Skye Hsu

  

Volume 8 | Issue IV | December 2024

San Francisco University High School ’25

California, USA

  

Sapere aude: “Dare to know!” I learned this quote during my freshman year of taking Latin, and since then, it has stuck with me – as well as my love for Latin and Classics. I’m always looking for new ways to deepen and reframe my knowledge of ancient history, and reading Caesar’s commentaries on the Gallic Wars in Latin was the spark for this whole paper. While I already knew that military brutality was important in the transformation of ancient Rome from Republic to Empire, the startling imagery and staggering numbers in Caesar’s first-hand account of violence on the frontiers reframed my perspective. It made me realize that this political transformation of Rome was not just caused by internal strife but by external violence. For me, this research process has been insightful and poignant, peering into striking descriptions of brilliant triumphal celebrations to consolidate power, as well as harrowing imagery of cities razed for loot for private armies. I would like to thank The Schola for the opportunity to conduct and publish this research, to not just read these impactful sources but also to analyze and contextualize and put my voice out there in the academic world. Ultimately, this process has strengthened my resolve to study the Classics. When I’m not thinking about the Roman Empire, I also enjoy playing flute, scuba diving, participating in archaeological digs, and drawing.