The Assassination of Julius Caesar (March 19, 2025)
On March 15, 44 B.C., Julius Caesar was assassinated by Roman senators led by Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus at the Roman Senate House. This event was the result of Caesar expanding his power, as he declared himself a dictator earlier that year. His opponents believed that he was going against the founding principles of the Roman Republic, which included the principle that no kings shall rule.
Caesar’s assassination date was called the Ides of March. (Ides referred to the full moon, coming from the Latin iduare, meaning the division of the month. In the case of March, it was on the 15th.) [1] While Caesar was on the way to the Senate House, a soothsayer said, “Beware the Ides of March.”
At the Senate House, Caesar saw the senators who were secretly planning to kill him. Brutus, the ringleader, was not always an enemy of Caesar, as he kept switching sides. In the 50s B.C., he opposed General Gaius Pompey, but supported him in the wake of Caesar’s crossing of the Rubicon. Caesar won, eventually pardoning Brutus (probably due to the fact that Brutus’s mother, Servilia, was Caesar’s lover). Brutus then joined the Senate. It was there that Caesar declared himself perpetual dictator, and Brutus redeveloped his opposition to Caesar and started a plot to assassinate him. [2] Caesar was stabbed and killed.
According to the play Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, Caesar’s last words were “Et tu, Brute?” meaning “And you, Brutus?” But that was likely invented by Shakespeare himself, as there is no historical proof he said so. [3]
Following Caesar’s assassination, the citizens of Rome were furious. The Second Triumvirate was formed among Octavian (Julius Caesar’s nephew), Marc Antony[4] (Caesar’s best friend), and Marcus Lepidus, with the aim of avenging Caesar. The Second Triumvirate fought Brutus and Cassius at Philippi in 42 B.C., ousting the assassins. [5]
However, the Second Triumvirate soon broke up, much like Julius Caesar’s triumvirate with Pompey and Marcus Crassus. Marc Antony formed an alliance with the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra, and lost to Octavian at Actium in 31 B.C. In 27 B.C., Octavian was renamed Augustus and crowned Emperor. This is important because it shows how Caesar’s assassination impacted Roman history.
In conclusion, Julius Caesar’s assassination changed Roman history forever. It led to the dissolution of the Roman Republic and the formation of the Roman Empire, both of which were vital parts of Roman history. Assassinations come with consequences, and those consequences are often profound and change world history forever, as seen with Caesar’s assassination and the assassination of Franz Ferdinand in 1914 (which started World War I). Such an action could have an irreversible impact.
[1] Ostberg, René. "Ides of March". Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Oct. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ides-of-March. Accessed 19 March 2025.
[2] Badian, E.. "Marcus Junius Brutus". Encyclopedia Britannica, 12 Feb. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marcus-Junius-Brutus. Accessed 19 March 2025.
[3] “What Were Julius Caesar’s Last Words During His Assassination? Did He Say ‘Et Tu, Brute?’” HistoryExtra, 11 Oct. 2024, www.historyextra.com/period/roman/julius-caesars-last-words-et-tu-brute. Accessed 19 March 2025.
[4] Also spelled Mark Antony.
[5] “What Were Julius Caesar’s Last Words During His Assassination? Did He Say ‘Et Tu, Brute?’” HistoryExtra, supra.
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