The Assassination of Julius Caesar by Marcus Brutus

On 15 March 44 B.C.E the Roman dictator Julius Creaser was murdered. There are multiple accounts on what took place that day. However all account came far after the day of the incident. When reading the accounts, “The death of Caesar”, written by Caesar's biographer, Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus (c.70-c.135), “The Assassination of Julius Caesar” from Marcus Brutus, and In “The Assassination of Julius Caesar” by Nicolaus of Damascus, all accounts portray Julius Caesar as a “selfish dictator”. In the student textbook, “The Making of the West, Volume 1: to 1750, 4th Edition”, Authors Lynn Hunt, Thomas Martin, Barbara Rosenwein and Bonnie Smith, portray Julius Cesar as both a "model politician" and a “selfish dictator”.

In the account, “The death of Caesar”, written by Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus, Caesar's biographer (c.70-c.135). Portrays Caesar as a “selfish dictator”. Author Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus writes that not only a few had conspired to kill Caesar but in fact sixty had joined (“Lives of the 12 Caesars”). The conspirators united “since even the general populations were no longer pleased with present conditions [under Caesars rule]” (“Lives of the 12 Caesars”). By foreigners being allowed into the senate, the population begun to believe Caesar had become an oppressive and cruel ruler, no longer for the “commonwealth” and asked for aid in their liberty both secretly and publicly (“Lives of the 12 Caesars”).

In the account, “The Assassination of Julius Caesar”, written by Marcus Brutus, does not much speak on Caesar himself but by the will of so many whom conspired against him gives the impression that Caesar was seen by the majority as a “selfish dictator”. Although is seems as though he was not thought of in high regard...

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... Thomas R. Martin, Barbara H. Rosenwein and Bonnie G. Smith. “The Rise of Rome and Its Republic, 753–44 b.c.e.,” in the making of the west volume 1 to 1750 2012, edited by Denise B. Wydra, 139-170. Boston: Beford/St. Martin’s, 2012.

Plutarch. "The Assassination of Julius Caesar, from Marcus Brutus (excerpts)." Translated by John Dryden. Reproduced by Internet Ancient History Sourcebook. August 2000. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/plutarch-caesar.asp (accessed 4 February 2014).

"The Assassination of Julius Caesar, 44 BC." Eyewitness to

History. 2004. http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/caesar2.htm (accessed 4 February 2014).

Tranquillus, Gaius Suetonius. Lives of the 12 Caesars. Translated by Joseph Gavorse. Reproduced by Livius: Articles on Ancient history. History. http://www.livius.org/caa-can/caesar/caesar_t09.html (accessed 4 February 2014).