History 2017 ~ Important Details on Julius Caesar's Assassination
Hello! Here are some important details to keep in mind when reviewing/researching about the death and assassination of Julius Caesar:
•Four men led the conspiracy. Gaius Trebonius: served as a praetor and consul and had fought with Caesar in Spain. Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus: governor of Gaul and had been victorious against the Gauls. Gaius Cassius Linginus: served with both Crassus and Pompey as a naval commander and who some believe conceived the plot Marcus Junius Brutus: also served under Pompey and who was the brother-in-law of Cassius.
•the conspirators’ final decision was to strike during a session of the Senate at the Theater of Pompey on March 15, 44 BCE (also known as the Ides of March).
•The conspirators chose a double-edged dagger or “pugio,” about eight inches long. Daggers were better for close contact and could be hidden under their togas.
•Some people believed these omens signified the upcoming assassination: Caesar’s horses that were grazing on the banks of the Rubicon were seen to weep. A bird flew into the Theater of Pompey with a sprig of laurel but was quickly devoured by a larger bird Caesar’s wife, Calpurnia had a dream of him bleeding to death in her arms. A soothsayer named Spurinna warned him to beware of danger no later than the Ides of March.
•When Caesar entered the theater a man named Artemidorus tried to warn him of eminent danger by thrusting a small scroll into his hand, but Caesar ignored it and did not read the scroll.
•Casca dealt the first blow with his knife; Caesar immediately tried to defend himself by raising his hands to cover his face.
•The remaining conspirators surrounded the shocked Caesar, striking him in various areas (Cassius struck him in the face, Decimus to the ribs).
•Caesar collapsed, dead, ironically at the foot of a statue of his old enemy Pompey.
•In all there were twenty-three blows.
•Caesar did not say “E tu, Brute!” (You, too, Brutus!) as Brutus plunged his dagger into the dying dictator but “You, too, my child!”
•Brutus even issued coins celebrating the assassination, known as the Ides of March.
(Taken from http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/caesar2.htm)
I hope some of these facts prove to be useful! If you have any more facts about Caesar’s assassination that they’d like to share, don’t hesitate to leave them by the “submit” part of this blog for your tips to get posted here as well.
That’s all for now! Any questions, comments, suggestions? Don’t hesitate to leave a comment! Let’s have a discussion!!
All the Pwaas, Aimy