On March 15, 44 B.C. Gaius Julius Caesar was stabbed to death in Rome while on his way to attend a session of the Senate. His assassination marked the end of a short, but substantial reign over the burgeoning empire of Rome.
Of his many political reforms one of the most poignant was his allowance of conquered peoples a place in Roman government. Gaius Cassius Longinus and Marcus Junius Brutus, both former enemies and members of the Senate, have been cited as prime conspirators in Caesar's murder.
In a broader sense, Caesar's radical political and social reforms, his manipulation of the government in order to see his policies more easily realized and his efforts to elevate his position and make his own power unassailable were more likely greater contributing factors to his downfall. Many members of the Senate had felt that Caesar's reach and influence had become far too great for one man alone.
The aftermath of Caesar's death was marked by an intense internal power struggle and riots incited by the Roman lower and middle-classes with whom the fallen leader had become immensely popular. In the end, Ceasar's great-grandnephew emerged victorious and assumed position as Rome's first true emperor.
No comments:
Post a Comment