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Julius Caesar

Discussion in 'vBench (Works in Progress)' started by Roc, Sep 5, 2005.

  1. Roc Active Member

    Country:
    United-States
    This is a beautifully sculpted and well cast 54 mm. white metal figure.
    The sculpter has truly brought out the likeness of Caesar, brilliantly sculplted and well researched.
    there are absolutely no mold lines to contend with.
    My only problem is with the price, I think the price is very steep.

    The horse comes in 5 parts and the figure in 6 parts.

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    Cheers
    Roc.
  2. Roc Active Member

    Country:
    United-States
    Ave Caesar... the world is in your debt...


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    Although he was born into the Julian gens, one of the oldest patrician families in Rome, Caesar was always a member of the democratic or popular party. He benefited from the patronage of his uncle by marriage, Caius Marius . In 82 BC, when Caesar refused to obey Sulla 's order to divorce Cornelia, the wealthy daughter of Lucius Cornelius Cinna , he was proscribed and subsequently fled from Rome (81 BC).

    On Sulla's death, Caesar returned (78 BC) and began his political career. He quickly gained popularity with his party and a reputation for oratory. In 74 BC he went into Asia to repulse a Cappadocian army. Upon his return, he agitated for reform of the government on popular lines and helped to advance the position of Pompey , the virtual head of the popular party. Caesar was made military tribune before 70 BC and was quaestor in Farther Spain in 69 BC; he helped Pompey to obtain the supreme command for the war in the East. He returned to Rome in 68 BC, and in Pompey's absence was becoming the recognized head of the popular party. His praise of Marius and Cinna made him popular with the people, but earned him the hatred of the senate.

    In 63 BC he was elected pontifex maximus [high priest], allegedly by heavy bribes. His later reform of the calendar with the help of Sosigenes, was one of his greatest contributions to history. In Dec., 63 BC, Caesar advocated mercy for Catiline and the conspirators, thereby increasing the enmity of the senatorial party and its leaders, Cato the Younger and Quintus Lutatius Catulus (see Catulus , family). In 62 BC, Clodius and Caesar's second wife, Pompeia, were involved in a scandal concerning the violation of the secret rites of Bona Dea, and Caesar obtained a divorce, saying, “Caesar's wife must be above suspicion.”
  3. BESPJL Active Member

    Country:
    Portugal
    Hi Roc,

    As I told it was just a matter of seconds to come here to see your most recent project.

    This is a project that I'm going to follow because I'm interested in "old" Julius.
    I'm waiting for the release of the third part of "Emperor" a trilogy concerning Julius Caesar, which will be followed by a "Julius" project.

    Now for this figure.
    I think that Soldiers could have picked a better stance for the horse. But since my monitor is showing pictures rather dark (waiting for the new one), I'll wait to have a better view of it in the next few days.

    But no matter how the horse stands, I'm sure that another great work is seeing the first lights.

    Cheers,
    Paulo
  4. Roc Active Member

    Country:
    United-States
    Paulo, as you can tell, I also have a great passion for Roman history ,especially Republican Rome and the great Caeser. I think there is a little bit of Rome in all of us ,that we should all be proud of.

    As far as the horse goes I would have preferred a different pose, but it will do.

    It has been quite a long time since I've painted a 54mm. , I hope I vaven't lost my touch.

    Cheers
    Roc. :)
  5. elvis A Fixture

    :) Ciao Rocco my friend, how are you , great figure, laruccia is a great sculptor. sono sicurioso di vederlo dipinto da te. ciao dal tuo amico Luca Luca :lol:
  6. Roc Active Member

    Country:
    United-States
    Luca, carissimo amico, I'm fine, thanks for asking, I hope you and yours are doing well.

    I agree with you, signor Laruccia is a great sculptor, the details on Caesor's face are incredible, he is definitely one of the worlds finest sculptors.

    Non tengo molto esperienza con le figure 54mm., spero di depingere questa figura in un modo soddisfacente.

    Ciao
    Rocco :)
  7. Roc Active Member

    Country:
    United-States
    [IMG]

    The Roman Empire at 44 BC




    Inheritance of Cyrenaica - 96 BC
    Creation of the Province of Gallia Cisalpina - ca. 81 BC
    Inheritance of Bithynia - 74/75 BC
    Pompey drives military road across Alps at Mont Genevre to support war against Sertorius in Spain - 70's BC
    Creation of joint province of Creta and Cyrenaica - 66 BC
    Effects of Spanish Wars
    continued expansion of Spanish provinces of Hispania Citerior and Ulterior

    Effects of Pompey's Eastern Campaign
    Conquest of Pontus - 66 BC
    Annexation of Syria - 64 BC
    Creation of joint province of Bithynia and Pontus - 64 BC


    Annexation of Cyprus 58 BC

    Effects of Caesar's Gallic Campaign
    Conquest of Gaul and creation of the provinces of:
    Aquitania, Celtica and Belgica - 51 BC
  8. Roc Active Member

    Country:
    United-States
    Just finished Caeser's cuirasse, as soon as I get a chance I'll post some pictures.
    The sash has been undercoated in acrylic purple.

    Cheers
    Roc. :)
  9. Roc Active Member

    Country:
    United-States
    Caeser's cuirasse is almost finished, still needs extreme highlights and shadows.


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    Cheers
    Roc. :)
  10. Roc Active Member

    Country:
    United-States
    Next I will the tunic and the sash which.


    Cheers
    Roc. :)
  11. Markus Well-Known Member

    Country:
    Germany
    Hello Roc,

    that looks promisingly to me. Can you tell us wich colours you have been using to paint this lovley metals?

    I keep colse and wait for more pics. ;)

    Best regards,
    Markus
  12. Roc Active Member

    Country:
    United-States
    Hello Markus, I'm glad you like it so far.

    Cuirasse
    1- undercoated with burnt umber acrylic paint.
    2- Base = Liquitex acrylic iridecent bronze ( numerous thin coats).
    3- medium shadows = raw umber.
    4 - Deep shadows = Sepia.
    5 - medium highlight = Testors gold with a little raw umber mixed into it.
    6- high highlights = pure Testors gold .
    7- For the catch light = Testors siler here and there.

    I hope this helps.

    Cheers
    Roc. :)
  13. Roy New Member

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    Hey Roc...I love the colours you've done on the cuirass...they look very deep and lustrous. It's a lovely kit.

    All the best.

    Roy.
  14. megroot A Fixture

    Country:
    Netherlands
    Great work Rocco,

    I gonna use this oilmix for the " cuiras" on the Marcomanni.

    Marc
  15. Roc Active Member

    Country:
    United-States
    Thanks Roy, indeed, this is a lovely kit , I'm really enjoying it.


    Cheers
    Roc. :)
  16. Roc Active Member

    Country:
    United-States
    Hey Marc, thanks for following the step by step and for your support.


    Cheers
    Roc. :)
  17. Roc Active Member

    Country:
    United-States
    [IMG]

    Caeser proceeded by forced marches to the territory of the Nervii, and there learnt from prisoners what was happening in [Quintus] Cicero's camp, and how critical the position was. He then induced one of his Gallic horsemen . . . to convey a letter to Cicero, which he wrote in Greek characters, for fear it might be intercepted and his plans known to the enemy. If he was unable to get into the camp, the man was to tie the letter to the thong of a javelin and throw it in over the rampart. The letter informed Cicero that Caesar was on the way with some legions and would be there shortly, and told him to keep up a bold front." Julius Caesar, De Bello Gallico.

    For almost a sixth of his life - from 58 to 49 BC- Julius Caesar lived absent from Rome, conquering one of the largest stretches of hostile territory ever brought into its Empire. The series of brilliant offensive campaigns he waged against the tribes of Gaul, Belgium and Germany rivaled the successes of Rome's legendary generals. He was the first commander in Roman history to build a bridge across the Rhine and carry war into the enemy's country. His venture to the island of Britannia, half-mythical to the Roman world (to which it was largely unknown), riveted the attention of political Europe. He brought, for better or worse, the Celtic tribes of "Long-haired Gaul" firmly into the Roman Empire, with an exhausted peace that would outlast him by cen


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    THE GALLIC TRIBES, 58-50 BC

    Caesar's campaigns have filled countless books, but some summarization is possible. The Gaul Caesar conquered included France (except southern France, which was already a Roman province, Gallia Narbonensis), southern Holland, Belgium, Germany west of the Rhine, and most of Switzerland. Familiar with elements of Greek and Roman culture for centuries, Caesar met a barbarian people with stable cultural similarities, their own coinage and vibrant art, walled towns and established urban centers, settled agriculture and a stable religious ethos. Political development varied in degree. Rome had influenced the Province (modern Provence), which had been linked to Rome for over a century, but her impact farther north was confined primarily to trade in wine and certain luxuries.

    The Celtic tribes in general - and especially the great tribes of the Averni, the Aedui, and the Helvetii- had already abandoned hereditary kingship for annually elected magistrates, answerable to councils and public codes of law. The Northern Celts still retained their kings. The Germanic tribes beyond the Rhine positively rejected what they saw as enervating luxuries offered by Roman traders. It had been only two generations since the vast Germanic incursions of the Cimbrii and Teutones led to their defeat on a Gallic battlefield by Gaius Marius. Resentment against Rome had festered.

    In spite of these many "civilized" aspects, to Caesar and the Romans of his time the Gauls remained barbarians, and became more uncouth the farther away from Rome they lived. There are frequent references to the Gallic character scattered throughout Caesar's famous commentaries on the Gallic Wars. He considered them impulsive, emotional, easily swayed; they were fickle, loved change, were credulous and prone to panic. Although it is obvious from his writings that Caesar viewed them with respect as worthy military adversaries, he coldly judged their struggle for freedom from Rome's sway as no more than unstable anger whipped up by agitators with ulterior personal motives. It apparently never occurred to Caesar that there were rational arguments against annexation by Rome. There seems little doubt his initial moves against the Helvetii were calculated for his own political advantage, and that he carried his conquests far beyond the brief initially given him by the Senate of Rome. Again and again, as with his expeditions to Britain and the Rhine in the eight years of his command, Caesar justifies extensions of his field of operations against the many tribes by representing them as punitive expeditions, or by alleging the need to overawe the dubiously loyal, volatile Gauls.

    Yet the contests against the Gauls not only taxed Caesar's military brilliance to its utmost, but also provide one of history's great panoramas of military skill and bravery. The great tribal names - the Bellovaci, Atrebates, Nervii, Eburones, Remi, Suessiones - have lived in history for two millennia, largely thanks to Caesar's magnificent reports from the front. Yet, while fighting the Gauls on the one hand with a celerity and ruthlessness that kept Gaul peacefully within the Empire for the next 400 years, he was ever mindful of his strengthening political foes in Rome itself. While he was besieging hill forts and selling whole conquered tribes into slavery, his political support in Rome began to unravel. The Senate might vote him a series of unprecedented public thanksgivings for his conquests but Pompey was edging ever closer to the Optimates and away from Caesar's interests, while Cicero's party became inflexible in its hostility. A more complete history of the military campaigns comprising the Gallic wars can be found here; however, it is critical to see Caesar's campaigns in Gaul within the context of his personal war in Rome.

    Cheers
    Roc.
  18. Roc Active Member

    Country:
    United-States
    Hey guys, finished painting Caeser's cape, tunic and leather straps.
    I will be posting some pictures later on tonight, time permiting.


    Cheers
    Roc. :)
  19. Roy New Member

    Country:
    United-Kingdom
    It's good to read all the historical background Roc.
    Look forward to the pics of him so far...I'll keep watch for them.

    Roy.
  20. Roc Active Member

    Country:
    United-States
    Hey guys , just painted the tunic, leather straps and the cape, they are not finished yet, they still need more highlights and shadows.
    After taking these pictures I placed the figure in the oven to dry, as you can see from the photos it is still wet.
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    I under coated the boots , the arms and legs in acrylics,next they will be painted in oils.

    Cheers
    Roc. :)

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