One of the more off color arguments for U.S. Senator Kerry in his race for the Presidency in 2004, was that as a sailor in the U.S. Navy he had killed a lot guys, which in truth, he had.
But, in the Roman Empire, Julius Caesar, at age twenty-four, in 69 BC, is reputed to have organized his own private military expedition to kill hundreds of pirates who had kidnapped him.
Of course, we have had a Presidential candidate who did something similar in recent times. His name: Ross Perot, who organized an expedition to free his employees who had been held hostage in the Middle East.
Apparently, this kind of action is no longer a political plus. Neither man, won their election.
Hat Tip to Stygius.
If I recall correctly, Julius Caesar himself was never exactly elected. He mainly showed up outside the city with a feisty army.
ReplyDeleteBut I would like to read more about this kidnapping episode at some point. It seems Caesar was really blazing a trail when it came to privatized military operations.
For part of the history of Rome, the way you won office was by being the person who paid the highest tax bill in your jurisdiction.
ReplyDelete