HSC Stuff > HSC Ancient History
Cicero - Good or Bad?
Angela Karanikolas:
Hi All,
My teacher has presented a question to us in class that I need some assistance with.
The question is whether Cicero is a good personality in Rome or he if was a contributor to the Fall of the Republic. This essay is not due for some time, but I just cant wrap my head around my opinion.
I have some points for Cicero being an influential person and contributing through his legal work and his oratory abilities.
Thank you all.
sudodds:
--- Quote from: Angela Karanikolas on June 16, 2017, 08:20:09 am ---Hi All,
My teacher has presented a question to us in class that I need some assistance with.
The question is whether Cicero is a good personality in Rome or he if was a contributor to the Fall of the Republic. This essay is not due for some time, but I just cant wrap my head around my opinion.
I have some points for Cicero being an influential person and contributing through his legal work and his oratory abilities.
Thank you all.
--- End quote ---
Hey! Unfortunately I didn't study this unit, so for content hopefully someone else will stumble over this thread and may be able to help you out! However I can give you some tips in terms of structure. With a question like was he "good" or "bad" - you should have some nuance and see both sides, but ultimately need to make a strong decision. In terms of paragraphs, I suggest looking at the essay thematically, ie a paragraph on political, social and economic issues (could also do cultural/military if they fit better) that contributed to the fall of the republic, and how Cicero directly relates/exacerbates said political, social and economic issues!
Hope this helps,
Susie
Angela Karanikolas:
--- Quote from: sudodds on June 16, 2017, 10:47:05 am ---Hey! Unfortunately I didn't study this unit, so for content hopefully someone else will stumble over this thread and me able to help you out! However I can give you some tips in terms of structure. With a question like was he "good" or "bad" - you should have some nuance and see both sides, but ultimately need to make a strong decision. In terms of paragraphs, I suggest looking at the essay thematically, ie a paragraph on political, social and economic issues (could also do cultural/military if they fit better) that contributed to the fall of the republic, and how Cicero directly relates/exacerbates said political, social and economic issues!
Hope this helps,
Susie
--- End quote ---
Thank you for your response despite not studying it! It is super useful for me. The idea of covering both sides scares me but this is actually really good in making sure that I finish with a strong response indicating my stance on it.
Thank you for your help again.
sudodds:
--- Quote from: Angela Karanikolas on June 16, 2017, 11:03:25 am ---Thank you for your response despite not studying it! It is super useful for me. The idea of covering both sides scares me but this is actually really good in making sure that I finish with a strong response indicating my stance on it.
Thank you for your help again.
--- End quote ---
No worries! Sorry I couldn't be more useful! In terms of discussing both sides, they don't need to be balanced so to speak. Like they don't need equal discussion - it is enough to just start a sentence with (i'm going to use a Julio-Claudian example) "Though critics such as Tacitus have suggested that Claudius was too dependant upon Freedmen, such as Pallas, overall the Imperial Bureaucracy enhanced the effectiveness of the administration of Rome, thus affirming that Claudius exerted a positive influence as Princeps" - and then really just centre your discussion around the positives :)
Angela Karanikolas:
--- Quote from: sudodds on June 16, 2017, 11:10:28 am ---No worries! Sorry I couldn't be more useful! In terms of discussing both sides, they don't need to be balanced so to speak. Like they don't need equal discussion - it is enough to just start a sentence with (i'm going to use a Julio-Claudian example) "Though critics such as Tacitus have suggested that Claudius was too dependant upon Freedmen, such as Pallas, overall the Imperial Bureaucracy enhanced the effectiveness of the administration of Rome, thus affirming that Claudius exerted a positive influence as Princeps" - and then really just centre your discussion around the positives :)
--- End quote ---
You were an absolute lifesaver thank you. I will definitely give that a try in the essay and see what happens. I really like the idea of covering both sides however and the idea of contrasting with the positive beginning and the negative conclusion could be a really good advancer in my essay. Thank you again.
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