3 ms·
> That Caesar may not have cared about the plebs is irrelevant, indeed it could have all been a personal vendetta dating back to the prescriptions imposed on hi
by hoten 5y ago
> That Caesar may not have cared about the plebs is irrelevant, indeed it could have all been a personal vendetta dating back to the prescriptions imposed on him and his mother after Sulla took power.
No doubt he rode the waves of populism, but I wouldn't write off entirely that he actually did care, on some level, about the poorer class. He did grow up in that world himself (of course he came from a rich family, but his mother raised him in Subura, a poor part of Rome, where her business was), and when he first returned to Rome after Sulla was out of the picture he chose (well, probably had to, not having money) to live in the same place he grew up. I'm speculating, but it seems likely that rubbing shoulders with the lower class for most of his formative years suggests his later advocacy for their advancement in society may be somewhat genuine.
- edgyquant 5y agoYeah that’s why I said it was irrelevant. I think he did have sympathies with the plebs. Maybe not born out of a wholesome desire to make their lives better (although he probably thought it couldn’t hurt) I’d say it was born out of the fact that he related to them. The Senators looked down on him too and thought he was an annoying upstart and the nephew of a “radical” who had the audacity to want to win wars more than he cared about who’s grandfather was supposedly one of Romulus’ initial men. I think he did care, for sure, like I think a lot of populists actually care. But I don’t think he, nor a majority of populists, are honest to the masses they get to do their beck and call.