Ides of March Spark A Civil War

Ides of March is an important historical event in the history of the Roman empire. On the "ides of March", 44 BCE, Julius Caesar was assassinated by roughly 40 Roman senators. The Ides of March is celebrated on March 15 according to the modern calendar. Following Caesar's death, a series of civil wars ensued, culminating in the Roman Republic's demise and the establishment of the Roman Empire.

The 74^th day of the Roman calendar, which corresponds to March 15, is known as the Ides of March. It was commemorated by a number of religious observances and served as a deadline for the Romans to settle debts.

Before the further discussion on the history of ides of march: spark a civil war, let us briefly look into who was Julius Caesar.

Caesar began his political career as a prosecutor for the anti-patrician Popular Party in 78 B.C., after being born into the Julii, an ancient but not particularly distinguished Roman aristocratic family. 

For his reformist views and oratorical talents, he gained clout in the party, and in 74 B.C., he assisted Roman imperial operations by recruiting a private army to fight the king of Pontus. 

He was a close supporter of Pompey, the recognised leader of the Popular Party, and virtually took over when Pompey departed Rome in 67 B.C. to become commander of Roman forces in the east.

The article discusses the history of Ides of March, the article also discusses the impact of the assassination of Julius Caser in sparking the civil war in Rome.

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The Political Background of Rome: Civil War in Rome

Julius Caesar discovered himself at a fork in the path in 49 B.C. The great general had just returned from a magnificent army battle in Gaul, although his long-standing friendship with Pompey the Great had ended badly. 

The Roman Senate's Pompey-aligned factions requested that he disband his army and return home as a civilian, which was even more pressing.

Caesar, on the other hand, would never do such a thing. Caesar rallied his troops, crossed the Rubicon into Italy, and sparked a civil war. Caesar's followers fought Pompey's army in engagements spanning Italy, Spain, Greece, and North Africa over the following few months. 

The Battle of Pharsalus in 48 B.C. was a watershed moment in Caesar's career when he outfoxed a Pompey-led army despite having significantly fewer troops. Following the loss, Pompey fled to Egypt, only to be betrayed and executed by the country's young ruler. Caesar's victory was all but certain with Pompey's death.

 In early 44 B.C., Julius returned to Rome after defeating the last of Pompey's allies in North Africa and Spain and was appointed dictator for life. He'd only be in power for a short time.

Assassination of Caser: Ides of March

Since we have understood the meaning of ides of March and the political background of Rome let us look into how Ides of march: spark a civil war. 

On March 18, Caesar planned to leave Rome and settle some of his warriors in southern Italy before embarking on a long battle in the east. Many historians suggest that the time of the assassination was crucial as if Julius would have not been murdered on March 15, he would have survived for a long time in Italy along with his troops. 

That's why, despite the fact that Caesar was about to stay home due to negative omens and a bout of dizziness, one of his assassins, Decimus, persuaded him that failing to attend the Roman senate meeting would be an insult to the Senate. He was attacked once he arrived, without security and with his buddy, Marc Antony kidnapped by conspirators. Caesar was stabbed 23 times in total.

The assassins and a band of gladiators marched to the Capitoline hill, a half-mile away after he died.

The inhabitants of Rome assembled in the days after to hear statements from both factions, those who viewed the assassins as liberators as well as those who saw them as criminals. Initially, a solution was presented: the assassins would be granted pardon, however, the legislation Caesar had enacted as a dictator would not be invalidated by this admission of his acts as a power grab.

A riot broke out after Marc Antony's rousing pro-Caesar funeral speech.

The Aftermath of the Ides of March

The assassins who stabbed Julius Caesar may have thought they were protecting the Roman Republic, but their acts ultimately brought it down. The assassination began a period of unrest and civil conflict, with Caesar's heir Octavian and his general Marc Antony emerging as the leading candidates for control of Rome.

The two had already been partners as members of the Second Triumvirate, but by 32 B.C., they had feuded over Antony's infamous association with the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra and their shared ambition. Octavian persuaded the Senate to declare war on Cleopatra.

After months of preparation, Octavian, Antony, and Cleopatra's troops ultimately fought in the naval battle of Actium in 31 B.C. Antony possessed considerably more battleships at his command, but Octavian's excellent general, Agrippa, excelled him. He deserted parts of his army and escaped to Alexandria with Cleopatra as the war turned against him.

A year later, the two Cleopatra and Antony, executed suicide, enabling Octavian to gain control of the crumbling Roman Republic. Under the honorary title "Augustus," he would rule as Rome's first emperor.

In conclusion of the article, we have learnt about the history of Ides of March: spark a civil war, we have also learnt about the political structure and power division in Rome. The "Ides of March" ushered in a new series of civil warfare in Rome, from which Octavian, Caesar's grand-nephew, rose to become Augustus, the first Roman emperor, forever destroying the republic.