Julius Caesar
Date: March 15, 44 B.C.
"Veni, Vidi, Vici!" (I came, I saw, I conquered) is one of the famous phrases attributed to Gaius Julius Caesar. He was one of the most powerful and probably the most famous Romans of all time. He had a simple background but he managed to become a general, senator and dictator for life of the Roman Republic.
He had several marriages with daughters of influential Roman figureheads and of course had an affair with Cleopatra.
He is known to be a brilliant general who didn't hesitate to fight along his soldiers and had many great victories. He invaded Britain, defeated Vercingetorix in Gaul and build bridges across the Rhine!
But his biggest fight was against his former friend Pompeius (Pompey) in a struggle for power. Although there is a tense build up, it all started when Caesar crossed the Rubicon and took his legions to Rome (which was illegal for a Roman general) and defying the Roman Senate. After a four year civil war, Caesar was victorious in 45 B.C. and became "dictator for life of the Roman Republic" in 44 BC.
"Veni, Vidi, Vici!" (I came, I saw, I conquered) is one of the famous phrases attributed to Gaius Julius Caesar. He was one of the most powerful and probably the most famous Romans of all time. He had a simple background but he managed to become a general, senator and dictator for life of the Roman Republic.
He had several marriages with daughters of influential Roman figureheads and of course had an affair with Cleopatra.
He is known to be a brilliant general who didn't hesitate to fight along his soldiers and had many great victories. He invaded Britain, defeated Vercingetorix in Gaul and build bridges across the Rhine!
But his biggest fight was against his former friend Pompeius (Pompey) in a struggle for power. Although there is a tense build up, it all started when Caesar crossed the Rubicon and took his legions to Rome (which was illegal for a Roman general) and defying the Roman Senate. After a four year civil war, Caesar was victorious in 45 B.C. and became "dictator for life of the Roman Republic" in 44 BC.
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This didn't last very long, because on March 15, 44 B.C., Caesar was murdered in the middle of the Roman Senate. Caesar was stabbed 23 times by multiple Senators in a conspiracy led by his adopted son Brutus and a Roman Senator named Crassus. His last words, although contested but made famous by Shakespeare, were: "Et tu, Brute?", meaning: "You too Brutus?"
This day would go down in history as "The Ides of March". |
The Death of Caesar by Vincenzo Camuccini (1804/1805)
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Did you know?
Contrary to what many people think, Caesar was never Emperor and therefore wasn't the first Emperor of Rome. The first Emperor of Rome was his cousin Augustus.
Contrary to what many people think, Caesar was never Emperor and therefore wasn't the first Emperor of Rome. The first Emperor of Rome was his cousin Augustus.
Location:
The murder of Caesar took place in Rome.
The murder of Caesar took place in Rome.
