aurora caeli

I greatly admire Marcus Tullius Cicero of the Republic. He did not possess either great heritage, wealth or influence in his early days, but managed to secure a very impressive reputation in his skill in rhetoric even in his youth. He then, urged on by his friends, took up a case against a man who had opposed to Sulla and was then charged with the murder of his own father, but as Sulla had great authority in Rome already no one dared to go against him. Cicero won the case naturally, but quickly fled to Greece out of fear, claiming he needed time for his 'health.' Upon Sulla's death he came back to Rome and gained support very fast, even gaining Consulship later. Cicero, in my opinion, was not simply climbing the cursus honorum by his trials in court (which none the less was a very valuable bonus and must have 'encouraged' him ) but I feel he truely believed in his work, this view is also backed up by his strong philosphical beliefs. Indeed he followed many of the stoic beliefs for one, which I also very much admire and though, perhaps slightly in some instances extreme, seems a very wise philosophy and shows strenght of character - just look at Marcus Aurelius. He even turned down an offer by Julius Caesar to join the political relationship existing between himself, Crassus and Pompey (the triumvirate) .. which in the case he had would become the quadvirate I suppose .. believing it would emasculate the Republic, which he supported very much. So to conclude I see Cicero as not only a man of great success gained from his own skill and work ethic, but a man of great morals. and for those who have read To Kill a Mockingbird, I think even Atticus Finch would agree

Well besides the Romans (duh) I'd rather like to find out more about the Babylonians. There seems to be a great deal less known about them compared to other great civilzations and little physical remnants remain. Visions of the Hanging Gardens of Babylonia too are fascinating. I marvel at what humanity achieved over 2000 years ago