Assassination of Julius Caesar
In March 45 BC, a senatorial delegation marched to the Temple of Venus Genetrix to present honors upon Julius Caesar. He refused to stand and joked that his awards needed reduction instead of increase. Roman historian Suetonius recorded this incident as one of three final causes for his murder. Another event occurred in January 44 BC when tribunes found a diadem on Caesar's statue at the Rostra. They removed it because it symbolized royalty, yet Caesar suspected they had placed it there themselves. Later that month, a crowd shouted "Rex" while Caesar rode the Appian Way. He replied, "I am not Rex, but Caesar," then ordered the shouters arrested. This action alienated the common people who viewed tribunes as their representatives. A third incident took place during the Lupercalia festival on the 15th of February 44 BC. Mark Antony climbed the Rostra and offered Caesar a crown. Caesar rejected it twice before placing it aside as a sacrifice to Jupiter. Many Romans believed he tested public support for kingship by rejecting the crown. These three events convinced senators that Caesar sought monarchy. By February 44 BC, the conspiracy began forming among men who feared the end of republican traditions.
On the morning of the 15th of March 44 BC, Calpurnia woke from a nightmare holding her murdered husband. She begged him not to attend the Senate meeting scheduled for that day. Caesar initially agreed but changed his mind after Decimus Brutus visited his home. Decimus asked if someone of his stature would heed a woman's dreams. The conspirators met at the Theatre of Pompey where gladiatorial games were underway. They stationed armed gladiators in the Portico to block access or protect them later. Caesar arrived and spotted the seer Spurinna. He joked, "Well, the Ides of March have come!" Spurinna replied, "Aye, the Ides have come, but they are not yet gone." As Caesar took his seat, Lucius Tillius Cimber presented a petition to recall his exiled brother. When Caesar waved him away, Cimber grabbed his shoulders and pulled down his toga. Gaius Servilius Casca stabbed him in the side while Publius Casca made a glancing thrust at his neck. Caesar turned and caught Casca by the arm before throwing him off. Cassius slashed his face while others stabbed his back and thigh. He fell on the lower steps of the portico as men continued stabbing him. A physician later determined only one wound to his ribs was fatal. Around 60 men participated in the attack, inflicting 23 wounds total.
Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus began recruiting members on the 22nd of February 44 BC. They sought senators near age forty who were neither reckless youths nor feeble elders. The group numbered between sixty and eighty individuals according to ancient sources. Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus joined on the 7th of March after being approached by Labeo and Cassius. Pontius Aquila had been personally humiliated by Caesar earlier in their careers. Some conspirators like Publius Casca and Servilius Casca came from Caesar's own ranks. Others such as Pacuvius Labeo answered affirmatively when asked if it was wise to risk danger for evil men. Cicero was considered too cautious despite his popularity among common people. Mark Antony was rejected because he refused a previous invitation to join. The conspirators debated whether to kill Antony alongside Caesar but decided against it. Brutus argued that killing supporters would look like a political purge rather than justice. They settled on assassinating Caesar alone while keeping his reforms intact. This decision aimed to preserve support from both Roman citizens and Caesar's soldiers. The final plan involved meeting at the Senate House where only senators could enter.
A wax statue of Caesar displayed twenty-three stab wounds at the Forum shortly after his death. Angry crowds burned the Senate House two days later following the assassination. Mark Antony summoned the senate and arranged a compromise allowing assassins to avoid punishment. He kept all of Caesar's appointments valid to prevent government collapse. However, Caesar's grandnephew Gaius Octavius inherited his name and vast wealth. Octavian sailed from Apollonia to Brundisium upon hearing of his adoptive father's death. At eighteen years old, he consolidated power while Antony dealt with Decimus Brutus. The Second Triumvirate formed on the 27th of November 43 BC between Antony, Octavian, and Lepidus. It officially deified Caesar as Divus Iulius in 42 BC. The triumvirs used proscription to fund forty-five legions for civil war against Brutus and Cassius. They defeated the conspirators at Philippi in 42 BC. Internal conflicts soon fractured the alliance when Lepidus rebelled in Sicily. Octavian exiled him in 36 BC and took his provinces. Antony married Cleopatra using Egypt's wealth to dominate Rome. A third civil war ended with their defeat at Actium in 31 BC. Both committed suicide in Alexandria by 30 BC. Octavian became Augustus in 27 BC establishing the Principate era.
Roman historian Suetonius wrote about Caesar's assassination nearly 150 years after the event occurred. He recorded that a physician performed an autopsy revealing only one fatal wound. Plutarch described how Caesar pulled his toga over his head upon seeing Brutus among the assassins. Cassius Dio stated that Caesar said nothing while others claimed he spoke Greek words meaning "You too, child?" Appian documented the aftermath including the burning of the Senate House. Florus noted that Caesar's death precipitated the end of the Roman Republic. These ancient accounts provide conflicting details about Caesar's final moments and last words. Some sources mention Spurinna warning Caesar about danger on the Ides of March. Others describe Calpurnia's nightmares as omens preceding the murder. The historians differ on whether Caesar spoke or remained silent during the attack. Their writings form the primary historical record for modern understanding of these events.
William Shakespeare wrote Julius Caesar in 1599 focusing on the political intrigue surrounding the assassination. Multiple films adapted this play starting with an Italian production in 1914. Charlton Heston starred in a 1950 version while another adaptation appeared in 1953. A comedy sketch called Rinse the Blood Off My Toga reimagined the story as detective noir in 1954. HBO produced Rome between 2005 and 2007 covering events from Gallic wars through Octavian's rise. Miniseries released in 2002 explored Caesar's life and death comprehensively. Novels like Thornton Wilder's The Ides of March and Steven Saylor's The Throne of Caesar expanded the narrative further. Jorge Luis Borges wrote a short story titled Theme of the Traitor and the Hero examining betrayal themes. These works reflect how later generations interpreted the historical event through literature and film. They continue to shape public perception of Roman history today.
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Common questions
When did Julius Caesar die?
Julius Caesar died on the 15th of March 44 BC. The assassination took place during a Senate meeting at the Theatre of Pompey.
Who killed Julius Caesar and how many conspirators were involved?
Around 60 men participated in the attack, inflicting 23 wounds total. Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus led the recruitment effort starting on the 22nd of February 44 BC.
Why did senators decide to assassinate Julius Caesar?
Senators believed Caesar sought monarchy after three specific events alienated them. These incidents included his refusal to stand for honors, the placement of a diadem on his statue, and Mark Antony offering him a crown during the Lupercalia festival.
What happened to Octavian after Julius Caesar was murdered?
Gaius Octavius inherited Caesar's name and vast wealth upon hearing of his adoptive father's death. He consolidated power while forming the Second Triumvirate with Antony and Lepidus on the 27th of November 43 BC before becoming Augustus in 27 BC.
How many fatal wounds did Julius Caesar receive according to ancient sources?
A physician determined only one wound to his ribs was fatal despite the group inflicting 23 wounds total. Roman historian Suetonius recorded this autopsy finding nearly 150 years after the event occurred.