Who was Julius Caesar?

Who was Julius Caesar?

Julius Caesar was the son of a noble family who entered the Roman Army. He served with distinction, earning the Civic Crown, the highest medal of valour. Upon his return to Rome, he entered politics and became a Consul. He led a successful military expedition to expand the Empire. He pushed the frontiers of the Roman Empire farther than any Roman emperor. He took command of an Army and the next two years, he invaded and laid claim to most of Britain, and crossed the Rhine to fight the Germans.


He returned to Rome as a powerful hero, and came into political conflict with Pompey, another Roman General who held the post of Chief Consul. By law, generals were not allowed to bring their armies into the city of Rome but rather were required to keep them north of the Rubicon River. In 50 BC, Caesar flouted the law, crossed the Rubicon and entered Rome to stage a coup. He deposed Pompey and eliminated the Republic making himself an absolute ruler, in 48 BC. He continued to rule until disgruntled colleagues assassinated him on March 15, 44 BC. By the time of his death, Rome had also become Europe’s –and possibly the world’s-first superpower.

How did the Romans come to super power?

How did the Romans come to super power?

While Rome was founded in 753 BC, it took more than 500 years before the Romans rose to their supremacy. Then they asserted power and influence beyond the Italian peninsula. However, during these 500 years, Rome, the city of the river Tiber, had become a dominant political force in Italy. As it sphere of influence spread outside Italy, Rome would face new and more serious competition than it had, closer to home.


While Greece looked East towards the cradle of civilization and the Persian Empire beyond, the Romans looked West. The major power in the Western Mediterranean was Carthage, a city founded in 814 BC by the Phoenicians. As Rome began to broaden its power it put itself on a collision course with Carthage. The victor in this power struggle would win dominance over the Western Europe, and ultimately, the entire Mediterranean area. This was finally decided over three epic wars known as the Punic wars. It was the Roman victory over the Carthaginian general Hannibal at the battle of Zama in 202 BC, which marked the beginning of the rise of power of the Roman Empire.

Why was the Great Wall of China built?

Why was the Great Wall of China built?

The Great Wall of China built at the command of Emperor Shih Huang Ti, is the greatest example of human effort. Known in China as Wan-Lichang Chen, it was built to form the northern boundary of the Chinese empire. It was about 2400 kms (6400 Kms with all its branches) long, and was four and a half to 12 metres in height. To build it over high mountains and very difficult terrain, the emperor pressed every third man in the kingdom into service. But compared to the amount of human suffering it involved, it was a futile effort.

Who is known as the First Emperor? Why?

Who is known as the First Emperor? Why?

China, in the very early days, was made up of many warring feudal states. By about 221 BC, this period ended with the rise of Chin Dynasty. During this time, the powerful Shi Huang Di, known as the First Emperor, succeeded in uniting China for the first time in history. Although, he is remembered as a despot, Shi Huang Di brought about several reforms that changed the face of China. He introduced a centralized government, conducted a census and standardized the weights and measures and coinage of the country. He is also credited with having begun work on the Great Wall of China. Shi Huang Di’s rule ended with the advent of the Han Dynasty

What is the Archimedes’ principle?

Archimedes was a Greek scientist who studied at the Museum of Alexandria. He had done a lot of research in geometry, hydrostatics and mechanics. His studies and theories were pathbreaking ones because they laid the base for great discoveries for scientists of the future. In fact, they proved to be of great help to Galileo, Newton and others, who made revolutionary discoveries.


Archimedes is renowned for his principle which says that the weight of a solid is equal to the weight of water displaced by it, when immersed in water.


Eureka!


There is an interesting story about how Archimedes discovered his famous principle. It is said that the King of Syracuse in Greece suspected that a jeweler had cheated him. The King asked Archimedes if he could determine if the object was made of pure gold. Archimedes went over the problem in his mind and the answer came suddenly to him one day, while he was in his bath. Excited by his discovery, he is said to have run home without putting on his clothes, shouting ‘Eureka!’ (I have found it!)

Why is the monarchy of Asoka considered enlightened?

Why is the monarchy of Asoka considered enlightened?

In ancient times, kings mostly ruled with an iron hand and were considered omnipotent. They were wee thought to be representatives of Gods, and ruled by divine decree. Yet some kings stand out for their benevolence. One such is Emperor Asoka who ruled Magadha in India from 273 BC to 232 BC. His empire includes almost all of India and what is Bangladesh and Pakistan today.


In 261 BC, he fought the Battle of Kalinga, which was to become a turning point in his life. This bloody war left more than 200000 casualties in its wake. Asoka was shocked and greatly saddened by this sight and decided that victory in war was not worth the price to be paid in terms of human misery. He renounced military conquest as a national policy, and converted to Buddhism. Animal and human sacrifices were banned. Missionaries were sent to all parts of his vast empire, and also to foreign lands to spread the message of non-violence and Buddhism. Sri Lanka was one such country that accepted this re religion as a result of Asoka’s efforts.


Emperor Asoka was also an able ruler, expanding trade, undertaking public works, encouraging arts and establishing institutions that worked for the welfare of his people. From an aggressive ruler, Asoka had become a man with a conscience, and thus, is considered the world’s first truly ‘enlightened’ monarch.

Why is Alexander considered great?

Why is Alexander considered great?

In the 4th century BC, Alexander a Greek general, established an empire that included both Europe and Asia, and stretched from Greece to India. he is popularly known as Alexander the Great, who lived from 356 to 323 BC.


Alexander was the son of Philip of Macedonia, who had brought the whole of Greece under his rule. Succeeding his father at the young age 20, Alexander his short rule of 13 years, was able to build the greatest empire that existed at that time. He defeated Darius II twice to conquer Persia and Mesopotamia. He captured Tyre after a siege of seven months, before invading and capturing Egypt. He pushed on till he reached northern India. Satisfied at last at having conquered the world, he led his warriors home. But he died in Babylon, stricken with fever at the young age of 33.


Apart from the fact that Alexander had established one of the largest empires of all times, the true importance and its greatness lies in yet another aspect. For the first time, there could be a free exchange of ideas between two different cultures. Unlike other conquerors, Alexander was open to the ideas of his conquered people, and freely absorbed them.

Who was Hippocrates?

Who was Hippocrates?

Hippocrates (460-377 BC) was a great physician who lived during the Golden Age of Greece. Modern medicine can trace its root to his ideas.


Living at a time when diseases were treated by which doctors and magicians, Hippocrates was like a doctor of the 20th century. He said while curing the sick, a doctor should ‘consider the nature of humans in general, and of each individual and the characteristics of each disease’. In short his view was that the doctor should look into the whole human mechanism rather than focus on the symptom of a disease. He recommended that ‘exercise strengthens and inactivity wastes’.


Hippocrates did not make many discoveries, and his theory of blood circulation was wrong. But what he did was to formulate the theoretical base and the procedures by which medical science was to develop in the future. In fact, he laid down the framework of modern medical practice.

Hippocrates Oath

The Hippocrates Oath, written by Hippocrates, way back in the 4th century BC, is still respected and recited by doctors the world over. It is the foundation of the modern medical ethics. The tenets contained in it relate to a doctor’s duty to treat anyone, regardless of his social status.

What is the importance of the Golden Age of Greece?

What is the importance of the Golden Age of Greece?

The Golden Age of Greece was from 450 to 322 BC. During this period, there wee many outstanding thinkers, writers and theoreticians who exerted a great influence on Western history.


Among the great minds that lived during this period, three name stand out – Socrates (469 – 399 BC), his student Plato (427 – 347 BC) and Aristotle (384 – 322 BC), who in turn was taught by Plato. Socrates was a witty orator and a brilliant philosopher, and many consider him to be the father of Western philosophy.


Socrates theorized that an ideal government was made up of wise men ruling for the general welfare of the society. Plato elaborated these ideals in his book, ‘The Republic’. Aristotle studied medicine along with philosophy, and he brought a method to the study of the relation between man other aspects of the world in which he lived. Alexander the Great was taught by Aristotle. Along with other great scholars who lived during this Golden Age, these three were largely responsible for formulating the basis of modern Western culture.

Who was Cyrus the Great?

Who was Cyrus the Great?

Cyrus the Persian, later known as ‘the Great’ was one of the greatest warriors of the ancient world. This military genius forged a band of ill equipped men into superb Army, which went on to establish the first truly great empire in civilization. Cyrus first led his men against Astyages of Media (551 BC) and then against Lydia (546 BC), the city of King Croesus whose name even today is synonymous with great wealth. Cyrus then moved to attack Babylon, which was ruled by Nabonidus. Nabonidus had offended the priests of the god Bel Marduk by bringing in other gods. Cyrus arrived at the mighty walls of the great city in 538 BC. After a brief skirmish, Cyrus and his men entered the city without fighting, helped by local priests. Though a conqueror, Cyrus proved to be a just and humane ruler. He respected local customs and religions, and even allowed the long-exiled Jews to leave Babylon and return to Jerusalem