23 stab wounds during Senate session overthrow Roman Empire's powerful man • Exactly 2,065 years later, journalistic documentation is submitted of a murder that changed the course of history
Senators attack Caesar and stab him to death
Photo:
Vincenzo Camuccini
A day after the assassination of Julius Caesar, Rome is still in shock.
Thousands of citizens are expected to attend the cremation ceremony of the popular ruler, which will be held in the afternoon at the Forum plaza in the city center.
Caesar (55) was assassinated by a group of senators during a Senate convention held at the Pompey Theater.
Although he was stabbed 23 times, an autopsy revealed that his death was caused by a single wound that opened in his chest.
"We have done this to free the Republic from the yoke of the dictator," the conspiracy leaders, Marcus Unius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus, declared in a statement issued on their behalf.
But conversations with citizens in the city indicate that it is not at all certain that the simple Romans see things the same way.
"Caesar restored order and stability to the republic after years of civil wars," said Lucius, a shoemaker from the Aventin Hill neighborhood.
"Those who murdered him did not do so out of concern for the people, but out of concern for themselves."
His friend, a freed slave who asked to remain anonymous, added: "Now the mess will return. Instead of fighting the Euphrates we will fight each other again. Caesar took care of a regular supply of grain that allowed us to live with dignity. Cassius and Brutus laid a disaster on us."
Whoever apparently sensed these sentiments through his sharp political senses is an associate of Caesar, Marcus Antonius.
After fleeing the scene of the assassination for fear of being the next target of the conspirators, Antonius threatened to "incite the people to the aristocratic murderers."
One can understand the rage of Antonius, who for the last day was not one of the most successful in his career: a great disappointment was right for him when Caesar's will was opened, and it turned out that the late ruler bequeathed his name and all his property to his second nephew, Gaius Octavius.
Antonius' entourage yesterday dismissed allegations that Octavius might take Caesar's place and take over Rome: "Let's put things in proportion," said one of his associates, "with all due respect, this is an 18-year-old boy. Antonius is not concerned about who will succeed Caesar, and between "So the emperor has no political heir because in Rome there are no kings. He is all about doing justice to the murderers, and when Octavius returns to the city he will be happy to educate him and teach him the secrets of politics."
Octavius himself, who has now become one of the richest men in Rome, apparently still does not know that his uncle was murdered and adopted him as a son in his will.
He is staying in the city of Apollonia in the province of Ilyria, where he was sent to complete his studies and gain military training.
"The big question is whether Octavius will decide to return to Rome and claim his status, or will he prefer to keep a low profile for now," one of the Senate veterans explained.
"In any case, if he returns to the city it is better for him to bring an army with him. The situation is very tense, it is not clear how Antonius will react to his arrival, and certainly his uncle's killers will not wait for him with a bouquet of flowers."
Asked if Caesar intended Octavius to replace him in his political positions, he refused to provide an unequivocal answer: "Everyone knew that Caesar liked him very much and saw great potential in him, but it should be remembered that he did not plan to be assassinated and believed he would live many more years. He is a long-term successor, but it is hard to believe that now that Octavius is still a teenager and has not yet served in any public office, he will be able to step into his shoes. "
Meanwhile, last night first details began to be published about how the assassination of the emperor was carried out.
A few minutes before the Senate session was to open at the Pompey Theater, he approached Senator Emperor Tillius Kimber and presented him with a document containing a pardon request for his exiled brother.
During the exchange between the two, the other conspiratorial senators gathered around them, pretending to seek support for Kimber's request.
Caesar made it clear that he did not intend to accede to the request, then Kimber grabbed the edge of his tunic and began to pull at it.
This, apparently, was the agreed-upon sign of the beginning of the assassination.
While the surprised emperor shouted at Kimberly: "This is violence!", Senator Cervilius Casca approached him from behind, pulled out his dagger and stabbed him in the shoulder or back of the neck.
The stunned emperor turned to him, took his arm and slapped him: "Kaska, villain like you, what are you doing?!?"
The frightened Casca called out to the other senators, "Help me, bro," and then the whole gang pounced on Caesar with drawn daggers.
He tried to flee the scene with the rest of his forces, but collapsed on the floor of the courtroom and senators continued to stab him while lying on the ground.
Eyewitnesses to the incident said that after the murder, Brutus tried to address the other senators who were in the courtroom and did not take part in the act, but they fled the scene in a panic.
So Brutus and his supporters left the theater and began to march towards the Capitol, shouting: "Citizens of Rome, we are free again!"
They encountered silence.
The article was first published on the nrg website
