The Ides of March: the Assassination of Julius Caesar

Veni vidi vici, Julius Caesar's famous line meaning, I came, I saw, I conquered, is one of the most famous quotes from the ancient world, and almost as iconic as Shakespeare's creative liberties with Caesar's supposed final words, Et tu, Brut? You too, Brutus? Which was actually more like, You too, my child? Which he said to Brutus who he had helped to gain power, and who had now turned on him. On the Ides of March, the name of the 15th day of March in 44 BCE, the Roman dictator Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of conspirators, believing they were saving the Roman Republic, who instead moved it to a new stage in its history, towards empire. Today we're going to look at how Julius Caesar was assassinated, for what reason, and what this fateful date meant for Rome. Don't forget the easiest way to support us is by giving this video a like and subscribing to our channel so you don't miss out on any new uploads. If you like the shirt I'm wearing, you can purchase this along with a bunch of other designs from our shop, which I will link down below. Prior to his murder, Julius Caesar had assumed the title of dictator following his civil war against the general Pompey, a legitimate move approved by the Senate, and was making changes to the laws of the Republic, which made him popular among the commoners, such as giving grain to the poor and land to seasoned veterans. However, by limiting the terms of governors, increasing the size of the Senate, and most importantly, claiming the title of dictator for life, his enemies and even his friends were worried that their voice would no longer be heard, and their beloved Republic would become a permanent dictatorship and change for the worse. Although Caesar increased the number of jobs for the people with more public works, cleaned up the dangerous streets, created a new calendar, and even built a public library, his perceived arrogance made him seem more like a king to some people, and the Romans had long ago rejected the concept of an absolute monarch. Although Caesar refused the honor of a laurel wreath from the general Mark Antony, a symbol of kingship, stating that only Jupiter was the king of the Romans, many people thought this gesture was insincere. And so, in the minds of some, the time to save the Republic from the would-be king had come. Enemies of Caesar, followers of Caesar's former rival Pompey, and even friends of the dictator who disagreed with Caesar's policies banded together to plan the assassination of Julius Caesar, knowing that if they failed, they would be branded traitors and executed. If they succeeded, however, they believed the Republic would be saved. The four ringleaders of the coup were Gaius Trebonius and Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus, who were friends of Caesar, and Gaius Cassius Longinus and Marcus Junius Brutus, better known simply as Brutus, who had served under either Pompey or the general Crassus, or both. Brutus, son of Caesar's mistress Servilia, had a patchy relationship with Caesar, but had ultimately been supported by him for a step towards consulship. Special mention also goes to the man who struck the first blow, Publius Servilius Casca, his brother Gaius Servilius Casca, who struck the last blow, and Lucius Tullus Simba, who signaled the beginning of the attack. The group of conspirators met secretly in small groups to avoid detection, and discussed times, places, and opportunities which Maybe as Caesar rode down the Appian Way, or while he was walking home. Ultimately, they decided to kill him in the Theatre of Pompey during a session of the Senate on the Ides of March, March 15th, 44 BCE. They chose to use double-edged daggers, which could be easily hidden under their togas. Despite the number of real omens Caesar received which suggested he shouldn't attend the Senate meeting that day, including his wife Calpurnia telling him of a dream she had of him bleeding in her arms, and a soothsayer warning him to beware the danger at the Ides of March, he went anyway. Even as he entered the theatre, he ignored the warning of imminent danger from Artemidorus, and simply took his seat. Simba approached Caesar humbly, then suddenly grabbed his toga and dealt the first blow. The other assassins then quickly followed. He was struck 23 times and died at the foot of the statue of his old rival, Pompey. Although the murder was planned well, none of the conspirators had any clear idea what to do after it was done. The death of Caesar did not bring back the old ways and spirit of Rome, but caused more violence and unrest, especially after the funeral speech given by Mark Antony, which turned popular opinion against Caesar's killers. The conspirators were forced to flee Rome, all inevitably finding death, and the laws and reforms of Caesar remained intact, as they were supported by his nephew Octavian, better known as Augustus Caesar, who would become the first emperor of Rome and establish the Roman Empire. Far from saving the Roman Republic, Caesar's assassination actually signaled its end. If you enjoyed this video, don't forget to give it a thumbs up and subscribe to our channel so you don't miss out on any new uploads. This video was brought to you by World History Encyclopedia. For more great articles and interactive content, head to our website via the link below. 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