Analysis of Julius Caesar's Assassination

Introduction

Caesar can be seen as one of the greatest leaders in human history. Even though Caesar never actually became a king, some historians considered him the first king of Rome. However, such a great figure met his end at the age of fifty-eight. His lifetime achievements made his death controversial.

Caesar's Rise to Power

Caesar was a general of Rome but quickly ascended to leadership. In 60 BC, he was selected as consul, and he began to engage with Rome’s superior politics and military from that time. Venturing into Rome’s high-level class of politics helped him to gain the opportunities to manage and determine the most important events of the country. Meanwhile, this was the foundation of Caesar staking out his ambition; he also demonstrated his outstanding ability to govern the country in that niche. During his governing period, he became increasingly popular among Roman citizens, overshadowing other leaders. In 53 BC, one of Rome’s leaders, Crassus, died. His death was the catalyst for the Roman civil war. The remaining leaders, Caesar and Pompey, could no longer feign peace. Inevitably, the civil war erupted in 49 BC. After a year, the war subsided, and Caesar emerged victorious. In this year, he had the power to influence the Senate, which made him sacrosanct. Over the next two years, Caesar continued to consolidate his power. In 45 BC, Caesar managed to have many people in the Senate who were favorable to him, leading to the Senate declaring him a dictator. In general, there are three key reasons that helped Caesar rise: his role in the First Triumvirate, his conquest of Gaul, and his victories during the Civil Wars. Caesar’s participation in the Triumvirate offered him numerous benefits, most importantly allowing him to be elected Consul in 59 BC, after which he had the opportunity to initiate a series of reforms. All of his reforms aimed at improving Roman lives, and because of his great deeds, he became much more popular in society. This helped him to establish his own network of supporters. Moreover, his consulship allowed him command of four legions and a province in what is now southern France. This enabled him to embark on a military career that was key to his success. Furthermore, his two victories in the wars were also the cornerstone of his rise. People considered him the first emperor in Roman history based on his military capability and his success on countless battlefields around Europe and the Middle East.

Caesar's Assassination

There are two versions of Caesar’s death from Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus and Plutarch. Even though their accounts differ, they share similarities. In their narratives, Caesar was stabbed multiple times by about sixty senators rather than by just one, ultimately dying in the Theatre of Pompey in Rome. The number of participants was large, but who were the main players in this action, and who should be held accountable? None of them were innocent in this action. They all had personal motives, but two individuals stand out: Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus and Gaius Cassius Longinus.

Key Conspirators

Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus was a great general and a close friend of Caesar’s who rose in the ranks to become one of the most powerful men in Rome. However, he didn’t truly respect or admire Caesar. On the contrary, he felt resentful because Caesar’s shadow loomed over him, and all of his honors were granted by Caesar. Most importantly, as long as Caesar existed, he could not fulfill his ambition since everyone only saw Caesar’s great deeds, while he was just a general. As a result, he had enough motives for murdering Caesar.

Gaius Cassius Longinus is another main player. Cassius was a man of considerable ability and a good soldier, but in politics, he was driven by vanity and ambition and had an uncontrollable temper and sharp tongue. He used to work for Pompey, but after Caesar won the civil war, he reconciled with Caesar, who granted him a legateship. He was one of the organizers of the assassination. His purpose for murdering Caesar was for his own benefits. Moreover, he also faced rumors that Caesar had an affair with his wife. Therefore, his motives were complicated and selfish. Cassius was the active one in the action; he was also the one who first suggested this assassination.

Additional Culprits

Another individual who should be blamed is Marcus Junius Brutus. He was the son of Marcus Junius Brutus and Servilia. In 50 BC, he opposed Pompey’s increasing power; however, due to Caesar’s invasion of Italy in 49 BC, Brutus reconciled with Pompey and served under him in Greece. When Caesar defeated Pompey at the Battle of Pharsalus in 48 BC, Brutus was captured. He was soon pardoned by Caesar. Brutus was always optimistic about Caesar. However, he was shocked when Caesar made himself perpetual dictator in 44 BC, and Caesar’s king-like behavior eventually persuaded Marcus Junius Brutus to join the conspiracy.

Justification of the Assassination

It was obvious that the perpetrators were not justified in their assassination of Julius Caesar. Being a dictator was the biggest motive for the senators to murder Caesar because this decision irritated and threatened the senators who preserved republicanism. Caesar’s power and capability overshadowed other leaders. The senators feared that Caesar planned to overthrow the Senate, which was favorable for his totalitarian dream. Most importantly, they feared that Caesar was too powerful, endangering their own personal benefits. That's why this assassination was not justified. Most of them wanted power, but when Caesar became the dictator, the profits they could gain would definitely diminish.

Caesar's Contributions to Rome

On the other hand, even though Caesar became a dictator and challenged Roman republicanism, he was undoubtedly a great leader for Rome. His ability and strategies could make Rome better. During his reign as a dictator, he had a number of notable impacts on Rome. Unemployment was a big issue after the civil war. Under Caesar’s rule, the poor were offered new lives in overseas colonies. He also eliminated the heavy taxes that burdened farmers and the poor. Any Roman citizens were granted land to alleviate their hardship. In addition to unemployment, he also had to address the widespread debt in Rome. Lenders demanded the repayment of loans, which triggered a shortage of coinage. Realizing the seriousness of this situation, Caesar ordered that property must be accepted for repayment at its pre-war value. Obviously, the reforms he enacted during his time in power showed his devotion to Rome and his desire to bring stability and prosperity to the city. However, if the senators' discontent was aimed at protecting Roman republicanism from Caesar’s declaration as dictator, they could have adopted other ways to resolve the issue, such as negotiating with Caesar, but they decided to kill him for personal motives.

Conclusion

These senators murdered a great leader who actually enhanced Rome for their own personal benefits, and the result unforeseen by the assassins was that Caesar's death precipitated the end of the Roman Republic. After the death of Caesar, Rome experienced a period of turbulence. Finally, Octavian became the first emperor of Rome. The republicanism still broken. In general, everyone who participated in the action of murdering Caesar was guilty, and they were not justified in this assassination.

References:

• Suetonius, Gaius. "The Twelve Caesars." Translated by Robert Graves, Penguin Classics, 2007.
• Plutarch. "The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans." Translated by John Dryden, Modern Library, 2001.