Julius Caesar (July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general, statesman, Consul, and author of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the events that led to the demise of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire. On March 15 44 B.C.E, the Roman dictator Julius Caesar was murdered. There are multiple accounts of this incident, while all accounts came after the death of Caesar, the writing on the incident portray Julius Caesar to have been a selfish dictator.
The death of Caesar, written by Caesar's biographer, Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus (c.70-c.135), is believed to be the most famous and accurate account of the death of Julius Caesar. In this account, it was said 3 unmistakable signs foretold Caesar’s approaching murder to him. The first sign came when settlers were demolishing some tombs at the colony of Capua. The discovery of a tomb, which was said to be Capys, the founder of Capua, a bronze tablet inscribed with Greek words and characters was found. It read,
Whenever the bones of Capys shall be discovered, it will come to pass that a descendant of his shall be slain at the hands of his kindred, and presently avenged at heavy cost to Italy.
And let no one think this tale a myth or a lie, for it is vouched for by Cornelius Balbus, an intimate friend of Caesar. the second sign came when Spurinna warned him to beware of danger, which would come not later than the ides of March. The third sign came when a little bird called the king-bird flew into the Hall of Pompey with a sprig of laurel, pursued by others of various kinds from the grove hard by, which tore it to pieces in the hall. Caesar himself dreamed of being in the clouds and his wife Calpurnia thought that the pediment of their house [had] fel...
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...tion of the r republic and opened the way for the return of monarchy.
Bibliography
Hunt, Lynn and Thomas R. Martin, Barbara H. Rosenwein and Bonnie G. Smith. “ The Greek golden age,” in the making of the west volume 1 to 1750 2012, edited by Denise B. Wydra, 75-108. Boston: Beford/St. Martin’s, 2012.
"Julius Caesar". Roman-colosseum.info. (Retrieved 26 January 2014).
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 26 January 2014).
Tranquillus, Gaius Suetonius. Lives of the 12 Caesars. Translated by Joseph Gavorse. Reproduced by Livius: Articles on Ancient History. http://www.livius.org/caa-can/caesar/caesar_t09.html (Retrieved 26 January 2014).
Shakespeare, William. "The Death and Life of Julius Caesar." www.shakespeare.mit.edu. N.P., n.d. Web. 22 Feb 2016. ;.
Marcus Brutus killed Julius Caesar, on March 15. Many people were involved with the murder of Caesar; however, Brutus had the biggest part in the assassination. According to Source four (by Plutarch, a historian) “Brutus kept him (Caesar) outside the house, and delayed him with a long conversation on purpose.” Therefore, Brutus made sure that the other people planning to kill Caesar would be ready. Also, according to Source Eight, Brutus said to Caesar, “.Nonsense.
Julius Caesar, The Gallic War, trans. Carolyn Hammond (New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996), 181, 183-4, 188-89, 191-94, 241-42.
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. Prentice Hall Literature: Grade ten. Ed. Kate Kinsella, et al. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2007.
Shakespeare, William. “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar”. Elements of Literature. Ed. Deborah Appleman. 4th ed. Texas: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 2009. 843-963.
Phillip Freeman’s Julius Caesar is a profound biography on the life, achievements, and personality of Caesar. The author’s style and major themes can be displayed in quotations from significant passages. For example, when Sulla, a dictator, ordered Caesar to divorce his wife after Sulla had removed Caesar from position of flamen dialis, Caesar refused. Freeman describes his defiance, “Whether out of stubbornness, audacity, or simply love, Caesar was a defying man who had ordered the murder of thousands. In doing so, he lost everything he owned, and was now marked for death on the proscription lists,” (32). In another pressing manner, Caesar’s personality is also displayed when he was captured by pirates. Freeman writes, “Caesar treated the pirates with a good-natured contempt that shocked and amused his captors. They were accustomed to terrified prisoners who begged for mercy, but Caesar acted more as if the pirates were a minor distraction to his busy schedule,” (39). Not to mention, Caesar’s compassion for loved ones is also depicted within this biography. When his beloved aunt died, instead of the quiet funeral orientation typical for a woman, he chose to give a bold, family pride filled speech to a huge crowd for his dearly departed aunt. Caesar himself exclaims, “The family of my aunt Julia is descended from kings on her mother’s side, and through her father, from the gods themselves. For the Marcii Reges, her mother’s family, are heirs of Ancus Marcius, fourth king of Rome, while the Julians, of which our clan is a member, descend from the goddess Venus herself. My family therefore holds the sanctity of the kings who rule among men and of gods who rule over kings,” (52). In a similar case, the death of his young wife Cornelia, his wife Sulla had told him to divorce and risked his life for her because he loved her so much, Caesar honored
Julius Caesar (100-44 BC) was one of the most outstanding leaders in history. He was the first ruler of the Romano-Hellenic civilization and achieved his goals with great success throughout his life of 56 years. He was assassinated by the conspirators, who accused him for practicing tyranny. This essay will discuss whether it was right for the conspirators to murder Caesar and what its consequences were.
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. N.d. Print.
Julius Caesar is the leader of Rome and is seeking to become king in a matter of time. Though he is a good military strategist, he lacks knowledge in running government and is too greedy to have any concern for the peasants when he is alive. Caesar is all about conquering and power and he is afraid of nothing. Before he is murdered, he says “The things that threatened me ne’er looked but on my back. When they shall see the face of Caesar, they are vanished” (II, ii, 575). Th...
McManus, Barbara F. "Julius Caesar: Historical Background." Vroma. N.p., Mar. 2011. Web. 21 Feb. 2014.
Gaius Julius Caesar was born in Rome in July 100 BC. Rome was a Republic at this time. He was a statesman, Roman general, Consul, and notable author of Latin prose. He played a significant role in the events that led to the collapse of the Roman Republic and rise of the Roman Empire. He was a leader in a nation where the people were not involved in the government decision-making process. Thus, he had majority of the power in the Republic and was able to form a huge army. He was able to triumph, conquer new lands with the army at his grasp and command. As Caesar acquired more power over the years, som...
Julius Caesar was born on the 13th day of the month Quintilis (now July) in the year of 100 B.C. His full name was Gaius Julius Caesar, the same as his father's name. Gaius was his given name and Julius was his surname. Caesar was the name of one branch of the Julian family. Its original meaning was "hairy.” Caesar's family was not prominent, but they claimed to be descended from Venus as well as the kings of Alba Langa. In spite of that fiction, Caesar was well connected through his relatives and received some important government assignments during his youth. Julius Caesar was the dictator of Rome from 61-44 BC. At the time of his birth, Rome was still a republic and the empire was only beginning. Caesar made his way to be considered a head of Rome by 62 BC, but many of the senate felt him a dangerous, ambitious man. The senate did their best to keep him out of consulship. He finally became consul in 59 BC. In Caesar, they saw only the threat of a king, a word that was linked with the word “tyrant” that is cruel or unjust rule.
Caesar and Pompey had a falling out and before that the Persians had killed Crassus. According to many sources had his head loped of and liquid gold poured down his neck; the Persians were said to have kept the skull as a trophy of their victory. This dissolution combined with the enemies Caesar had made previously sparked a civil war. Caesar came down from Gaul and drove Pompey out of Italy. He then made his way to Greece were Pompey had solidified his position. After a difficult start, he defeated Pompey on the battlefield. Pompey fled to Egypt to escape capture, but the local Egyptians killed him to show support for Caesar. However, this outraged Caesar and put Caesar’s plans into disarray. Caesar thus joined the raging civil war between Queen Cleopatra and the nobles who had killed Pompey. Subsequently, after subduing the nobles and placing the Queen on the throne, Creaser marched up to Asia Minor to crush a rebellion. Once he had smashed the rebels Caesar uttered the famous line “Veni, Vidi, Vici”, “I came, I saw, I conquered”. Next, Caesar went to Spain and put down a revolt by the two sons of Pompey. Once he had decimated the brothers, Caesar returned to Rome. There, on the Ides of March, Caesar was assassinated in a senate meeting. Caesar left a large legacy, manly in the form of his great-nephew Octavian, better known as Augustus, the first emperor of
Allen, Janet. "Julius Caesar." Holt McDougal Literature. Orlando, FL: Holt McDougal/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012. N. pag. Print.
The conspirators had planned the death of Julius. Brutus and Cassius, along with Decius, knew they had draw in to Caesar close. Proving Caesar that they had a firm friendship, that would solidify their situation and leave Julius completely sightless to his doomed fate. Caesar's wife Calphurnia would have a dream. She would see Caesar's statue run with blood and men with swords surrounding him.