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IDES OF MARCH

Added on: 15th Mar 2014

 

 

http://fearlessmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Emperor-Julius-Caesar.jpg

 

JULIUS CAESAR'S BLOODY ASSASSINATION ON MARCH 15,

 

44 B.C., FOREVER MARKED MARCH 15, OR

 

THE IDES OF MARCH, AS A DAY OF INFAMY. 

 

FOR ANCIENT ROMANS LIVING BEFORE THAT EVENT,

 

HOWEVER, AN IDES WAS MERELY ONE OF SEVERAL

 

COMMON CALENDAR TERMS USED TO MARK MONTHLY

 

LUNAR EVENTS. THE IDES SIMPLY MARKED THE

 

APPEARANCE OF THE FULL MOON.

 

BUT THE IDES OF MARCH ASSUMED A WHOLE NEW

 

IDENTITY AFTER THE EVENTS OF 44 B.C.

 

THE PHRASE CAME TO REPRESENT A SPECIFIC DAY OF

 

ABRUPT CHANGE THAT SET OFF A RIPPLE OF REPERCUSSIONS

 

THROUGHOUT ROMAN SOCIETY AND BEYOND.

 

"CAESAR WAS THE FIRST LIVING ROMAN EVER TO

 

APPEAR ON THE COINAGE," 

 

IT IS UNCLEAR IF CAESAR WAS AWARE OF THE PLOT TO

 

KILL HIM ON MARCH 15 IN 44 B.C. BUT CAESAR WAS NOT

 

OBLIVIOUS TO THE MOUNTING DANGER 

 

THE PLOT'S CONSPIRATORS, WHO TERMED THEMSELVES

 

"THE LIBERATORS," HAD TO MOVE QUICKLY.

 

"CAESAR HAD PLANS TO LEAVE ROME ON MARCH 18TH FOR

 

A MILITARY CAMPAIGN IN PARTHIA, THE REGION

 

AROUND MODERN-DAY IRAQ.

 

WHETHER OR NOT CAESAR WAS A TRUE TYRANT IS

 

DEBATED STILL TO THIS DAY. IT IS SAFE TO SAY,

 

HOWEVER, THAT IN THE MIND OF MARCUS BRUTUS,

 

WHO HELPED MASTERMIND THE ATTACK, THE

 

THREAT CAESAR POSED TO THE REPUBLICAN

 

SYSTEM WAS CLEAR.

 

BRUTUS'S INVOLVEMENT IN THE MURDER IS MADE

 

TRAGIC GIVEN HIS CLOSE AFFILIATIONS WITH CAESAR.

 

HIS MOTHER, SERVILIA, WAS ONE OF CAESAR'S LOVERS.

 

AND ALTHOUGH BRUTUS HAD FOUGHT AGAINST CAESAR

 

DURING ROME'S RECENT CIVIL WAR, HE WAS SPARED FROM

 

DEATH AND LATER PROMOTED BY CAESAR TO

 

THE OFFICE OF PRAETOR.

 


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