Primary Source Analysis

Stiles History 1

Primary Source Document Analysis Worksheet

Primary source: Suetonius - The Life of Julius Caesar

_________________________________________________1. What is the main idea Suetonius is trying to communicate in The Life of Julius Caesar?

How does he describe Caesar?

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2. What is the author’s bias? Is this a negative or positive portrayal of Caesar? What might

have motivated Suetonius to portray Caesar in this way?

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3. What was the context in which Suetonius was writing? Where and when was this

document written, and what was going on at that time?

_________________________________________________4. Who was the intended audience for The Life of Julius Caesar?

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5. Can you link The Life of Julius Caesar to other things you’ve learned about, either in class

or elsewhere? How might this source add to our understanding of history?