44 BC: The Ides of March
Gaius Julius Caesar, dictator of Rome, is stabbed to death in the
Roman Senate house by 60 conspirators led by Marcus Junius Brutus and
Gaius Cassius Longinus.
Caesar, born into the Julii, an ancient but not particularly
distinguished Roman aristocratic family, began his political career in
78 B.C. as a prosecutor for the anti-patrician Popular Party. He won
influence in the party for his reformist ideas and oratorical skills,
and aided Roman imperial efforts by raising a private army to combat
the king of Pontus in 74 B.C. He was an ally of Pompey, the recognized
head of the Popular Party, and essentially took over this position
after Pompey left Rome in 67 B.C. to become commander of Roman forces
in the east.
In 63 B.C., Caesar was elected pontifex maximus, or "high priest,"
allegedly by heavy bribes. Two years later, he was made governor of
Farther Spain and in 64 B.C. returned to Rome, ambitious for the
office of consul. The consulship, essentially the highest office in
the Roman Republic, was shared by two politicians on an annual basis.
Consuls commanded the army, presided over the Senate and executed its
decrees, and represented the state in foreign affairs. Caesar formed a
political alliance--the so-called First Triumvirate--with Pompey and
Marcus Licinius Crassus, the wealthiest man in Rome, and in 59 B.C.
was elected consul. Although generally opposed by the majority of the
Roman Senate, Caesar's land reforms won him popularity with many
Romans.
In 58 B.C., Caesar was given four Roman legions in Cisalpine Gaul and
Illyricum, and during the next decade demonstrated brilliant military
talents as he expanded the Roman Empire and his reputation. Among
other achievements, Caesar conquered all of Gaul, made the first Roman
inroads into Britain, and won devoted supporters in his legions.
However, his successes also aroused Pompey's jealousy, leading to the
collapse of their political alliance in 53 B.C.
The Roman Senate supported Pompey and asked Caesar to give up his
army, which he refused to do. In January 49 B.C., Caesar led his
legions across the Rubicon River from Cisalpine Gaul to Italy, thus
declaring war against Pompey and his forces. Caesar made early gains
in the subsequent civil war, defeating Pompey's army in Italy and
Spain, but was later forced into retreat in Greece. In August 48 B.C.,
with Pompey in pursuit, Caesar paused near Pharsalus, setting up camp
at a strategic location. When Pompey's senatorial forces fell upon
Caesar's smaller army, they were entirely routed, and Pompey fled to
Egypt, where he was assassinated by an officer of the Egyptian king.
Caesar was subsequently appointed Roman consul and dictator, but
before settling in Rome he traveled around the empire for several
years and consolidated his rule. In 45 B.C., he returned to Rome and
was made dictator for life. As sole Roman ruler, Caesar launched
ambitious programs of reform within the empire. The most lasting of
these was his establishment of the Julian calendar, which, with the
exception of a slight modification and adjustment in the 16th century,
remains in use today. He also planned new imperial expansions in
central Europe and to the east. In the midst of these vast designs, he
was assassinated on March 15, 44 B.C., by a group of conspirators who
believed that his death would lead to the restoration of the Roman
Republic. However, the result of the "Ides of March" was to plunge
Rome into a fresh round of civil wars, out of which Octavian, Caesar's
grand-nephew, would emerge as Augustus, the first Roman emperor,
destroying the republic forever.
history.com/tdih.do
General Interest
44 BC: The Ides of March
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihVideoCategory&id=6837
1820 : Maine enters the Union
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=4837
1917 : Czar Nicholas II abdicates
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=4838
#########################################
Gaius Julius Caesar, dictator of Rome, is stabbed to death in the
Roman Senate house by 60 conspirators led by Marcus Junius Brutus and
Gaius Cassius Longinus.
Caesar, born into the Julii, an ancient but not particularly
distinguished Roman aristocratic family, began his political career in
78 B.C. as a prosecutor for the anti-patrician Popular Party. He won
influence in the party for his reformist ideas and oratorical skills,
and aided Roman imperial efforts by raising a private army to combat
the king of Pontus in 74 B.C. He was an ally of Pompey, the recognized
head of the Popular Party, and essentially took over this position
after Pompey left Rome in 67 B.C. to become commander of Roman forces
in the east.
In 63 B.C., Caesar was elected pontifex maximus, or "high priest,"
allegedly by heavy bribes. Two years later, he was made governor of
Farther Spain and in 64 B.C. returned to Rome, ambitious for the
office of consul. The consulship, essentially the highest office in
the Roman Republic, was shared by two politicians on an annual basis.
Consuls commanded the army, presided over the Senate and executed its
decrees, and represented the state in foreign affairs. Caesar formed a
political alliance--the so-called First Triumvirate--with Pompey and
Marcus Licinius Crassus, the wealthiest man in Rome, and in 59 B.C.
was elected consul. Although generally opposed by the majority of the
Roman Senate, Caesar's land reforms won him popularity with many
Romans.
In 58 B.C., Caesar was given four Roman legions in Cisalpine Gaul and
Illyricum, and during the next decade demonstrated brilliant military
talents as he expanded the Roman Empire and his reputation. Among
other achievements, Caesar conquered all of Gaul, made the first Roman
inroads into Britain, and won devoted supporters in his legions.
However, his successes also aroused Pompey's jealousy, leading to the
collapse of their political alliance in 53 B.C.
The Roman Senate supported Pompey and asked Caesar to give up his
army, which he refused to do. In January 49 B.C., Caesar led his
legions across the Rubicon River from Cisalpine Gaul to Italy, thus
declaring war against Pompey and his forces. Caesar made early gains
in the subsequent civil war, defeating Pompey's army in Italy and
Spain, but was later forced into retreat in Greece. In August 48 B.C.,
with Pompey in pursuit, Caesar paused near Pharsalus, setting up camp
at a strategic location. When Pompey's senatorial forces fell upon
Caesar's smaller army, they were entirely routed, and Pompey fled to
Egypt, where he was assassinated by an officer of the Egyptian king.
Caesar was subsequently appointed Roman consul and dictator, but
before settling in Rome he traveled around the empire for several
years and consolidated his rule. In 45 B.C., he returned to Rome and
was made dictator for life. As sole Roman ruler, Caesar launched
ambitious programs of reform within the empire. The most lasting of
these was his establishment of the Julian calendar, which, with the
exception of a slight modification and adjustment in the 16th century,
remains in use today. He also planned new imperial expansions in
central Europe and to the east. In the midst of these vast designs, he
was assassinated on March 15, 44 B.C., by a group of conspirators who
believed that his death would lead to the restoration of the Roman
Republic. However, the result of the "Ides of March" was to plunge
Rome into a fresh round of civil wars, out of which Octavian, Caesar's
grand-nephew, would emerge as Augustus, the first Roman emperor,
destroying the republic forever.
history.com/tdih.do
General Interest
44 BC: The Ides of March
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihVideoCategory&id=6837
1820 : Maine enters the Union
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=4837
1917 : Czar Nicholas II abdicates
history.com/tdih.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&id=4838
#########################################
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