28. Admiration for This Dictator Endured for Thousands of Years
Cincinnatus went down as one of the most revered figures of the Roman Republic, and as an exemplar of civic virtue, modesty, and outstanding leadership. His reputation endured long after his death, and long after the demise of the Roman Republic. Over two thousand years later, George Washington consciously sought to model his career after that of Cincinnatus.
That comparison resonated with contemporaries during the Age of the Enlightenment, who knew their Roman history well. Thus, when America’s first president and first great general voluntarily laid down his power at the end of his second term and went into retirement, he was lauded as a modern Cincinnatus.