Lego Classicist

Lego Classicist Logo

Lego Classicist is social media page which is dedicated to recreating classicists in Lego. Started up by Liam D. Jensen (Independent Historical Archivist) takes a interesting approach to history and Lego. 

Although every thing has a interesting beginnings. Lego Classicist started  up by  completely accident. During Liam's holiday break from work, he happened to be look online for Lego and stumbled across a number of figure parts that reminded him of Associate Professor Tom Hillard, an academic and an old family friend. He purchased the parts, thinking it would make a great gift.

The first Lego Classicist,

A/Prof. Tom Hillard.

Liam uploaded a photo of the figure on his personal Facebook account. The post became popular and found it's way across Australia.

After making more Lego figures for other academics, the hobby jumped started Lego Classicists.

The Lego Classicist family grow and now includes former Lego Senior Curator at Nicholson Museum Michael Turner (responsible for three Lego models displayed at the Nicholson Museum), Lego Prof. Wallace-Hadrill (Roman historian, archaeologist and TV presenter), Lego Dr. Kara Cooney (world renowned Egyptologist and presenter), Lego Sir Charles Nicholson (founder of the Nicholson Museum, University of Sydney) and Lego Prof. Christopher Smith (Director of the British School at Rome). 

Former Lego Senior
Curator at
Nicholson Museum,

Michael Turner

"The goal of these Lego Classicists figures is more metaphorical art than literally correct visual truth... so then the real challenge is not to make them 'look' like the person, but how to make them 'feel' like the person"

- L.D. Jensen

Every Lego figure made by Lego Classicistic are gifted to the people they portray and are never produced for commercial profit because every single figure to be unique and special to the person who are honoured in Lego Classicists. 

To qualify as an Lego Classicists, you need to come under the three categorise: 

Lego Sir Charles Nicholson

founder of the

Nicholson Museum

Lego Classicist

Anyone who deals with any other serious study of the ancient world of any other civilization across the world, such as Egyptology.

These include academic, scholar, archivist, librarian or historian who works in the study of classics (the ancient worlds of Greece & Rome, traditional classics) can become a Lego Classicist.
 

Honorary Lego Classicist

Anyone who works in the discipline of history, including modern history, who is promoting the greater use of the recording and use of history.

Anyone, including people outside the discipline of ancient & modern history, who has shown great interest in, or provided a significant new perspective to, the study or understanding of ancient history.

Me in Lego

by Lego Classicist

Honourable Mention Lego Classicist

Anyone who has had a connection to the work of ancient world study and engagement, even when their work is seemingly unconnected, but without whose help it would not be possible.

Lego Classicist reminds me a lot of myself, with my Lego historic people posts and photographs. I completely respect Liam for providing Lego figures for free in honour of those in the cultural sector.

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Is Emperor Palpatine the NEW Julius Caesar?

Rise to power.

In light of new Star Wars film being released this year we thought we should do a post based on both the sci-fi film and history. So we are looking at a comparison of two characters, Julius Caesar and Emperor Palpatine. Please do put you opinions on the matter in the comments below. 

Emperor Palpatine, maybe a fictional character in one of the most famous sci-fi films of all time, Star War; but is there a real truth behind the fiction? As many people know that a lot of story writers take true stories and change them to make up their own fictional storylines. Now what I would like to do, is to see if this is the case for Palpatine and histories most famous figure, Julius Caesar. 

They both lived in a Republic which was started after the fall of a powerful dynasty, Roman Kings/Sith Lords. They both worked within the Senate of the Republic and both climbed the ladder of political ambition. With Caesar, he became Senator, then Quaestor in 69, Aedile in 65 and Praetor in 62. Then in 61-60 BCE he served as the governor of Spain and the Consulship in 59 BCE. And with Palpatine, he became Senator and them Supreme Chancellor. Both gaining the highest position in the Republic they served in and needing room to grow farther in power.

Both were clever enough to manipulate the situation they were in, for their own gain. With Caesar, he used the civil war that erupted between him and Pompey in 54 to be giving position of consul and dictator (at this time it was a elected position) of Roman in the time of crisis. After he defeated his enemy he refused to give up his power, and then forced the senate to give him the dictatorship for life in 44. 

With Palpatine, he was given 'emergency powers' in time of war with the Trade Federation and the Sith Lord, Count Dooku. After the Trade Federation and all the known Sith Lord were defeated, he refused to give up his powers when the Jedi Council requested him to do so. In doing so he revealed he was Darth Sidious, Dark Lord of the Sith. Both gained powers bestowed upon them by the Senate in time of crisis and both refused to give up that power after the threats were eliminated and no longer a problem.

The assassination.

In 44 BCE, after alienating the Roman senate, Caesar was assassinated in the Theatre of Pompey by many of the members of the senate, including his close friend Brutus. With Palpatine, he was killed by his padawan, Darth Vader. Both seem to have been killed by their friends because of one reason or another.

So it seems to be quite easy to say that the story of the Emperor Palpatine is very similar to that of Julius Caesar's. Through life and death, they seem to share the same path and plot. In conclusion, essentially the Star Wars character Emperor Palpatine is Caesar in more places than some. 

Alexander the Great "There is nothing impossible to him who tries."

Alexander the Great
(356-145 BCE)

Alexander was born in Pella, the Capital of Macedonia in July 356 BCE. His parents were Philip II of Macedon and Olympias. He was educated by the Philosopher Aristotle. 

His father was assassinated in 336 BCE and Alexander became Alexander III of Macedon. After Alexander dealt with the problems in Macedon and reasserted Macedonian power within Hellas (Greece). He set out to conquer the Persian Empire. 

Against the odds, he led his army to victories across Persian territories of Asia Minor, Syria and Egypt, without any defeat. In 331 BCE, the young Alexander was able to achieve being King of Macedonia, leader of Hellenes (Greeks), overlord of Asia Minor and Pharaoh of Egypt became 'Great King' of Persia at the age of 25.

There is nothing impossible
to him who tries.
- Alexander

Within the next 8 years, Alexander led his army a further 11,000 miles, discovering over 70 cities and creating an empire over 3 continents, which were linked by a international network of trade and commerce. All this was united under the Hellenes language and culture, while adapted within individual customs in order to rule millions.

However, Alexander died of a fever in Babylon on June 323 BCE. His death sparked a huge power struggle. Macedonia had a bloody civil war with those who wished for control of the Empire. Hellas rebelled against Macedonia and expelled them from Hellas. The Macedonian Empire was eventually split into main kingdoms and with the rise of Rome ended the Macedonian kingdom when both Macedonia and Hellas were conquered in 167/145 BCE.

Julius Caesar - "I Came, I Saw, I Conquered!"

"Veni, Vidi, Vici" - Caesar

Julius Caesar born in Rome 12th or 13th of July 100 BCE into the Julian clan. 

Caesar became a politician and general of the Late Roman Republic, who raised himself in the political system. Greatly expanding the Roman Empire in doing so.

Succeed in became a Quaestor in 69, Aedile in 65 and Praetor in 62. In 61-60 BCE he served as the governor of Spain. On his return to Rome in 60, Caesar, Pompey and Crassus joined together in a political pact, the Triumvirate.

Giving him the opportunity to gain the Consulship in 59 BCE. In the following year he was appointed as the governor of Gaul (France), staying for eight years. He reduced the possibility of a Gallic invasion and revolt. He also attempted two expeditions to Britain in 55 and 54 BCE.

He returned to Rome without disbanding his army and starting a civil war. After Caesar defeated the republican forces, Pompey, their leader, fled to Egypt where he was assassinated. 

Assassination of Caesar

Caesar then became the master of Rome and made himself consul and dictator. He used his newfound political powers to carry out some radical reforms. Although, a dictatorship is normally a temporary position. In 44 BCE, Caesar took it up for life, in doing so he alienated the Republican Senators. A group of the senate assassinated Caesar on the 15th March 44 BCE in the Theatre of Pompey. 

With his assassination, sparked another civil war that ends the Republic and started the imperial system with Caesar's nephew and adopted son Octavian, as Augustus on becoming the first Emperor of Roman Empire.