Caesar planned to leave Rome on 18th March, 44 BC, for his campaign against the Persians
But just 3 days before it, on the 15th of March, a tragedy was to happen that would reshape Rome forever.After winning the Civil War, Caesar decided to pardon most of his enemies, this was to be a fatal mistake as these pardoned enemies were now planning to end Caesar’s life.There are 3 main incidents to why conspirators decided to assassinate Caesar.The first incident happened in December 45 BC, when senators voted to give Caesar some honours.They decided to walk up to Caesar in the temple of Venus to formally present these honours to him.Upon seeing the senators, it was an etiquette to stand up in respect, but Caesar refused to do so.Furthermore,
Caesar made fun of those honours saying “if there was to do anything, it was to reduce my honours, not increase them”.This sent a message to those Senators that Caesar no longer cared about the senate.The Second incident happened on 26 January, when Caesar was coming down a street on his horse when he was greeted by someone with “rex” which means “King”Caesar replied to him “I am not a king but Caesar”.Marullus and Flavus, the tribunes, were not amused and ordered the man who first cried “rex” arrested.Later on in a meeting, Caesar accused the tribunes of trying to make an opposition against himself and removed them from their positions.The Roman public took tribunes as serious representatives of the common people and disliked the tribune’s removal by Caesar.
The third event occurred at a festival when Caesar allegedly tried to see if there was public support for him to become kingDuring the festival, Mark Antony, who was co-consul with Caesar, came up, and placed a diadem (a crown) on Caesar’s head saying “The people give this to you through me”.On this, most of the crowd responded with silence.Caesar removed the diadem from his head, and Antony put it again, but the crowd responded in the same manner.Caesar then put the diadem aside and used it as a sacrifice for Jupiter and said “Only Jupiter is the king of Romans” to which the Crowd applauded heavily.This was a clear hint that people would not support Caesar the king, but will love, Caesar the Reformer.Conspirators recruited about 60 senators, mostly aged around 40, so that they were young enough to attack, but mature enough to be cautious.The conspirators also included some men from Caesar’s men, mainly cause they thought Caesar hadn’t rewarded them enough.The conspirators discussed different ideas to assassinate Caesar.Some said it was best to throw Caesar into the water when he would walk over the bridge to vote during the consul elections, as there would already be men down in the water with daggers ready.Finally, they decided to attack Caesar in the senate meeting on 15 March, as using a senate meeting for assassination would be seen as noble, and as a sign of republic restoration.Caesar was not completely unaware of the conspiracy but wasn’t expecting senators to dare such a huge move.When the morning arose on 15th March, Caesar felt a bit of sickness.Around 5 Am, His wife woke up and told him that she saw a dream in which Caesar was dead in her arms, and she was mourning over him.She begged Caesar to not attend the senate meeting today, and Caesar agreed and sent Antony to dismiss the senate.When the Conspirators heard from Antony, one of them, Decimus, decided to visit Caesar personally.”What do you say, Caesar?” Decimus said. “Will someone of your stature pay attention to a woman’s dreams and the omens of foolish men?” Caesar eventually decided to go.As Julius Caesar took his seat, Lucius Tullius Cimber approached him with a petition to recall his exiled brother.Other conspirators gathered around, showing their support.Both Plutarch and Suetonius note that Caesar waved Cimber away, but Cimber then grabbed Caesar’s shoulders and pulled down his toga.
Caesar exclaimed, “Why, this is violence!” At that moment, Casca produced a dagger and attempted to stab Caesar in the neck, but only inflicted a glancing wound.Caesar quickly caught Casca by the arm and asked, “Casca, you villain, what are you doing?” Casca, in fear, called for help in Greek.Despite Caesar’s resistance and his effort to throw Casca away, Gaius Servilius Casca managed to stab him in the side.Soon, Caesar was attacked from all directions: Cassius slashed his face, Bucilianus stabbed his back, and Decimus sliced his thigh.Caesar attempted to defend himself but eventually fell, and the conspirators continued their assault, stabbing him a total of 23 times.According to Suetonius, a physician’s autopsy revealed that only one of the wounds, the second to his ribs, was fatal, with his death primarily due to blood loss.The assassination took place at the base of the Curia of Pompey in the Theatre of Pompey.Caesar’s last words are debated among scholars.
While Cassius Dio and Suetonius state he said nothing, some sources suggest his final words were “καὶ σύ, τέκνον” (“You too, child?”).Plutarch reports that Caesar said nothing but covered his head with his toga upon seeing Brutus among the attackers.After the assassination, Brutus attempted to address the senators who weren’t involved in the assassination, but they fled.Brutus and the conspirators then marched through Rome, declaring that they had restored freedom, but the citizens remained indoors, leaving the city silent.Caesar’s body was eventually taken home by three slaves.This tragedy marked an end to an ill republic.Instead of reviving the republic, Caesar’s assassination led to the creation of the Roman empire by his grand-nephew, Octavianus, which we all now know by the name “Augustus”
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