At least three full papers plus a title and bibliography about one of the prompts attached. Formal essay (avoid "I" "the reader") . Outside sources are not required.

For this writing assignment, choose one of the prompts listed below and write a formal essay in response.  This means that you should not refer to yourself (“I think…”), your reader (“you will see…”), or your paper (“this paper shows…”).  You should also avoid contractions (“don’t, won’t,” etc.).

The paper must use the provided excerpts as its foundation.  You must use at least three excerpts in your essay (one choice only offers three).  You do not need any “outside” sources to complete your essay successfully.

APA citations

The text of your essay must be at least three full pages long.  This does not include your title page/header or bibliography.

1. Did Julius Caesar deserve to be assassinated?  In ancient Rome, the Senators believed that Julius Caesar was a selfish tyrant who needed to be assassinated for the better interests of the realm.  The general population, on the other hand, considered Caesar a model politician.  Using at least three of the provided documents, write an essay making the argument that Caesar was either a selfish tyrant or a model politician.

• Nicolaus of Damascus.  “The Assassination of Julius Caesar, 44 BC.”  EyeWitness to History.  Accessed 8 March 2021.  http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/caesar2.htm.

• Plutarch of Chaeronea.  “The Assassination of Julius Caesar, from Marcus Brutus (Excerpts).”  Ancient History Sourcebook.  20 January 2021.  http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/plutarch-caesar.asp.

• Plutarch of Chaeronea.  “Plutarch on the Lupercalia Incident.”  Livius.  Accessed 8 March 2021.  https://www.livius.org/sources/content/plutarch/plutarchs-caesar/the-lupercalia-incident/.

• Sallust.  “Letter to Caesar on the State.”  LacusCurtius.  8 June 2008.  https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Sallust/pseudo/Epistula_ad_Caesarem*.html.

• Tranquillus, Gaius Suetonius.  Excerpts from “Caesar (Afterward Deified).”  Our Civilisation.  Edited by Kelly Jernigan.  17 April 2021.   https://www.ourcivilisation.com/smartboard/shop/suetnius/caesar.htm.

• Tranquillus, Gaius Suetonius.  “Suetonius on the Death of Caesar.”  Livius.  Accessed 8 March 2021.  https://www.livius.org/sources/content/suetonius/suetonius-on-the-death-of-caesar/.

1. Athens vs. Sparta.  Life was extremely different for women in ancient Greece depending on which polis she lived in.  Using the following excerpts, write an essay arguing whose life was “better:”  Athenian women or Spartan women.  Be sure to define what you mean by “better.”  It’s also important to keep your ideas in the proper historical context (modern perceptions of women’s rights, for example, are not relevant).

• Sources about Athenian Women

  • Lysias.  “On the Murder of Eratosthenes.”  Stoa Consortium.  Accessed 17 April 2021.  http://www.yorku.ca/pswarney/Texts/lysias_1.htm.

  • Xenophon.  “On Men and Women from Oikonomikos, c. 370 BCE.”  Ancient History Sourcebook.  20 January 2021.  https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/ancient/xenophon-genderroles.asp.

• Sources about Spartan Women

  • Aristotle.  “Spartan Women.”  Ancient History Sourcebook.  20 January 2021.  https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/ancient/aristotle-spartanwomen.asp.

  • Xenophon.  Constitution of the Lacedaimonians.  Edited by E. C. Marchant, G. W. Bowersock.  Perseus Digital Library.  Accessed 17 April 2021.  http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0210%3Atext%3DConst.+Lac.%3Achapter%3D1.

1. Western Civilization’s Earliest Law Codes.  There were numerous law codes in ancient Mesopotamia, perhaps the most famous being Hammurabi’s.  Compare the excerpts from law codes from ancient Mesopotamia and write your essay arguing which one was the “strongest.”  Be sure to explain what you consider “strong” to mean.  You must use all three excerpts in your essay.  Be sure to keep your analysis in the proper historical context.  Modern concepts of law, justice, etc. are not relevant.

• Ancient Akkadian Laws

  • “A Collection of Mesopotamian Laws, c. 2250-550 BCE.”  Ancient History Sourcebook.  20 January 2021.  https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/ancient/2550mesolaws.asp.

• Code of Hammurabi (Ancient Babylon)

  • “Code of Hammurabi, c. 1780 BCE.”  Ancient History Sourcebook.  20 January 2021.  https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/ancient/hamcode.asp.

• Ancient Assyrian Laws

  • “The Code of the Assura, c. 1075 BCE.”  Ancient History Sourcebook.  20 January 2021.  https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/ancient/1075assyriancode.asp.