CC 302/CTI 310: Midterm Exam Short Answer Questions
· What was the position of the tribunes on the escalating conflict between Caesar, Pompey and the senate? What was Cicero’s position? o The tribunes were advocating for compromise with Caesar by offering him legal protection and military power. o Cicero was supporting the senate and Pompey and was in Rome stirring up trouble for the first Triumvirate by speaking out of ending Caesar’s Gallic command to prosecute him for his injustices during consulship.
· Describe Caesar’s treatment of the Gauls during his campaigns? How does this contrast with his treatment of Italian cities and citizens in 49 BC? Significance of Caesar crossing the Rubicon? o Caesar committed genocide against millions of Gauls during his campaign and enslaved another million. He also looted spoils of war during his campaign. o In contrast with his treatment of the Italian cities and citizens in 49 BC, he does not execute anyone, he releases captives, and he takes no money from the state to fund his march on Rome. o When Caesar crossed the Rubicon, he passed the point of no return. By doing so he formally relinquished his command in Gaul (he had no authority to do so) and ultimately commits himself to marching on Rome and engaging in Civil War (Alea Iacta Est: “the die is cast”).
· Pompey’s reaction to news that Caesar was marching south? What rhetoric did Pompey and the senate use to describe Caesar’s actions? How did Caesar respond/justify his actions? o Pompey’s reaction to Caesar’s march south was to travel East to Greece to rally up troops and support to combat Caesar and retake Italy. o Pompey and the senate claimed that Caesar was a tyrant and they had the