After this lesson plan, students will be able to: describe the accomplishments of Julius Caesar; analyze the events surrounding the death of Julius Caesar and its aftermath; and compare Suetonius’ account of Caesar’s funeral in Lives of the Twelve Caesars with William Shakespeare’s version in Julius Caesar. Students will complete this lesson by writing brief eulogies that would have been appropriate for Caesar. This lesson should take a total of 50 minutes to complete.
Created by Claire Bray, December 2007
Citizenship. The student understands the significance of political choices and decisions made by individuals, groups, and nations throughout history.
The student is expected to:
- evaluate political choices and decisions that individuals, groups, and nations have made in the past, taking into account historical context, and apply this knowledge to the analysis of choices and decisions faced by contemporary societies;
- describe the different roles of citizens and non citizens in historical cultures, especially as the roles pertain to civic participation.
TEKS §113.33. World History Studies. (c)(17)(A,B)
Social studies skills. The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms.
The student is expected to:
- use social studies terminology correctly;
- use standard grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and punctuation;
- interpret and create databases, research outlines, bibliographies, and visuals including graphs, charts, timelines, and maps;
- transfer information from one medium to another, including written to visual and statistical to written or visual, using computer software as appropriate.
TEKS §113.33. World History Studies. (c)(26)(A,B,C,D)
- Begin by reviewing the accomplishments of Julius Caesar, including his impact on Roman government.
- Give students a brief synopsis of the events surrounding Caesar’s death. Discuss the people involved and their immediate reactions.
- Show the plaque commemorating the location of Caesar’s death from the TIDES website. The pictures can be found by searching the “Study Abroad” database using Julius Caesar in the advanced search.
- Discuss the events that occurred immediately after Caesar’s death, as well as the actions of Augustus, Marc Antony, and Lepidus.
- Read excerpts describing the funeral of Caesar from Lives of the Twelve Caesars by Suetonius and William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar.
- Compare how Suetonius, who wrote of Caesar within about 150 years of his death, and Shakespeare, who wrote to entertain audiences some 1500 years later, viewed Caesar’s funeral.
- Finally, have students write a brief eulogy (8-10 lines) that would have been appropriate for Julius Caesar. You may have them rhyme the lines if you wish.
- Conclude by having students share their eulogies
GT Extension: Have GT students create the eulogy on a “gravestone” they have created, and include at least 5 accomplishments of Caesar’s life.
