thing is impossible because we cannot accomplish it;
Refusing to set aside trivial preferences;
Neglecting development and refinement of the mind;
Attempting to compel others to believe and live as we do.”
― Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC)
EXTRA CREDIT
Read article or essay in this column, then write a summary and reaction of at least one page.
"Do not blame Caesar, blame the people of Rome who have so enthusiastically acclaimed and adored him and rejoiced in their loss of freedom and danced in his path and given him triumphal processions. Blame the people who hail him when he speaks in the Forum of the "new wonderful good society" which shall now be Rome's, interpreted to mean "more money, more ease, more security, and more living fatly at the expense of the industrious".
- Marcus Tullius Cicero
4/3/2020: EXCELLENT QUESTION from Fredy Nunez Cuellar:
In the Roman Republic, why did the Romans use a dictator to save Rome?
ANSWER:
During the days of the republic, if a crisis occurred such as a war, the Roman government might appoint a temporary dictator to make important decisions. This could help Rome act fast, with less debate, to deal with the crisis. The dictator was always made to promise that he would give up power after 6 months, which is why Cinncinatus was so heroic to give up power as soon as he saved Rome, after only 16 days. Actually the USA does something similar. The president is the "commander in chief" of the armed forces. During times of crisis (wars, the Great Depression... right now during Covid 19...) the president tends to have more authority to make decisions for the good of the country. President Trump restricted travel with China on January 31, and recently ordered American companies like GM to make medical supplies. The president still must follow the Constitution, and if he does something wrong, he can be challenged by the other branches.
