- Caesar implements important reforms and grows more powerful and popular in Rome. He acts like a king and plans to become a dictator in perpetuity. To demonstrate his power, he plans to conquer Parthia. However, the Senate and Brutus in particular, are outraged.—Boris Sh.
- Caesar implements important reforms and grows more powerful and popular in Rome. He acts like a king and plans to become a dictator in perpetuity. To demonstrate his power, he plans to conquer Parthia. However, the Senate and Brutus in particular, are outraged.
Caeser has been having seizures for yrs and the physicians say they cannot do anything to help (this is the equivalent of modern day Epilepsy). Servilia tells Brutus about Caeser's condition, but makes him promise not to tell the senate about it. With Rome under control, Caeser turns his mind to fixing the republic. To provide jobs, he starts a massive construction program (temples, Libraries and a new harbor). He introduces a new calendar based on the solar year. He puts the entire Republic under the same timetable and unifies it. He then proposes full citizenship for the conquered provinces of Gaul. All of these changes were rolled through the senate, without any discussion or approval. Caeser was acting alone. Brutus argues to other senators that Caeser will step down once his agenda is accomplished.
Caeser considers Brutus as a possible heir. But then Cleopatra decided to visit Caeser in Rome. She presents to Caeser his son, Cesarion. Servilia is shocked, but Brutus still supports Caeser. Servilia knows that Brutus has just been replaced as the heir to the throne of Rome. Cleopatra meanwhile suggests that Cesarion might one day become the King of Rome. Cleopatra plants the seeds of monarchy in Caeser's mind. Caeser starts thinking about his dynasty.
Caeser starts acting like a King (wears a purple robe reserved for Kings, declares his birthday a public holiday and erects statues of himself all over Rome). Caeser moves a legislation in senate to name himself dictator in perpetuity. Just then Caeser has a seizure in front of the entire senate. Brutus is cornered by his fellow senators and he has to concede that Caeser has strayed from his promises. Caeser meanwhile plans the invasion of Parthia to re-assert his dominance over the senate. Brutus is asked to convene a meeting of the senate. But Brutus knows that invading Parthia is not in interest of the Roman Republic. He decidedly turns against Caeser and plots with his fellow senators to bring Caeser down.
There is a real fear in the senate that Caeser will declare himself King of Rome. This idea of King is unacceptable to Roman political ideology. Brutus decides that it is time for Caeser to go. The time to act was before he left Rome, as in Rome Caeser had no formal bodyguard, but as a general he would have protection. 44 BC, 14th March. Antony is stopped from entering the senate. Caeser is isolated and stabbed to death 23 times, including by Brutus. Rome is shocked and the senators try to figure out how to bring the situation under control. Brutus and Antony become bitter rivals. Brutus is defeated and kills himself. Antony flees to Egypt and marries Cleopatra. Rome attacks Egypt for harboring Antony and, they both kill themselves in a double suicide. Caserion rules for 2 weeks when he is killed aged 17. After yrs of turmoil, Octavian (nephew of Caeser) brings order to Rome, by taking sole command. 16th Jan, 27 BC, he becomes Rome's first emperor, ruling for the next 40 yrs. Rome is an Empire with 50 MM people within its borders. Caeser's death marked the end of the Republic.
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