The Ides of March
On March 15, 44 BCE, Julius Caesar entered the Senate. He left dead, stabbed 23 times by senators claiming to save the Republic.
The Conspirators
Marcus Brutus: Descended from the man who expelled Rome's last king. Caesar had pardoned him after the civil war; possibly his biological son.
Gaius Cassius: Senator, general, brother-in-law of Brutus.
About 60 senators joined the conspiracy, calling themselves the Liberatores (Liberators).
Their Reasons
Republican ideals: Caesar's perpetual dictatorship violated every Roman political tradition. He appointed senators, controlled elections, put his image on coins.
Personal grievances: Some resented his pardons (implying his superiority). Others wanted offices he'd given to rivals.
Fear of monarchy: Rumors swirled that Caesar would accept the title "king." For Romans, this was unforgivable.
The Assassination
The warning: Soothsayer Spurinna warned Caesar to "beware the Ides of March." On that morning, Caesar's wife begged him to stay home after troubled dreams.
At the Senate: As Caesar sat, conspirators surrounded him with petitions. Casca struck first, grazing his neck. Caesar fought back initially.
When he saw Brutus among the attackers, he reportedly pulled his toga over his head and stopped resisting. He fell at the base of Pompey's statue.
The Aftermath
The conspirators expected popular celebration. Instead, crowds were uncertain. Mark Antony's funeral speech ("Friends, Romans, countrymen...") turned opinion against the assassins.
Civil war followed. By 42 BCE, Brutus and Cassius were dead. The Republic they'd killed to save was finished.
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