Obituary

By N.L.
Latin Temporis Staff Writer

Julius Caesar - Idus Martes, 710 AUC

Gaius Julius Caesar died on the Ides of March. Despite the overwhelming public favor of our great leader, he was assassinated by men who were thought to be his allies. It is estimated that the conspirators numbered around 60, but only 16 were known.

Caesar's Life

Caesar was born on the 13th day of Quintilis, 654 AUC to Julius Caesar Sr. and his wife Aurelia. His family claimed descent from Julus (or Ascanius), the son of Aeneas who founded the great city of Rome. In the year 669 AUC, Julius Caesar Sr. died suddenly due to a heart atack. One year later Gaius was nominated Priest of Jupiter and he married Cornelia. The very next year she bore him a daughter named Julia. Sulla became master of Rome on the 1st of Novembres, 672 AUC and attempted to punish Caesar for being his political enemy. A year later, however, Sulla pardoned Julius. Caesar then left as aide-de-camp to Marcus Minucius Thermus. In 676 AUC he transferred to the staff of Isauricus and returned to Rome after the death of Sulla. He decided to leave Rome again, however, in 679 AUC, to study rhetoric in Rhodes. A year later he raised troops to the Province of Asia for the renewal of the war between Rome and King Mithridates VI of Pontus. In 681 AUC he returned to Rome to find himself elected to the College of Pontiffs. The next year he was elected military tribune. His wife died in 685 AUC. He was elected High Priest in the year 691 AUC. Two years later he left Rome to be Propraetor in western Spain. That year he captured Brigantium and conquered Lusitania. He then returned to Rome and gave up a triumph to be a candidate for the consulship, forming an alliance with Pompey and Crassus. In 695 AUC he was given proconsulship and married Calpurnia. Caesar fought in many battles and won many wars, such as the Gallic war. He fought against Pompey and Ptolemy XIII. He published Commentaries on the Gallic War in Ianuarias, 703 AUC. After the defeat of Curio in Africa, Caesar was appointed Dictator in 705 AUC. In the year 708 AUC he was appointed dictator for ten years and inaugurated various reforms, including the calandar. On the 1st of October, 707 AUC he was proclaimed dictator for life.

Untimely Death

Julius Caesar had many men conspiring against him, among these 60 men were 16 senators, including Cassius, Casca, Cimber and Brutus. Thei'r motives were obvious -- personal gain; they masked it as a nobly patriotic cause. On the 15th of Martiae, 710 AUC, the Senate held a meeting in the hall adjoining the theater Pompey had built 11 years previously. A man named Cimber knelt at Caesar's feet to plead for his brother's recall from banishment. When Caesar irritably refused him, Cimber yanked Julius' toga down from his neck and the other conspirators began to stab Caesar. When they were finished, Caesar lay dead with 23 wounds.

Antony's Eulogy

After Caesar's death, Antony read aloud his will to the public. The citizens learned that Julius had left them his garden to enjoy and a gift of money to every man. The pandemonium that ensued was considerable and everyone wondered how so many of Caesar's close friends could have turned against him. Antony's eulogy moved the people to compassion and pity for their former ruler, and hatred and anger against his murderers.

Sources:
Stearns, Monroe; Julius Caesar - Master of men
Ferrero, Guglielmo; The Life of Caesar
Internet; KET links