Gaius Julius Caesar was seemingly a “benevolent dictator,” wasn’t he? He was what Rome needed after nearly a century of strife. Despite Caesar’s pompous attitude, assassination is never justified. His compassion, expansion of the Senate, and strict adherence to elections for plebian office demonstrated a desire to serve the people of Rome and not merely the aristocrats.
One of Caesar’s most astonishing attributes was his benevolence. After defeating Pompey’s supporters, he welcomed and forgave those who took up arms against him. However his compassion was his undoing, but nevertheless, it was unique. Instead of following in the footsteps of Sulla and ordering proscriptions on any person that he disagreed with, Caesar welcomed them back.
When knowledge of night-time meetings and conspiracies came to him, rather than retaliate, he merely made it clear through edicts that he was aware. He bore criticism with grace and class unheard of by Roman aristocrats. Caesar even restored statues of Lucius Sulla and Pompey that had been destroyed by his supporters. Clearly, Caesar was a benevolent dictator whose clemency was an attempt to win back supporters of Pompey to push the republic forward into a new age.
Following his ascension to the dictatorship, which was necessary following years of instability, Caesar expanded membership within the Senate. The men he then placed in the Senate, while “half-barbarous Gauls,” as Suetonius points out, were nonetheless Roman citizens and deserved a voice in Roman public life. Being from Rome was no longer required to participate as many of these new Senators came from the provinces. This reflected an emphasis on representing the entire Roman Res Publica rather than just the inhabitants of the city of Rome. Whether they were from Gaul or not, these new Senators reflected a recent expansion of Roman civic life.
Caesar continued to show regard for the people of Rome through public projects. He created two new aediles to help handle the grain ration. He limited the number of recipients to preserve its function by only awarding this free service to those most need it. Caesar also maintained aggressive public works projects, the kind of building projects that not only provided work for Roman citizens but also provided a service. Unfortunately, Caesar met his demise before any of them could be completed.
Unfortunately, Caesar sometimes displayed behavior more akin to a king than a Roman consul, which was the source of his ultimate demise. Caesar was very much infatuated with titles and honors. Specifically those of “Imperator” and “Father of his Fatherland.” He insisted that special privileges were bestowed upon him that made many Romans think he thought himself to be divine. No mortal Roman has a month of the year named for him. Caesar ultimately could not shake the rumor that he wanted to be a king. In fact, when it was discussed that the Parthians could only be beaten by a king, the Board of Fifteen suggested that Caesar be given such a title. As is the custom, kings and sole rulers are highly despised in Rome. Whether or not Caesar wanted to be king is immaterial. He painted the picture of “an arrogant claim to supremacy,” and for this, he was killed.
Most important, however, is that Caesar’s return to Italy restored order in a chaotic time. The concerns with Caesar are mere superficial problems. Caesar, with all the power that he did have, never made himself king despite having every opportunity to do so. He may have acted like a God, but what leader of his stature would not? Especially when events conspired to thrust him to the power he enjoyed. Caesar was ultimately acting in the interest of the Roman people, and as such, his assassination was unjustified.
