INTRODUCTION

Author: Gavin Duffy (Chief History Columnist)

The 15^th of March in 44 BC brought an end to the Roman Civil War between the factions of Julius Caesar and Pompey Magnus. Caesar had risen to the highest ranks of Roman authority as consul and through his military victories in Britannia and Gaul, where he had expanded the borders of the Roman Republic considerably. The environment in which he was born was one of violence and personally for Caesar one that was well connected to the Roman general Marius, through his aunt Julia, Marius’ wife. Marius was, in his younger years, a successful general, but eventually succumbed to the forces of a rival general, Sulla, in his later years in what was known as the Social War, another bout of political infighting in the late Roman Republic.

The young Caesar was thrust into a world of Sullan sympathisers post-Social War which created a naturally hostile environment for the young Caesar to set out on his political career, but Caesar’s refusal to divorce his wife, Cornelia, likewise connected to the Marians. This gamble allowed the consul Sulla to spare him from anti-Marian purges that others had succumbed to. Caesar managed to enter politics more formally when Sulla was out of the picture. His ambition enabled him to win over people who would naturally be enemies such as Pompey Magnus and Crassus, who together would for the alliance of the First Triumvirate.

Pompey would be considered the grandest figure in post-Sulla Roman politics. He consistently entrusted the young Caesar with support and Caesar and Crassus, until his death, likewise lending support to Pompey’s policies and motions.  Caesar would then embark on his conquest of Gaul, which had him absent from Rome for over a decade fighting various barbarian tribes, expanding Rome, and building military and political prestige.

Caesar had conquered Gaul, most notably defeating the leader, Vercingetorix, of a confederation of different Gallic tribes. Caesar had accumulated vast power and influence in Gaul that would rival that of Pompey should he return to Rome. Many of the conservative senators of Rome were appalled by Caesar’s threat to order and stability. His previous alliance with Pompey was beginning to fracture and Pompey would eventually join the ranks of anti-Caesarian senators such as Cato the Younger and Marcus Tullius Cicero. The disagreements eventually devolved into civil war and the Senate, largely in support of Pompey, formally sent a decree that labelled Caesar an enemy of Rome.

Caesar assembled his troops and marched on Rome in 49 BC, the event popularised as crossing the Rubicon. Caesar did so not as a threat to the Republic as the Senate thought, but as a way to represent his own interests and the interest of Roman citizens to elect him as consul if they so wished against the Senatorial scepticism of him, due to his amassed power and wealth.

The Pomperians fled Italy and left Caesar to take charge as dictator, either personally or through his subordinate officer, Mark Anthony.  Caesar’s demand for honours and official acknowledgement of his accomplishments, the longevity of his reign, alongside his comparatively milquetoast to what was feared reforms, led to further cemented fears that Caesar would undermine the traditions of the Republic.  Several senators conspired to kill him and did so on the Ides of March 44BC, an event which is often seen as the death knell of the Roman Republic which said Senators were desperate to defend.

The end of Caesar’s reign over the Republic symbolised the death of the Republic and the subsequent phoenix-like birth of Augustus’ Empire from its ashes. Likewise, Caesar’s assassination has arisen from the dead and has had an equally exciting afterlife, inspiring song, verse, prose and film since its transpiration more than two millennia ago.

JULIUS CEASAR (Pastel, 210x300cm)

Author: Sam Wild (Chief Arts Columnist)

The Fall of Julius Caesar

Author: Eva McFarlane (Chief Arts Columnist)

Et tu, Brute?

The stab

Of betrayal has pierced me,

Oh friend,

How deeply you have

Wounded me.

Oh friend—

No, not friend at all.

Foe, you bathe your hands in my blood,

The ink of your sins becomes

Etched into the hands that have slain me.

Now, my hunters stand,

Victors in my land,

My empire.

But I am my empire—

It lives as long as I.

My rage carries on,

Coming for you

In the wind that whirls,

In the battle, where horror unfurls,

I will strike down my foes,

Only then will my spirit go free.