So why are there so many different kinds of stories about Julius Caesar?

Ravioli

Ravioli

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In school we read Julius Caesar by Shakespear, i thought that was the true correct verison of Julius Caesar. However, as i always tend to do, i accidently stumbled upon History Channel on my TV and they had this really well made movie/documentary about Julius Caesar.

In Shakespears verison, Caesar went back to Rome after defeating some dude. Then the other people of the parlament (mainly Brutus)thought he was a threat to the Empire because he would take control of it as an Autocratic emperor. The Roman empire had been led by a Republic for hundrenths of years so no one wanted to change that. So the conspiritors killed him, but then Anthony told the people about it and the conspiritors had to flee. (no one in power of Rome anymore). So then Caesars cusin Octavious together with Anthony and some other guys went to Greece to fight the conspiritors and won. End of story.

On the History Channel, it was different.

Caesar had gathered an army outside of Rome and wanted to overthrow the republic so he simply invaded Rome but the leaders of Rome had evacuated the city before hand. Later on, they battled Caesar in Greece (Caesar had not yet been murdured, he was in Greece fighting). Brutus was never mentioned in this verison. Caesar won the last battle in Greece and returned to Rome were he was in power for quite a while till some guys assasinated him. End of Story.


Which one is correct? Im so confuzzled.
 
I'd trust the history channel more, Shakespeare was a play writer, not a historian.

He romatisied the stories. e.g. Richard the III never said "My kingdom for a horse"
 
kirovman said:
I'd trust the history channel more, Shakespeare was a play writer, not a historian.

He romatisied the stories. e.g. Richard the III never said "My kingdom for a horse"
Click to expand...

Yes, television is never wrong.
 
Sarcasm?

All I was saying is the history channel will be more accurate, not that it's history is flawless.
 
Leading his legions across the Rubicon, Caesar sparked civil war in 49 BC that left him the undisputed master of the Roman world. After assuming control of the government, he began extensive reforms of Roman society and government. He was proclaimed dictator for life, and he heavily centralized the bureaucracy of the Republic. This forced the hand of a friend of Caesar, Marcus Junius Brutus, who then conspired with others to murder the dictator and restore the Republic. This dramatic assassination occurred on the Ides of March (March 15th) in 44 BC and led to another Roman civil war. In 42 BC, two years after his assassination, the Roman Senate officially sanctified him as one of the Roman deities.
Click to expand...

History Channel: 1 Shakespere: 0

(OK, so wikipedia is not always a trustworthy source, but meh)
 
Shakespeare always romanticized his plays. Caesar did take take his army in Gaul and assaulted Rome. He ruled for a while, then Brutus and a couple other people conspired to have him killed for the good of the Republic.
 
The history of the Roman empire was just rediscovered when Shakespeare was around. We have loads more sources now than the bard dude had back then. Besides, history is never in favour of the loser. Pompeius Magnus got pwnd by Caesar and Marc Anthony (Caesar's former buddy) got pwnd by Octavian (Caesar's stepson) who later on became emperor Augustus.
 
Shakermaker said:
The history of the Roman empire was just rediscovered when Shakespeare was around. We have loads more sources now than the bard dude had back then. Besides, history is never in favour of the loser. Pompeius Magnus got pwnd by Caesar and Marc Anthony (Caesar's former buddy) got pwnd by Octavian (Caesar's stepson) who later on became emperor Augustus.
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Marc Anthony? Does Jenifer know any of this?!
 
I dont trust anyone who wears a bed sheet
 
In general history usually has many derivatives because everything in history is so subjective, and not always objective. For instance I may say this is the worst thread ever created, whilst you may write this down in history that this thread is overly informative, but im sure you know this... and history like someone has already mentioned changes when new artifacts are discovered.
 
Interesting fact - the month of August is named after Augustus :)

July is named after Julias Caesar.

I'm sure there are others.
 
Shakespeare was all about getting in the important people's good books. So he wrote what made him look best. I think..
 
ok ok i'm sorry! I killed Julius Caesar!
 
I really wonder why many things are named after roman and greeks stuff
 
Murray said:
Et tu, Cole.
Click to expand...

Oh yes, that reminds me, one interesting point;

JULIUS CAESAR DID NOT SAY ET TU, BRUTE WHEN HE DIED!

The only thing he might have said was; Unnnngh... ughhhn... cough.
 
AJ Rimmer said:
Oh yes, that reminds me, one interesting point;

JULIUS CAESAR DID NOT SAY ET TU, BRUTE WHEN HE DIED!

The only thing he might have said was; Unnnngh... ughhhn... cough.
Click to expand...

You're a moron, he used an aldis lamp, sigaling "Et tu Brute". Idiot.
 
AJ Rimmer said:
Oh yes, that reminds me, one interesting point;

JULIUS CAESAR DID NOT SAY ET TU, BRUTE WHEN HE DIED!

The only thing he might have said was; Unnnngh... ughhhn... cough.
Click to expand...

Lies, every great ruler has a monologue when they die.
 
AJ Rimmer said:
Oh yes, that reminds me, one interesting point;

JULIUS CAESAR DID NOT SAY ET TU, BRUTE WHEN HE DIED!

The only thing he might have said was; Unnnngh... ughhhn... cough.
Click to expand...
Wrong, he did say "You too, Brutus?", but in Greek, not in Latin as is commonly quoted. (The Roman aristocrats spoke Greek, not Latin)
 
So, who knows Gaius Marius?

Or Sulla?

Who can forget Sulla. > >
 
Murray said:
You're a moron, he used an aldis lamp, sigaling "Et tu Brute". Idiot.
Click to expand...

You're the idiot. They didn't have signaling lights, he used flag signals. Do some research next time.


And he didn't say it in greek either (although it's true that had he said anything, he would have said it in greek.). Some claim he said "You too, child" where as some say he said nothing before collapsing on the floor of the senate house and covering his face with his toga. The "You too, Brutus" is pure Shakespeare, based on an eye witness claiming that he stopped resisting when he saw Brutus among his murderers.
 
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