There are many leaders throughout history that can be considered great leaders or terrible leaders. It is possible that these leaders had a mixture of both great and terrible leadership qualities. A ruler from this history course that can be considered the worst is Shi Huangdi. Huangdi was the First Emperor of China and he founded the Qin Dynasty. Imperial China under Huangdi’s rule can be considered very successful, but this does not necessarily mean that Huangdi was a benevolent ruler. Huangdi was ruthless in his warfare and bloodlust and he invoked fear in his subordinates, which made them obedient. Huangdi’s rule also practiced legalist methods. Although Huangdi himself did not invent legalism, he adopted legalism as the alternative …show more content…
Augustus was a great ruler for Rome even with his ideals of military dictatorship. Augustus founded the Roman Principate, a form of military dictatorship that helped Rome tremendously after the Roman Senate failed. Augustus was a leader who sought to manage the empire with honest, efficiency, and consistency and his success lasted for centuries. Augustus was able to defeat all rivals with his military armies. Augustus then set the foundations for peace in Rome. He concealed the extent of his power which evidently earned him loyalty from his subjects rather than the usual overt exercising of leadership. Augustus helped set new laws under this new government. The trading networks also greatly contributed to the success of Augustus’s Rome. Augustus’s rule brought about a period of pax romana or “Roman Peace” which lasted for centuries. This was because of the newfound stability and prosperity in the Roman Empire. Unlike Huangdi, whose legalist methods and extreme rule dissipated after Huangdi’s death, Augustus’s Roman Principate and peace in Rome were able to last for centuries. The loyalty of Augustus’s subjects was not driven by fear, but was instead respectfully earned which is also what made him a great
Augustus had constantly gained control over Rome and the Empire. Through his political moving around & misleading and tricking. According to Tacitus, senator and history expert of the Roman Empire. This source points to show the
Qin Shihuangdi was an effective leader but a cold, brutal, and power-motivated one, leading to his demise. For example, Source C, states, “Qin Shihuangdi exercised absolute authority over his empire. He put into place harsh punishments and executed those who spoke or acted against him." This demonstrates my claim by showing just how cruel he was towards the people who didn't share his philosophies. Just because you don't necessarily agree with someone doesn't mean that they need to be killed and their resources need to be destroyed, especially if you are claiming to do things for the good of the people, which is what a good leader should do.
Qin Shi Huangdi was a very important ruler in china's history. However, many historians still can't decide a difficult question: was Qin Shi Huangdi an effective ruler? He started his life as a great ruler and like his father King Zhuangxiang of Qin he was a great war general. It didn't take long before Qin Shi Huangdi had taken control of all his enemies. However, too much power isn't always good for an emperor. Qin Shi Huangdi became ruthless and didn't care about anyone's opinion unless they were agreeing with him. Nevertheless, after analyzing a number of different sources, it is evident that Qin Shi Huangdi was an effective ruler.
Emperor Qin was a great leader in my opinion because he was a very capable man who had a massive influence over China. Although he was also a man indulged with power, he built many fascinating structures including the Terracotta Army, and after creating the Qin dynasty made many revolutionary and positive impacts in his society.
Augustus was one of the main leaders during Pax Romana. His Rule was from 27 BC to 28 AD. He was one of the most important rulers in history because he helped to expand border and make peace for Rome. The Roman Empire was described as an autocratic government.
He preserved all of the traditional offices while slowly taking many of the offices for him self. He was both consul and tribune. Commander and chief of the military and the senate also gave him direct control of many provinces, these provinces supplied men for his armies and food for them also, not to the senate. Augustus knew the importance of religion in roman society, he then named himself pontifex maximus which means supreme priest. He encourages the construction of temples dedicated to Rome and Augustus. None of these innovations in his ruling method altered the Roman constitution. The laws he did change however were the laws of the provinces of Rome which made them more romanized, so Augustus could be open about his actions so the senate would not bring him down and be with him. The Romans had a strong sense of there traditions and were fascinated by there history they loved when they could point out how the gods operated in there empire and allowed them much conquest of the western world. Before Augustus it looked for the romans as if the gods had left them, for they killed each other in revolutions and civil wars. Augustus’s many military victories and expansion of the empire through land and a political sense, show that the gods where on his side. He glorified Rome by hiring painters, sculptures, architects, and painters to design and build beautiful structures. He has paved the way for future Roman emperors to come.
Have you ever waged war against your wife? Caesar Octavian Augustus did. Augustus was a great leader. Leaders are necessary because they need to show leadership amongst the people and unite the people as one doing anything to keep them safe. Caesar Octavian Augustus was one of Rome’s greatest leaders by showing that at the age of 19, he can rule one of the most powerful nations by any means including war (http://www.pbs.org/empires/romans/empire/augustus.html)
When Pompey returned to Rome he formed an alliance with Julius Caesar known as the first triumvirate (Ancient Rome and the Rise of Christianity, 1000 BCE–500 CE,). He received three wealthy provinces in Gaul in 58 B.C.E (Ancient Rome). He then went out and attempted to gain control of the rest of the region for Rome. We all know that he successfully did that because of how far the Roman empire spread and how big it was. He declared himself dictator for life. After Pompey’s wife Julia who was Caesar's daughter died in 54 B.C. and Crassus was killed in battle against Parthia the following year, the triumvirate was broken (Ancient Rome). He died after being stabbed by his political rivals (Ancient Rome). Julius is remembered as one of the greatest military minds in history and he created the foundation for the Roman Empire. Another great leader was Augustus, he was a very important Roman emperor. Augustus led the change from a republic to a empire right after Julius Caesar (Anderson 47). He contributed by creating a strong military, created important architecture and created laws. He also laid the foundations of the Pax Romana which was Roman Peace that lasted for 200 years (Anderson 47). These two dictators and emperors are the ones who turned Rome into what it was. These guys set everything up and the other leaders
To change an empire from a Republic to a Monarchy, is in itself a great achievement, but to be that one man that successfully changes the way of old to the original form of state is an amazing fete. The will to achieve this, and the desire must be great and you must truly be remarkable, although in saying that, having your forefathers pave the way, assist in reaching that goal. This is what Augustus achieved, he became greatest man in Rome, the highest achievement one might endeavour, outdoing his forefathers. He played the game of Roman politics against some of the greatest minds, brilliantly and shaped what is now known as the “Great Roman Empire”.
He had now reached a state of political perfection. A state he arguably and narcissistically deemed necessary to establish a Rome of greater equality, efficiency and profitability, a state in which he could covertly dictate. The Principate was made a permanent establishment; his rule would only end in death. Changes were still required, past mistakes must be corrected, time was poor. His mission was nearing completion. Rome was now under the autocratic rule of Augustus, the senate and the people were none the wiser. The republic was far from restored, the republic could not be restored, the republic was flawed. The people and the senate must not know.
Both emperors kept their empire in control with rules and laws for their people, which is undoubtedly a great success. Augustus mercilessly crushed anybody who opposed him as Qin Shi Huangdi did but Augustus had punishments equivalent to those of the crime committed to where Qin Shi Huangdi outright exaggerated on punishments for all his people. Due to Augustus doing what was best for his people, he maintained Rome together and stable creating a period known as Pax Romana due to “unprecedented peace and economic prosperity throughout the Empire” (Ancient Rome, ushistory.org). After his death his dynasty began with the Five Good Emperors who ruled after him with prosperity. On the contrary, “after [Qin Shi Huangdi] died in 210 B.C.E., the dynasty descended into factional rivalry, and four years later it was overthrown” (Duiker and Spielvogel 98;
Julius Caesar's reign was an unfavorable and chaotic period for Rome, and after his death, a large portion of the empire was handed down to his adopted son, Gaius Octavian. From the ashes of his father, Octavian was able to build an Empire unparalleled. Later, the name Augustus was given to him by Senate. Augustus ostensibly maintained the form of the Roman Republic while in actuality creating the Roman Empire. He introduced the administrative reforms that led to the Pax Romana with its flourishing of trade and the arts. Although Augustus's ascension to power could have not been without it bequested by Julius, it was his use of art and propaganda that reinforced the legitimacy his position.
Augustus, during his reign as emperor proved effective in ruling through the ideas he implemented to solidify his country. Tacitus stated “nullo adversante” which translates into English “Wholly unopposed” (http://janusquirinus.org/Quotes/QuotesHome.html) this identifies the effectiveness of his reign and the strength he had politically over Rome. Important actions such as the creation of religious and moral reforms, the constitutional agreement and the implementation of the building programme all succeeded in creating stability within the Roman Empire.
During the reign of Augustus in 27 BC, progressive political ideologies were instituted that allowed the Roman Empire to last for centuries. Augustus’s period of power was known as the “Pax Romana” and it was a time of peace and expansion into Egypt, Dalmatia, Pannonia, Noricum, Raetia, Africa, Germania and Hispania. Augustus strengthened the political organization of Rome through law and tax reform, protected borders and initiated building projects such as the Colosseum (Emmons, “Roman Empire”). Additionally, Augustus created networks of roads, police, fire, and courier systems, and a standing army. The relative freedom from conflict for such a lengthy period of time allowed Rome to prosper culturally, economically, and architecturally.
Julius Caesar was a Roman statesman who lost it all to foolishly becoming a dictator with king like qualities. Caesars great-nephew, Augustus (then Gaius Julius Caesar) inherited through his late great-uncle, a civil-war torn, distressed country. Throughout the next 40 years from the beginning of Augustus’ reign in 27 BCE to his death in 14 AD, he transformed Rome into a place of great peace. Peace in Rome lasted from 27 BCE to 180 AD, long after Augustus’ death because of the development of the Principate, the reconstruction and social reform of Rome and the Pax Romana. Augustus’ Empire was undoubtedly the most important Empire in Roman history and the peace Augustus created was his greatest achievement during his reign.