Podcast
Real Dictators
The book was discussed in the episode on Julius Caesar, where Adrian Goldsworthy examined Caesar's enduring impact on history and how his name evolved into titles of power such as 'Kaiser' and 'Tsar'. He emphasized that despite being a common family name, Caesar became synonymous with authority, and that his legacy is still referenced two millennia later. The conversation highlighted the book's insight into Caesar's pivotal role in shaping later political terminology.
Episode: Julius Caesar Part 1: The Roman Dictator
The author discussed Caesar's lasting influence on history and the way his name became synonymous with power, leading to titles like 'Kaiser' and 'Tsar' in later centuries.
Julius Caesar is one of those strange figures who is there at a pivotal moment in history.
Caesar is just a family name like Smith or Jones and yet it becomes the title of power to the point where at the beginning of the 20th century you've got a Kaiser in Germany, you've got a Tsar in Russia, versions of the name Caesar.
Sometimes we have to step back and remind ourselves that there is just one man at the start of all this and that the name would still be talked about 2,000 years on.