Cleopatra - Exit Caesar, Enter Antony! - Egyptian History - Extra History - Part 3 

“Caesar did stuff normally priests would do” Caesar as Pontifex Maximus: *am I a joke to you*

Caesar already was Rome's chief priest, the Pontifex Maximus, long before he even became consul which meant he was already in charge of the calendar for decades before he went to Egypt so that was not a power grab

Little mistake. Caesar was not murded on the "senate floor" . The senate was not meeting in their nominal place but at the theatre of pompey. He in fact died close to or directly beneath a statue of pompey. I always find this very "funny". He was also the pontifex maximus aka the highest priest in Rome. He had this position for a long time.

So many lies/misrepresentations about Ceaser it hurt. 1) The statute Ceaser had erect was not in a temple for solely Gods but in a Temple venerating key people in Roman History. Previous Roman Kings and the man who started the Roman Republic. 2) Ceaser changing the Calender was within his authority has the Pontifex Maximus Rome's highest elected religious official who among other things was tasked with adjusting the Roman Calendar when it drifted out of date. In fact, before he changed the Roman Lunar Calender to a Solar Calendar the Roman Calendar was so out of date he had to manually add 90 days. 3) Ceaser was not assassinated on the floor of the Senate. The Senate Building was being renovated at the time and the Senate was meeting at various temples throughout Rome. That day in particular the Senate was meeting in a Temple with a Statue of Pompey next to a coliseum which was scheduled to host some Gladiatorial games later in the day. 4) Yes Ceaser was solely accumulating more and more Imperial Powers after the Civil War but those Powers were always given to him by the Senate (Which just so happened to be packed with his supporters after the Civil War left it dangerously depleted). 5) The reason he was Assassinated wasn't because of Cleopatra's influence but because the Roman Senate was so afraid of him becoming a King if he was allowed to continue. In fact, some source says that Ceaser wasn't even going to go to the Senate Meeting the day he was assassinated but he was tricked into going by a conspirator who said they were considering a law that would have allowed Ceaser to introduce himself as Rome's King while he's outside of Italy. Sidenote: Rome tended to use the term Temple very loosely. Usually, they used it to mean some form of Public Building that the Senate was allowed to meet in due to a Tradition that had the Senate meet in Temples.

I understand that this is about Cleopatra but I highly doubt she influenced Ceasar that much. Especially, with the calendar. I will agree she influenced Marc Anthony, heavily.

The fan fiction that people will create are astonishing

As much as I like the idea of reframing the story of rome's civil wars around Cleopatra, there is no need to be so historically flippant when doing so. Caesar very well might have been framing himself as something of a "pharaoh", but his decisions to mess with the calendar, for example, were part of a long-established behavior as pontifex maximus. This wasnt new for Caesar.

I bet all of the Historia Civilis fans are confused and fuming right now.

Casar was a Roman Priest at the time. He was the Pontifex Maximus, the head of the Roman Priesthood.

Wasn't ceaser already Rome's high priest and therefore in charge of the calendar before he went to Egypt?

I wonder how long the “Lies” episode on this will be. (Thanks for the likes you guys, I didn’t expect to get this many.)

actually, the statue he erected was next to a lineup of the 7 kings of Rome and of the founder of the roman republic Lucius Junius Brutus.

The lies video will be long.... So many simplifications and colorizations i can't even count.

Next episode Octavian’s gonna deliver a nuclear dunk

“Wrapped around her finger” ok yeah sure

Her daughter Kleopatra Selene is actually one of my favourite females from history I recommend looking into her life :)

1:43 He was the cheif roman priest at the time, so you're saying he was doing his job? xD

I agree that Extra Credits should have been more careful with the word choice, they should not have exaggerated Cleopatra's influence, definitely remind that Caesar was also Pontifex Maximus but they are not downright misleading. Inspired by Cleopatra's astronomer Sosigenes, Caesar changed Roman lunisolar calendar by fixing its length to 365 days as in Egyptian calendar. And, looking forward to theme song of the series. The hint of mysticism blending with oriental tone is beautiful.

One day, people will realize how many facts you bend to the narrative you have chosen to follow for a given topic.

The characterization behind Caesar's assassination is so wrong....

Don’t forget lepidus. While he really wasn’t a major figure. He was more or less the burecrat keeping everything running in Rome doing the civil wars of Caesar and the Triumvirate

Hate to see this series downgraded so much, but you are excessively overplaying the amount of control Cleopatra had over matters. She had little to no control of Caesar, proven by the fact the Caesarion was not even a proposed secondary heir in Caesar's will. Secondly, if Caesar had wanted to conquer Egypt Cleopatra woukd have not been able to stop him. Thirdly it's very inaccurate to say suggest that Cleopatra played any role in the calendar shift. Caesar was the Pontifex Maximus (Head priest) of Rome and since the Roman's used a lunar calendar it was Caesar's job to always add a few days to the calender to keep it from drifting out of order, which by this time it had. Caesar consulted an Egyptian priest and not Cleopatra on this matter. For all who want a much clearer picture of things from Caesar's perspective and reasoning behind his actions, ahould go and watch Historia Civilis.

Unbiased history which is a work of satire of history is more complete and accurate than this series ever will

Saying she had Caesar wrapped around her finger is just blatantly not true. I know that we are supposed to be looking at things from Cleopatra's perspective but Caesar was the more powerful and dominant of the two in pretty much every way. The series feels a lot like glorifying Cleopatra with the truth of the circumstances thrown by wayside to do so.

2:15 Actually, the Senators hated Ceasar because he started acting more like a king, not because of Cleopatra, she was in Egypt at the time. And in the Roman REPUBLIC, Kings are not welcome, and the tensions actually increased because one day Marc Antony, for some reason, he declared his superior ( Ceasar) king of Rome, and you what happened next. the Et tu Brute thing

Julius Ceasar was totally justified reforming the calender because he was the Pontifix Maximus, just because he wasn't a priest doesn't mean much.

4:57 NO DONT PLAY WITH THE SNAKE! OH GOD HES WEARING AIRPODS HE CANT HEAR US

I mean i get that they cant really side line the "main character" of the series but damn are they over exaggerating here influence

This is getting less and less totally accurate

The Lies episode is gonna be really long for this series, and I’m only 2 minutes in

Cesar was not out of line with his religious movements, and the way he made the calendar. That was the job of the Pontifex Maximus. Which Cesar was

1:20 - "Then on the advice of Cleopatra's Astronomer, he rematched Rome's Lunar Calendar too match Egypt's Solar Calendar, the one used by the world today" *Sad Gregorian Calendar noises*

This story keeps feeling more like game of thrones then I ever expected it to be. Not in the bad way, just wow.

Wasn't Caesar Pontifex Maximus before he met Cleopatra

This series is definitely in need of some fact checking. It's just wrong in so many ways. And all that aside, are they ever going to mention the primary reason that all these Roman political figures were trying to keep Egypt onside? Grain! Not some fantasy of Mary Sue Cleopatra! Bring on a veeeerrryy long and hopefully historically accurate episode of Lies for this series.

"a cunning that Caesar lacked"? are you kidding me on that one. The civil war would have been avoided in its entirety if Cato wasn't so goddamn stubborn. He made compromises and really only wanted to be the most famous person in the history of ever. The irony is that he really only wanted to Consul again so that he would not be prosecuted by the Senate and executed or thrown in prison. He also was one of the best orators of his time and was able to sway the hearts of both the general population and soldiers constantly. If the conservatives had just played ball instead of being afraid of their own dwindling power this probably never happens

“Beware the Ides of March!” Ceaser “Pfft Whatever!”

To be fair, the calendar was already Caesars job. He was Pontifex Maximus, and thus already had the responsibility for monitoring the calendar.

Cleopatra: Destroyer of the Bro-Code. Well... I mean. Caesar is dead?

BIG BOY AGRIPPA NEXT EPISODE SHATTERS DIDO’S REINCARNATION

Fun fact: we dont use the julian calendar anymore. As its like 50 years out pf date. Its the gregorian now

OH COME ON!! «Caesar seized control of the calendar to fashion himself a god-emperor» This is a complete misreading of history. Caesar was Pontifex Maximus and had been so for about years even before crossing the Rubicon. He was already in charge of the calendar. Did he change it substantially? Yes, but that was his right as Pontifex Maximus. He didn’t do it to become a pharoh, and the senators that killed him on the ides would have been way more concerned with other reasons to kill him than a calendar reform

How was he a god emperor if he was never an emperor.

1:40 : Julius Caesar was pontifex maximus since -63. He was technically in charge of the calendar long before he changed it. Therefore it is kind of inaccurate to qualify it as "seizing control of a role reserve to Roman priest" : he was a priest, it was his role.

Dont worry dovhhatty followers, Octavian will save us in the next episode.

She had the most powerful man in Rome at her feet huh? Funny how that man didn’t win the civil war.

Enter Augustus, the eastern witch vanisher!

I mean, ceaser was in control of the calander for quite a while before he took complete control of rome.

He was already pontifix maximus so he had the calendar duty anyway

Caeser introduced the Julian calendar, which was the basis for the Gregorian calendar, which is what most of the world uses today.

love this cleopatra personality quite suited for royalty

I have some words for the lies portion of this series...

Cleopatra was the descendant of Hellenic Greek colonists.

0:12 Octavian (to Cleo): I will turn your face to alabaster, when you find your servant is your master. And you'll be wrapped around my finger.

"Has the Mediterranean's greatest man at her feet" Spoiler alert: this won't age well.

Antony was not a seasoned general. In fact, by this time, he had relatively little command experience at all. He had served under Caesar during the end of the Gallic wars, and during the civil war, but was often sidelined or used as a political pawn in Rome while Caesar was away. When he did actually command forces in pitch battles, he didn't exactly have a great record of winning.

Wasnt caesar in charge of keeping the roman calendar accurate before the civil war because over time the calendar would drift and then October would end up being in the summer

Love the lil UFO in the history wall background. 🛸

Justinian and theodara are a better power couple

Glad Extra Credits finally mentioned Augustus. I think hes way more interesting than Julius, Antony, and Cleopatra combined. Definitely needs his own series.

Was waiting for this episode!!!

Point of correction 1:43 Ceasars was elected Pontifex Maximus, the High priest of Roman. One of the duties of Pontifex Maximus was to add dates to the year so the roman calendar didn't drift. Your assertion is factually wrong that Ceasars made a power grab with the calender.

@1:45 a God emperor? THE SPICE MUST FLOW

Why do I feel that EC's story telling and narratives became less...idk...Accurate? I mean their old videos about Justinian and Theodora or about Suleiman where far less made so it could fit a narrative , but rather centered on the deeds (both good and bad) of the rulers. It's just not the same bruh.

1:29 I'm pretty sure that we use the Gregorian Calendar, and not the Julian Calendar ;)

Wait a minute he was already in charge of the calendar because he was the pontiff maximis if remember my roman republic study's correctly It's the whole reason why he was able to cross The mediterranean into Greece without bibulous catching him Because since he was the pontifex Maximus he was the only one who actually knew the true changing of the months as opposed to everyone else

Caesar wasn't "a dictator in the making" when he was assassinated, he had been declared dictator in 49 and 48 BCE, for a ten year period in 46 BCE, and for life a month before his assassination in 44 BCE.

5:59 Meeting occurred in Tarsus and the gate she pass through still there :)

I’d love a episode on the 1916 easter rising

Now you're doing a series on something I studied, I can really tell how much historical accuracy for entertainment and glorification.

It’s ironic because I’m learning Ancient Egypt History. 😂

The lack of Warhammer fans appearing after he said “God Emperor” is disturbing

Cleopatra's story is a good reminder of just how differently history could've turned out if only a few things had gone differently.

Yea looks like ya made the wrong choice there not picking Augustus

7:56 I see what you did there😏

0:10 God I hate my brain...

Love this series keep up the good work

I'm so excited for part 4 I don't wanna wait

Mark Antony was one of history's biggest simps

Caesar already had control of the calendar, that was one of his jobs as Pontifex Maximus

I love how happy the snake looks in that last shot. "Yes! Poison time!"

Cant wait to Next episode of Extra History

Eastern Witchcraft as its best, Dido was really mad beyond death

Great video series, also was wondering if you could do a video on Alexander Humboldt: famous for his travels in south america and his volumes called Kosmos.

I wouldn't say that Cleo had Caesar around her finger, it was a mutually beneficial relationship constructed by the intelligent leaders 2:16 Dictator had a pretty different meaning back then, this is a minor mistake but I think "King in the making" would've fit better as that's what most anti Caesar people considered Caesar was, and Rome had a pretty big dislike for kings And as many stated down here, Caesar was in charge of the calendar for a long time, as Pontifux Maximus. And did't he update the calendar not just because of power, but also because the Roman calendar was really messy and often incorrect, unlike the Julian Calendar, which was a combination of the old Roman, with the addition of the fixed length of the Egyptian Calendar and the And most countries don't use the Julian Calendar today, most of the modern world uses the Gregorian Calendar, with some exceptions like the Serbian Orthodox Church which still uses the Julian Calendar, (and thus for example Christmas falls on the 7th of January in the Gregorian Calendar (which is the 25th of December in the Julian Calendar)), and other Orthodox Churches like that of Georgia and Ukraine.

(in the distance, Agrippa's just standing there... MENACINGLY!)

The clever boy image got me lololol

i love how you drew the super pretty servants

I Like How That The Same Three People Has the Middle Person Perching with his Two Hands over the Other Two People.

Cleopatra: helps Marc Anthony Octavian: I‘m gonna end this couples whole career

Honestly I think the big thing people forget about Cleopatra is that she was the ruler of Egypt. Not Rome. Her buddying up with Caesar and Antony was always about keeping Egypt secure and independent, not trying to take over or control Rome.

Best way to start a morning

You forgot that Caesar for a long time had been Pontifax Maximus, allowing him control over Rome's religious matters

i like the video and series. It gave a general idea of the situacion and time. And the draws( = dibujos ? ) are very good :D

3:06 That's actually quite wholesome

Gotta admit, the babies with the tiny knives is a pretty good running gag.

Man someone should make a play or plays about this

While Cleopatra definitely had strong influence on Caesar, we shouldn't exaggerate that influence either. It's fully possible that Cleopatra encouraged Caesar to become a dictator, but it's also worth remembering that a generation before Caesar, Lucius Cornelius Sulla had started a civil war for personal reasons, marched on Roma, installed himself as dictator with no term limit, and executed and banished all of his personal enemies. I think Caesar probably was at least influenced by that as by Cleopatra. Especially since he had been one of those enemies Sulla had banished

It should be noted that Julius Caesar could do what he did to the Roman calendar because he was the Pontifex Maximus, which was Rome's highest elected religious official and it was a lifetime position. With a calendar 3 months out of alignment due to being out of the country for close to 15 years Caesar did the smart thing by fixing it with the leap year system .

Your video mentions Caesar’s reformation of the calendar as a power grab from the priests, but it WAS his job to balance the calendar. Caesar was elected Pontiff Maximus(head priest) fairly early in his political career. As pontiff he was personally in charge of keeping the calendar updated. He did neglect those duties during the Gaelic Wars and the Civil War though, and because of the resulting drift it gave him an edge in his invasion of Greece during the civil war. The Julian calendar reforms was a simple way of automating the process so that nobody in the future could neglect it like he did.