The Assassination of Julius Caesar

The Assassination of Julius Caesar
Student’s Name
Class
Date
The Assassination of Julius Caesar
Caesar was a Roman general and a political figure who was immensely popular among the Roman people, having played a significant role in the growth and development of the Roman Republic. Together with the Roman senators and fellow politicians, Caesar helped shape Roman policy and government. After attaining the dictatorship status, many Senate members decided to fight against his power. His arrogance and oppressive rule motivated the Senate to assassinate him. About sixty conspirators decided to assassinate him at the senate meeting on March 15,44BC, commonly known as the ides of March. Collectively, the officials stabbed the Roman leader 23 times, killing him. In this paper, I will address the motives behind the assassination of Julius Caesar through the research question: What were the main reasons for Caesar’s assassination? Based on the readings, the senators who conspired to kill Caesar claimed to be acting over fears that Caesar’s exceptional power concentration during his dictatorship undermined Rome and presented the deed as a tyrannicide act. They believed that assassinating the tyrant would restore the Republic’s institutions. The first sections analyze the reasons for the assassination, while the last part of this paper highlights how the assassination occurred.[Goldsworthy, Adrian. 2013. Caesar's Civil War 49-44 BC. Oxfordshire, England: Routledge.]
The Motivation of the Assassination
One of the primary reasons for Caesar's assassination was the dictatorship. During the Gallic Wars, he emerged as a prominent leader, amassing considerable influence and power in Rome. Caesar was part of the First Triumvirate, an alliance formed with other key political figures to accumulate more political power and influence in the ever-expanding Rome territory. The key political figures include Pompey and Marcus Crassus. Caesar was exceptionally famous among people and the middle class, gaining tremendous support. When Crassus died fighting against the Parthians, a power struggle between Caesar and Pompey began. The two leaders battled in a bitter civil war, which ended with Pompey’s murder upon seeking refuge in Egypt. Caesar took the opportunity to support the Egyptian ruler, Cleopatra, by helping her defeat her brother for control of the Kingdom .[Ibid, 33] [Goldsworthy, Adrian. 2013. Caesar's Civil War 49-44 BC. Oxfordshire, England: Routledge] [Shakespeare, William. 2020. The Tragedy of Julius Caesar. Charlottesville, Virginia: Core Knowledge Foundation.]
In ancient Rome, a dictator was an official title given to someone during an emergency. The tyrant had absolute power within a specific period. Caesar gained this title after returning to Rome. He was declared dictator for life. With the lifetime role declaration, many officials feared it was a step toward monarchy. History depicts that the Romans highly disliked Kings. In 508 BCE, the Romans dethroned their last king and created the Roman Republic. The erstwhile monarchs were too oppressive. As a result, many Romans opposed the kingship idea. Caesar’s dictatorship resembled that of a monarchy, according to some senators. A group of...