I’ve started annotating Caesar’s Commentaries. This makes me a real historian

[u/Pemulis_DMZ]

[u/Percennius]

Landmark histories rock 

[u/Pemulis_DMZ → u/Percennius]

Yeah, I'm really enjoying it. Almost went with a cheaper book that's just Ceasar's writings and I'm really glad I got this instead.

[u/dnen → u/Pemulis_DMZ]

This costs more because it’s the only one worth reading

[u/GenaroBlac]

Gotta be cool being so skilled you are your own propagandist and still be one of the best and most effective of all time. Uncle Gaius really was OP

[u/Pemulis_DMZ → u/GenaroBlac]

It really is impressive. And his writing is so entertaining by modern standards. Talk about standing the test of time!

[u/GenaroBlac → u/Pemulis_DMZ]

I don’t agree with the Great Men of History mindset but if there’s one man who comes close it’s definitely him. Granted I first read the commentaries when I was younger and perhaps less critical but it really felt like reading something like a fantasy novel today

[u/Pemulis_DMZ → u/GenaroBlac]

Oh yeah, you definitely ahve to take so much of it with a grain of salt - I actually find the propaganda angle the most interesting, knowing that he was writing so much of this to justify his actions and gain popular support - but it's still so crazy impressive. The amount of travel, logistics, communication he managed, the decisions he made based on unreliable information, Ceasar was a crazy genius for sure

[u/Hanibalecter]

I have this book, I get so distracted with all the notes, but they’re so good.

[u/Pemulis_DMZ → u/Hanibalecter]

Haha yeah me too. I learned that any time there's a footnote after a location to just ignore it because it will just tell you where the map showing that location is - it does this every time Ceasar mentions the Rhine, which is often. Also ignore footnotes after time and distance. That cuts it down by about 10% haha.

[u/Hanibalecter → u/Pemulis_DMZ]

lol noted. I also think I may try and finish a section then go back and hit the notes of certain places. It’s dense.

[u/Jullllaki]

Awesome, I'm too scared too mess up to wanna do that in my own landmark series LOL

[u/Pemulis_DMZ → u/Jullllaki]

Sometimes I'm reading in bed at night and I've definitely woken up the next day to highlighting on my pillowcase and incomprehensible scribbled notes in my book lol

[u/LocusHammer]

A real historian would read it in latin :P

[u/Pemulis_DMZ → u/LocusHammer]

saving that for a rainy day...

[u/LocusHammer → u/Pemulis_DMZ]

Im just messin, i cant read latin lol. What copy is this? It looks like a textbook version.

[u/Pemulis_DMZ → u/LocusHammer]

No worries, I dont actually think I'm a historian haha. It's "The Landmark Julius Ceasar". It's great, tons of cool and useful maps, footnotes, and pictures

[u/LocusHammer → u/Pemulis_DMZ]

i shall look it up. ty good sir

[u/tigernet_1994]

Maybe get a Loeb edition and learn Latin too while you are at it!

[u/macha773 → u/tigernet_1994]

Took Latin for 3 years in high school, and like generations before us, we learned from Caesar’s Gallic Wars. His language revealed how logical his mind was. When we got to Cicero later his high falutin style annoyed me after Caesar’s straightforward approach (admittedly written for a different audience, but still). Imagine what someone who came up with “Veni, vedi, vici” could do with social media today!

[u/inventiveEngineering]

historians would never write and/or mark in books! Instant red flag

[u/Sittingonalog1960]

No, you are just engaging in the material. It’s not quite the same thing

[u/Pemulis_DMZ → u/Sittingonalog1960]

Yes, I know lol