Aspects of Caesar’s Dictatorship and the Succession to his Power

This seminar will discuss important points related to Caesar's dictatorship and to the struggle for power that occurred after his death.  A new interpretation will be offered for Caesar's supposed sensitivity about his baldness that will connect it to the political invective against him and the common belief that he suffered from epilepsy.  It will be argued that M. Antonius and Caesar shared closer personal links than have previously been appreciated and that Antonius may have been Caesar's intended heir, not Octavian.  Apollo has been stated as a family god of the Caesars but this is incorrect.  Alternative reasons will be offered for Octavian's choice of Apollo as his patron god.