IDES OF MARCH
Added on: 15th Mar 2014
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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