Assassination of Gaius Julius Caesar Essay Example For Students

Assassination of Gaius Julius Caesar Essay Assassination of Gaius Julius CaesarCaius Julius Caesar, a Roman consul, was a great leader and a terribledictator. Many of his reforms were excellent, but he also was hungry for the power ofRoman Dictator, which would give him absolute power for as long as he requiredit. Throughout his life he did many things including creating the calendar thatwe know today, advancing mathematics, and many other scholarly things. When hebecame dictator in 44 B.C., those in power knew he must be stopped, and so hewas assassinated. Caesar was born in 100 B.C., sometime in July. Around the age of 22,unable to gain a political position in the Forum, he went to Rhodes to studyrhetoric. There he became a priest and scholar. During the Next 20-30 years,Caesar became a triumvir (consisting of Crassus, Pompey, and Caesar), governor,and finally sole dictator of Rome. In 48 B.C. the Roman Senate gave Caesar the power of dictator for oneyear. During this time he defeated Pompey. In 45 B.C. the Senate made himconsul for ten years, but in 44 B.C. after winning his final victory andpacifying the Roman world, Caesar decided to became dictator for life. Thisprompted Gaius Cassius and Marcus Junius Brutus to plot an assassination topreserve the Roman Republic. On March 15, 44 B.C. Julius Caesar was killed inthe Senate house. The reason behind the assassination of Gauis Julius Caesar was veryclear. He just had too much power. Cassius and Brutus knew that if Caesarbecame the dictator he would destroy the Roman republic. Caesar knew that bybecoming the dictator he would have those who did not like him, so he inactedthe Sanctity of the Tribunes, which enabled him to be unharmed without direconsequences. When Caesar was killed, Rome became divided on who should havethe power. Eventually Octavius Augustus Caesar became sole emperor of Rome,and from there out Rome declined. Bibliography:1 Funk Wagnalls Corp. (1994). Caesar, Gaius Julius, Microsoft Encarta. 2 Perry, Marvin. (1988) A History of the World, Houghton MifflinCompany. 3 Concord Reference Books, Inc. The New American Desk Encyclocpedia,SignetClassics Nal Books