Born in England in 1564, William Shakespeare wrote Julius Caesar in 1599. The play follows events that actually took place in ancient Rome in the first century B.C., but also reflects to some degree the realities of English life in the late sixteenth century, during what is known as the Elizabethan era.
The Roman Senate. All the central characters of Julius Caesar-Caesar, Mark Antony, the conspirators- are members of the senate, Rome's main governing body. The senate controlled both domestic and foreign policy, publishing decrees, arresting and convicting citizens, levying fines, and convening public assemblies. Senate members generally worked hard; their meetings started very early in the day and often continued until dark. Though its size varied over the years, the Roman Senate had about 600 members during the time covered in Julius Caesar. Any adult male citizen automatically became a senator after serving as a junior government official. In practice, the body was dominated by Rome's aristocrats, who were called patricians. This dominance of the senate by rich citizens was due in part to the low salaries pulled in at even highlevel government posts; one had to be wealthy to be able to afford to take such a position.
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