Julius Caesar

The Roman dictator who conquered Gaul and was stabbed approximately 23 times by 60 conspirators to defend republican traditions.

Julius Caesar served as Roman dictator and led the Gallic Wars for eight years, fully conquering Gaul. In early 44 BC, he was appointed dictator perpetuo. He was assassinated on the Ides of March (15 March), 44 BC, by a group of senators during a session at the Curia of Pompey.

Quick Facts

Part of: the Crisis of the Roman Republic
Location: Curia of Pompey, Rome
Date: 15 March 44 BC; -43 ago

Lore & Background

After eight years in the Gallic Wars, Caesar refused a Senate order to disband his army and cross the Rubicon in 49 BC, sparking civil war. By early 44 BC, he held lifelong political authority as dictator perpetuo. Three incidents between 45 and 44 BC fueled conspiracy: refusing to rise for senators, removing tribunes who opposed him over a diadem incident, and rejecting a crown at the Lupercalia festival while appearing to test public support for monarchy.

Reader's Guide

The conspiracy formed after February 22, 44 BC, when Cassius Longinus met with Marcus Brutus. They recruited around sixty to eighty senators, preferring men near age forty. Notable recruits included Decimus Brutus, Gaius Trebonius, Tillius Cimber, Minucius Basilus, and the brothers Casca. The group excluded Cicero for being too cautious and rejected Mark Antony after he declined a prior offer. They planned to strike during a Senate session.

Did You Know?

The conspirators numbered between sixty and eighty individuals.
The event took place at the Curia of Pompey inside the Theatre of Pompey.

The Ides of March and the Betrayal

On 15 March 44 BC, approximately 60 conspirators led by Marcus Junius Brutus, Gaius Cassius Longinus, and Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus assassinated Caesar in the Curia of Pompey within the Theatre of Rome. They stabbed him roughly 23 times, claiming their act defended the Republic against his perpetual dictatorship. The assassination failed to restore republican institutions; instead, it triggered Caesar's deification, the Liberators' civil war (43–42 BC), and ultimately the rise of Augustus and the Principate.

The Three Last Straws

Historians cite three final causes: first, Caesar's refusal to rise for senators in the Temple of Venus Genetrix; second, his removal of tribunes Marullus and Flavus after they challenged a diadem on his statue; third, the Lupercalia incident where Antony offered him a crown. Though Caesar rejected it, declaring Jupiter the only king, many believed he tested support for monarchy.

The Road to Civil War

After eight years conquering Gaul (modern-day France), Caesar crossed the Rubicon in 49 BC when the Senate demanded he disband his army. He defeated all opposition and became dictator perpetuo in early 44 BC. This accumulation of power, including his perpetual dictatorship, threatened republican traditions and motivated the conspiracy.

Omens and Divine Warning

Virgil's Georgics describes omens preceding the assassination: the sun veiled in darkness, Etna erupting with fire, earthquakes in the Alps, battle sounds in Germany, phantoms in groves, beasts speaking human speech, rivers standing still, weeping ivory statues, sweating bronze figures, and the Po River sweeping away forests. Sinister entrails and wolf howls also signaled disaster.