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The Assassination Of Julius Caesar. Ides Of March Walking Tour [LONG]
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Poetic Justice
May 22, 2003, 6:15:02 PM5/22/03
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This is a revised repost, I've added more info from my last trip and
replaced a dead link.
Also I wanted this article in the "google archives" so in the
future I can just post this link (thanks Miguel for that info:).
Webtv tends to not seperate paragraphs in long posts, so there is
nothing I can do about that:(.
And in the "google archives" it really runs these paragraphs
together. Also it adds groups of question marks ?? ???? ? between
sentences and leaves out the "_underlines" in the URL's, which makes
them a "dead link". I think this is caused by the post being extremely
long?
So I will add the Photo Link URL's as 2 replies to this post (1
with info and 1 with just the links), so just click-on "View: Complete
Thread (# Articles)" for them.
Any problems, just e-mail me and I'll send you this trip report if
you're interested. Regards, Walter
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
The Roman Forum and historical sites associated with Julius Caesar have
always fascinated me when I'm in Rome. Tourists (like myself:) often
bypass these unmarked major and minor sites, never knowing what
transpired there over 2000yrs ago. But we all have heard the story,
either thru history books, teachers. movies, TV or the Shakespearean
play.
I'm not a very good writer and an even worst proofreader:). This
was written in parts over time plus additions from my last trip and
finding new links for dead ones. I repeat info sometimes (usually at
locations) so if you do take this walk you don't have to go back and
look for something I mentioned previously. Also I detail locations in
case the Photo Links go dead someday. And I admit I do tend to go
overboard in the directions to certain places, esp *The Tree*:).
The actual site locations are accurate but as far as what was said
or done, or the omens that happened...It's up to you to believe it or
not:). All I have done is piece together what was written by ancient
historians (Suetonius, Plutarch, Cassius Dio, etc) and info I've gotten
from websites, history books, historical guidebooks, documentarys, etc.
I have paraphrased some words and/or combined different versions or just
chosen one version of who, what or where. Also a few educated guesses:).
I have added a "(?)" here and there in the middle of a sentence when
there's a doubt or another version says something differently.
Again it's just a historical tourist walk of the sites and not a
thesis:). I just tried to balance everything out to keep it very
accurate plus entertaining and interesting.
.................ROMAN-FORUM.................. Located around the
center of the Roman Forum *area* ruins is the Regia. Stand on the Via
Sacra with the south side of the Regia before you. In front of you is
the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina and behind you is the House of the
Vestal Virgins (Atrium Vestae) and the Temple of Vesta. (Photos
1,3,4,17).
Directly in front of you is the "Shrine of Mars", a room in the SW
(left-bottom) corner of the Regia (all that remains is just the floor).
(Photo 8) It's a rectangular area made from stone blocks (some missing).
It has a circular grassy mound on it (beneath this mound is a stone
circle-2.53m/diameter), this was probably the altar (or hearth?) that
held the "Sacred Spears of Mars".
It's the evening of March 14, 44BC, a violent thunderstorm rages
(?) that night. It's looked upon as an ill omen. Julius Caesar (JC
from now on) enters the "Shrine of Mars". In 4 days he leaves for war
with Parthia (Iran & surrounding areas) but tomorrow after the Senate
meeting his friend Marcus Aemilius Lepidus "Master of the Horse"
(Commander of the Cavalry) will leave (?) for Parthia also. They will
also dine together that night. It's written that while JC was in
the Shrine that night the "Sacred Spears" started to vibrate/rattle/move
on their own. Legend has it that they only do this when something
terrible is about too happen. It is not the first omen or warning
JC has received and it will not be his last! [I wonder if JC was there
with his friend Lepidus to ask the God Mars for his help/blessing in
their upcoming war? Generals would go into the Shrine and rattle the
Spears (for luck, blessing, prayer) before they would depart for war.
Also I wonder if the violent thunderstorm recorded (?) that night was
raging at that moment? Could the sonic boom (thunder) from a nearby
lighting strike have caused the Spears to vibrate? Was this omen just a
myth? Or could it have actually happened? It's been said (?) that the
Spears might have been *delicately* balanced somehow, like an ancient
seismograph.] Now look to your right (photo 2) and you will see a
small grove of trees, face them. The House of the Vestal Virgins runs
along the rightside and the Via Sacra along the left. Walk into that
small grove of trees and look thru the fence and you will see a
surviving section of a stylobate (a continuous base that supported a row
of columns). It's easy to find:), it's between you and that tin roof
that protects the mosaic paving (out of sight:( of the Domus Publica's
baths. Both the mosaic and this stylobate (also part of the baths) are
dated to before and during the time JC was Pontifex Maximus. So you'll
looking at the remains of where JC bathed and entertained friends:).
The stylobate remains are 2 large grayish/white travertine blocks
with a half-column base chiseled out of one of them. Also a travertine
moulding in front of them with what looks like a water channel cut thru
it. Plus you can just barely see another stylobate section in one of the
rooms off to the right of that section.
This bath was probably destroyed to the level of the stylobate we
see today and built over by the Vestal Virgins after Augustus gave them
the Domus Publica. Vestal Virgins cannot use water that comes from a
pipe, only water drawn from a well.
Now walk up the Via Sacra to the Temple of Romulus, you can't miss
it (intact circular temple with bronze doors-photo 2). With your
back to this Temple face the House of the Vestal Virgins and the
Palatine Hill. The area in front of you from that small grove of trees
on your right over to the left of you and between the Via Sacra that you
are standing on and over to near-by the base of the Palatine Hill.
This was where the "Domus Publica" was located. A prime piece of
real estate where the Pontifex Maximus (Pope, presides over the Vestal
Virgins plus other duties) lived. It wasn't a full-time job, JC
was the Pontifex Maximus since 62BC and lives in this house with his 4th
wife Calpurnia (Cleopatra and their son Caesarion are living in JC's
estate in Trastevere).
This is just a guess on my part from looking at the recently
excavated ruins of the Domus Publica. Bear in mind that after JC
Augustus give this house to the Vestals. They were then able to vastly
enlarge the House of the Vestals and rebuilt over the Domus Publica. So
alot of the brick walls you now see are from Augustus' time (after JC)
and later. It would be logical that the front door would open onto
the Via Sacra, on the east side there would be other houses (Cicero's
house was adjacent to the Domus Publica and Marc Anthony also lived
nearby), on the west the House of the Vestals plus the Domus Publica's
baths, in the back the Palatine Hill and the Via Nova more like an dark
alley. So for an important public official to receive guests or to make
a grand exit or entrance, the Via Sacra would be the place. The outside
ground floor of the house was probably walled with perhaps no windows
and strong barred doors guarded by slaves (freemen or soldiers?) 24/7.
Standing in front of the Temple of Romulus try and visualize this
house. Most of the right half is taken up by the baths. So the entrance
would have to be either in the center or the left half. I mention
this because if you look 45deg to the left and ~15M into the Domus
fenced-in area you will see two pedestal-type bases. There is marble
paving between these bases and they are higher than the Via Sacra with
the foundation sloped towards the Via Sacra. Enter thru the ugly front
fortress-like door and up a ramp or steps to the beautiful entrance into
the Domus' Atrium? This wouldn't seem to be something the Vestals would
have added-on, another *main* entrance to a high security (chastity:)
area? Plus they already have a main entrance to their atrium by the
Temple of Vesta. Or perhaps the entrance was already there and the
Vestals just incorporated it into their new House? Anyway look at it
from all different angles and see how out of place (pedestals, marble,
etc) it looks among the ruins. Remember the brick wall behind it was
*most probably* added during the Vestal renovations. I'm fairly
convinced that it is the main entrance to the Domus Publica and the
doorway used by JC when he left that fateful morning. It's
later in the evening, JC and his friend Marcus Aemilius Lepidus have
just finished dinner along with others. JC is catching-up on some work
(reading and signing things) while everyone else is engaged in after
dinner conversation. The topic of "What is the best death?" comes-up, JC
quickly answers "A sudden one". That night JC and his wife go to
sleep, it will not be restful! In the middle of the night the doors and
windows in their bedroom(s) (or through-out their home) are blown open
by a violent wind. That thunderstorm again? JC has a dream (?)
that he is flying above the clouds holding the hand of the God Jupiter.
His wife has a nightmare, she dreams that the pinnacle (placed
there by the Senate) atop their house falls and smashes on the ground
and she weeps over the body of her murdered husband in her arms.
.....*Early Morning March 15, 44BC*..... It is the "Ides Of
March". JC is ill and his wife begs him not to go to the Senate meeting
that day. She tells him of her dream. JC is worried by her pleads, she
is not a overly superstitious person. Later the priests report to
him that they have made several (animal) sacrifices and found them to be
inauspicious (unfavorable). [ill health, ill omens, Calpurnia's dream
and pleas, and now these unfavorable sacrifices!] JC hesitates for
quite a while and finally decides to send Marc Anthony to the Curia
Pompey (~1.4km walking distance) to dismiss the Senate. But he doesn't,
because of one man's words. Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus (aka
Decimus Brutus or Brutus Albinus) is also at the house that morning. He
is not *that* Brutus:) but he is his distant relative of his. He is a
confidant, trusted ally and close friend of JC. And is actually in JC's
will as a 2nd heir (more as an overseer of his decrees and not an actual
money/property inheritor). He is also a major one of sixty or so
conspirators. His life and the others, all depend on JC going to that
Senate meeting. If not, it's probably for certain that by sunset JC will
have gotten wind of their plot. The "cat is out of the bag" and the
rumors have already started, they will not get a 2nd chance.
Decimus Brutus tells JC that *he* called this Senate meeting and
it would be insulting to the Senators not to show. He scoffs and mocks
the priests and their sacrifices. "Caesar shall we tell the Senate you
will only meet them when your wife has better dreams?", "What will your
enemies say?" "The Senate wants to give you the title of King/Rex (to be
used *only* outside of Italy and only to forfill a Sybil prophesy, JC is
"Dictator For Life" (Dictator Perpetuus) but the title *King* to the
Romans is like the title *Dictator* to us) and will vote unanimously for
you".
D. Brutus takes JC's hand and leads him towards the door. "At
least, if you think this day is unfortunate, the decent thing to do is
to go to the Senate meeting yourself and adjourn it in person". JC
agrees and walks out his door to where his litter awaits. He will leave
for the Senate meeting with a small entourage, including friends and
conspirators but no bodyguards. (He had already disbanded his Spanish
bodyguards, his friends urged him to bring them back into service, JC
refused.)
Even if JC had heard rumors or thought of a possible conspiracy
this would be typical of him. In battle when the tides were turning
against him, he would send away his horse and his bodguards and fight
alongside his men. His bravery would rally his troops on to victory.
Once the enemy's reinforcements arrived and he was now vastly
outnumbered and surrounded. Any other commander probably would have
dug-in or attempted a break-out. Instead JC split his troops and
attacked both fronts, he won:).
The Via Sacra is *mobbed* with people outside his home (~1030am),
most are just onlookers, others to try and give him a petition for
something they need or desire. But two people in the crowd have an
urgent message for JC but only one will get thru. A servant sent
by his master or mistress tries to get to JC as he leaves his house but
cannot get thru the mob that surrounds him. He goes into JC's house and
begs Calpurnia to secure him until JC returns because he has something
of great importance to tell him. A teacher of Greek logic named
Artemidorus knows *Brutus* and his friends, he also knows their secret.
He is in the crowd that day with a written message warning JC of the
conspiracy. He notices that JC is handing all the petitions he
receives to a servant to read later. Artemidorus pushes thru the crowd
and hands JC his message. "Read this Caesar, alone, and quickly, for it
contains a matter great importance which concerns *you*". JC tries
to read it several times but he keeps getting distracted by people
wishing to speak to him along the way. It will still be in his
hand and unread when he enters the Senate. It's also said that
Artemidorus couldn't get thru the crowd and give it to someone
(stronger?) who could.
[This route travelling thru and exiting the Forum is based upon:
It's the original Via Sacra, the branch you see to the top of the Regia
(Photo1&2&4) would be the most direct route to that NW corner of the
Forum but it wasn't built until ~36BC.
The Clivus Argentarius (Photo9&3) exits the Forum and provides the
only *direct* access between the Forum and the Campus Martius where the
Curia Pompey (Photo10) is located. It's also the most logical and
easiest route. The Timeline is just guess, it's recorded that he
arrived at the Senate Meeting ~11AM or that he left his home ~11AM.
Either way timekeeping in 44BC wasn't that accurate:), it was just to
the hour (the 4th, 5th etc hour). But what transpired that day probably
happened say between 1030-1200.]
JC's litter and his entourage start up the Via Sacra passing
between the Regia and the Temple of Vesta (Photo1). He then passes an
open area that's at the end of the Forum on his right. In 3 days it will
be the location of his funeral pyre and in 15yrs his Temple. Also
you will walk over a marble paved "speed bump:)" on this section of the
Via Sacra (dead center in Photo1). It's the scanty remains of the "Arch
of Augustus" (Actium Arch). Built ~the same time as the Temple of JC,
this arch celebrated the naval victory of Augustus over Marc Antony and
Cleopatra in 31BC at Actium. From his litter as he crosses the
Forum he can see the Basilica Julia (on his left, he's having it
rebuilt) and the Curia Julia that he is having built. Also the Rostra
that he had built in this new location at the end of the Forum. A gold
statue of JC stands upon the Rostra. JC's litter leaves the Forum
by the northwest corner on the street called "Clivus Argentarius"
(Photo9).
JC is ~55yrs old, he has less than 30 minutes remaining in his
life. And in ~3-4hrs he will be returning home along this same street.
He will be in a litter carried by 3 slaves sent by Calpurnia to retrieve
his body and bring it home, his bloodied arm will hang from the litter
as it crosses the Forum.
At this point you should be standing in front of the Curia Julia
(Photo4). I'm writing this as walk so rather than leave the Forum to go
to the assassination site ~.9km away, only to return to the Forum again.
We will skip ahead ~1hr and I will put the assassination at the end.]
It's before noon and a large mob of people are marching back along
this street to the Forum. Leading this procession are 23 Senators,
their robes and hands are bloodied. They are still clutching their
daggers. Marcus Junius *Brutus* and Gaius *Cassius* Longinus (*x* these
are the names I will use for them) the main conspirators lead the
Senators, ~60 total were in on the plot. Along the way they were
very confident and called to the people "Resume your liberty, Julius
Caesar is dead". Some people for the glory, honor or fame decide to
"hop-on this bandwagon" as it passed, even though they weren't in on the
plot. It's a fatal mistake for many of them, Caius Octavius and Lentulus
Spinther are two of them that history sadly records. The
conspirators proudly march into the Forum, proclaiming the great deed
they have done for Rome.
They march up the Clivus Capitolinus and into the Temple of
Jupiter (easy to defend, like a hilltop fortress) where they spend that
afternoon and night. (There are some Temple remains in the Palazzeo dei
Conservatori which is built over this site, they can be seen thru the
skylights on the floor of the museum's outdoor cafeteria's patio on the
2nd floor. Also the SE temple's corner is visible {just large foundation
stones} on the Via del Tempio di Grove, it's below street level
surrounded by a metal fence *right alongside* this same building).
[Walk thru the Arch of Septimius Severus (203AD-Photo5) and turn
left and stand behind the Rostra, face the Capitoline Hill. On your
left is the Temple of Saturn, in front of this Temple and going past it
on the right and uphill to the Capitoline Hill is the ancient street
called the Clivus Capitolinus].
That afternoon Brutus came down to talk to the people in the
Forum. He either gave a speech or he didn't due to an angry audience. If
it was the latter, it was probably because the conspirator and Praetor
named Cornelius *Cinna* might have gotten the crowd angry and stirred-up
with an anti-JC speech.
The people respect Brutus *very* much. But they also like JC and
are angry and scared about what has occured. All-in-all the Roman people
are in the middle on this one. The deed is done, it's over with and
hopefully lets just get along with our lives with no in-fighting, civil
war or revenge...Just Peace!
Lepidus (Master of the Horse-Cavalry) starts to occupy the center
of the city that night to keep the peace, he probably expects to assume
power.
The following morning (16th) the Senate convenes. Both sides are
heard, Lepidus wants justice and revenge against the assassins, Cicero
and others want amnesty, Antony wants a compromise. A deal is
struck. The conspirators will get amnesty and positions. JC will be
deified (made into a God) and they will approve and revoke none of JC's
acts and laws, including allowing his troops to keep their goods &
money. This makes Lepidus lose his "ace-in-the-hole" over the troops
under him (?), they thought and were probably told? they wouldn't
receive it now that JC was dead (Civil war to regain their own
money-Yes, but just to put Lepidus in power-No way:). Marc Antony
convinces him he must accept this and be quite about it, it's a done
deal.
That night (16th) over dinner the two opposing factions meet,
there is still much negotiating (backroom deals:) to be done before all
this can be peacefully settled. Antony and Lepidus(?) send their sons up
to the Temple of Jupiter as hostages so that Brutus and Cassius can come
down to the dinner negotiations without fear of retaliation against
them.
Brutus dines with his relative Lepidus and Cassius with Antony.
While eating Antony asks Cassius if he has a dagger on him, he answers
"Yes and a large one, if you too desire to become a tyrant yourself".
The next day (17th) the Senate meets again to finalize the new and
old deals that have been struck to maintain the peace. They are very
thankful to Marc Antony for the compromise that avoided a civil war.
Besides amnesty the conspirators will also receive positions
(Brutus-Crete, Cassius-Africa, Decimus Brutus-Cisalpine Gaul). For
Antony, all JC's acts and laws will remain, he will be defied, his Will
will be honored and read to the people (Antony has already read it, so
he knows what it contains. I've oftened wondered if he had a plot of his
own for justice and revenge, figuring the will reading would turn the
tides against the conspirators?) and JC will have a public funeral.
Everything seems to have gone very well for the conspirators but
Brutus has made 2 fatal mistakes. Cassius and others want to kill Antony
(and others?) along with JC on the 15th but Brutus wouldn't agree to
join the conspiracy (Brutus was the Kingpin they needed) if anyone else
was killed besides JC. Cassius opposed the public funeral and Will
reading, but Brutus agreed to it. Tomorrow Brutus will see that
Cassius was correct on both points! The funeral is held in the Forum on
the 18th (some say the 20th). His body is then to be brought to the
Campus Martius where a funeral pyre has been built near his family tomb.
[Photo7 You are still behind the Rostra. All that remains of the
original JC Rostra is the substructure (Augustus enlarged the Rostra)
and those white marble slightly curved steps on the left. Also if you
look from the side of the Rostra you can see the Front (with small
sections of marble facing still attached) of the original JC Rostra,
roughly in the middle of the enlarged Rostra.] Friends, foes,
conspirators?, allies and the common people all crowd into the Forum
that day.
JC's coffin is a model of the Temple of Venus Genetrix (Universal
Mother- who JC's family claimed decent) which is located in the Forum of
Caesar.
Up those stairs the bier (coffin) and Marc Antony accend. I assume
that like at any state funeral there were alot of speeches:). But only
one will have impact that changes the course of history. Julius Caesar's
Will is read to the crowd.
He has actually named several of the conspirators as guardians to
any son that he might father and Decimus Brutus (his friend who
convinced him to go to the Senate meeting) as a heir in the 2nd degree.
The crowd has just heard that men who JC had enough faith and confidence
in to be named in his will, have also betrayed and murdered him! He
has also left 300 Sesterces (~$168USD in 1998, consider that many of
them are "On the Dole"-Welfare) to each Roman Citizen! Plus he leaves
his gardens near the Tiber to all Roman Citizens to use as a public
park! The crowd is now on the verge of becoming an angry mob, all that
is needed is just one spark to ignite them. Antony steps-up to the
edge of the Rostra and addresses the crowd. He has written a eulogy for
his friend, Julius Caesar. [Cassius Dio said it ended with these words
(?)] "Of what avail, O Caesar, was your humanity, of what avail
your inviolability, of what avail the laws? Nay, though you
enacted many laws that men might not be killed by their personal foes,
yet now mercilessly you yourself were slain by your Friends! And
now, the victim of assassination, you lie dead in the Forum through
which you often led the Triumph crowned; wounded to death, you have been
cast down upon the Rostra from which you often addressed the People.
Woe for the blood-bespattered locks of gray, alas the rent (cut)
robe, which you assumed (in purple-the royal color?), it seems, only
that you might be slain in it!" Antony then grabs and holds up
Caesar's bloodsoaked robe to the crowd so they see the all the cuts made
by the assassins knives. THE SPARK!!!
[Now walk back the way you came, thru the Arch, past the Curia and
over to the Temple of Julius Caesar Photo4&1). See the little entrance
under the tin roof, walk into it. Protected by that roof are the remains
of the concrete core of the Altar (usually a few flowers have been
placed upon it), this marks the spot where JC was cremated and the
Temple was built from this point back.
Go back outside and face the Rostra. That section on your 90deg
right and back to the Curia alongside that section of the Via Sacra you
just walked along to the Basilica Aemilia (Emilia) located behind it,
are the remains of the Porticus of Gaius & Lucius and the Tabernae Novae
(a 2 story shopping mall:). It was built ~40yrs after JC's death. But in
44BC that section contained a market place with different shops and they
are about to have a very bad business day:). I have found nothing about
whether or not any of the conspirators were at the Will reading &
funeral that day. But if so, I'm certain that they decided to "get outta
Dodge" rather quickly at this point:). Roman rulers were always cremated
and/or buried outside of the city walls. Rumors while JC was alive was
that he wanted to be buried within the city walls like the Kings from
the early Roman times. This would have really upset the
Romans...King=Dictator but it would also be a great honor if they (the
Mob) choose to do it themselves.]
The crowd is now an angry Mob, some are calling for revenge and
death to the conspirators!
The Mob shouts that they should cremate the body either in the
Temple of Jupiter on the Capitoline Hill or the Curia Pompey where JC
was murdered.
Finally they decide to do it at the other end of the Forum in
front of the Regia (this would be an very honorable spot). The
shops are looted of tables, chairs and benches and they are piled high.
The Mob takes possession of JC's body and places it atop the pile and
sets it afire. Some in the Mob throw in parts of their clothing,
jewelery or other personal possessions (JC's bones will be picked out of
the ashes the next day and buried in his family tomb). A friend of
JC's named Helvius *Cinna* had a dream the night before that JC had
invited him to supper (or to go into a dark place) but when he refused
JC took him by the hand and forced him to go along with him. Helvius was
ill (fever) that day and didn't go to the funeral. But when he heard
that JC was being cremated in the Forum he decided to go and honor his
friend. Someone in the Mob asked who he was (a rich/nobleman that
probably looked out of place in the Mob?), someone said *Cinna* and
someone said something to someone etc. The Mob now believes that
the Praetor Cornelius *Cinna* (the conspirator who read the anti-JC
speech in the Forum on the 15th) is within their grasp. And poor Helvus
is literally torn limb from limb. The Mob now has had it's 1st
taste of blood! They grab firebrands from the pyre and march to Brutus
and Cassius's houses to torch their homes and kill them, but they are
repelled by their slaves and freemen. Others will not be so lucky.
Brutus and the conspirators with other allies and friends wisely
choose to leave Rome. The civil war they all wished to avoid is
about to begin. Within 3 years basically all of the 60 conspirators will
be dead, along with many friends and allies. Brutus commits
(assisted?) suicide with his own sword after being defeated in battle by
Antony. Antony gives Brutus an honorable cremation and sends his ashes
to his mother.
Cassius uses the same dagger he stabbed JC with to kill himself,
as some of the other conspirators also did. Cicero is killed (he
honorably accepted his fate and offered his neck to the sword) by
Antony's troops while attempting to flee Italy. He wasn't an actual
conspirator, they thought him an old man and a blabbermouth:) but he was
a confident/friend of Brutus who sided with him. His head and hands are
returned to Rome (per Antony's orders-they really hated one another) and
displayed on the Rostra. The man who betrayed him is turned-over to a
Roman noblewoman who after torturing him forces him to cut off his own
flesh, roast it and then eat it.
JC's great-nephew and adopted son Octavian (later called Augustus)
becomes Ruler per JC's will and with Antony and Lepidus as co-rulers
while fighting this civil war. But they do have a falling-out in the
future and become enemies of Octavian/Augustus. And the civil war will
actually end with Marc Antony and Cleopatra's naval defeat at Actium in
Sept 31BC. Antony and Cleopatra commit suicide in Aug 30BC.
Lepidus loses his wealth and power but retains his life (in
exile), he was made Pontifex Maximus after JC's death and this saved
him. A few months before JC death, settlers in Capua were
demolishing some ancient tombs to make room for country estates. One of
the tombs was that of the Capys the founders of Capua. They found a
bronze tablet written in Greek saying "Whenever the bones of Capys shall
be moved, it will come to pass that a son on llium shall be slain at the
hands of his kindred, and presently avenged at heavy cost to Italia".
Cornelius Balbus a friend of JC vouched for this event. The following
late-July which is the month JC named after his family name
(Julia/Julio). A comet is seen for 7 nights around sunset, it is
believed to be the defied soul of Julius Caesar traveling to or thru
heaven.
CURIA POMPEY-THE ASSASSINATION Ok now we will backtrack to where
JC is leaving the Forum and going to the Curia Pompey (just Curia from
now on).
On your map it will be called the "Largo di Torre Argentina" it's
~300m due south of the Pantheon. In your guidebooks it will be called
the "Area Sacra" or the "Four Republican Victory-Temples". Face the
Rostra, the Curia remains are ~1km away on the otherside of the
Capitoline Hill. You can exit 3 ways, to the left & behind the Rostra
going up the Clivus Capitolinus and across the top of the Capitoline
Hill (Photo5).
***Or the stairs to the right of the Rostra and behind the Arch of
Septimius Severus (Photo3,5). Exit right at the 1st street-level landing
and go counterclockwise around the Hill (JC's route). But be certain to
follow the actual road (Clivus Argentarius) he took with the original
paving stones (like the Via Sacra in the Forum). This road is to the
right (and lower) of the modern one there and passes *directly* behind
the Forum of Julius Caesar (Photo9).
Or exit (Photo4) by the main gate, behind you (45deg right) and up
the ramp to the gate and the Via dei Fori Imperial (go left). The main
gate has a so-so Forum audioguide, a giftshop/bookstore/w.c. ("The Roman
Forum" by the Soprintendenza Archeologica Di Roma is the best guidebook
IMO). Also another w.c. (bathroom) is hidden behind the (southside)
Basilica Julia. Also before you leave go into the Curia Julia to get an
idea of the layout of the Curia Pompey. The Curia Pompey was alittle
smaller, the 2 backboors would have been large windows, the Senator's
seats would also be on the right & left on those steps and the Statue of
Pompey would have been centered and against the back wall on the
slightly raised podium in the rear.
After you exit the Forum get yourself in front of the Vittorio
Emanuelle II Monument facing the large traffic square in front of it
which is the Piazza Venezia. The main street at the opposite end coming
into it is the Via Del Corso (in ancient times called Via Lata "Broad
Way") which goes to the Piazza d. Popolo and then continues on as the
Via Flamina (ancient times called Flaminia), this is the path of the
ancient road that left Rome. JC's litter would have taken the 1st
exit:) which is today's Via S. Marco. Ancient maps show this street
passing between the "Theatre and Porticus (Crypta) of Balbus" (actually
built after JC's death, admittance to the remains are beneath the museum
on the leftside of the street) and the 2 columns of a disputed temple
(Nymphs, Guardians of Seafarers, ?) on the rightside of the street.
So cross the street (have fun:) to that little grass & tree park
(Piazza d. S. Marco) on the leftside of the Piazza Venezia. and go left
(west) down the Via S. Marco. [That green wooden kiosk in the middle of
the sidewalk 30m down sells tickets for the Archeobus Tours, pick-up a
pamphlet (Catacombs & other sites outside the Walls of Rome).] In
~500M you will come upon the "Area Sacra" in the Largo di Torre
Argentina on the right (Photo11). The 4 Temples are in an excavated
block below street level. The 4th temple (D) is excavated partially
beneath the street you're on, so JC's litter would have passed-by the
leftside of this temple and somehow entered the Porticus of Pompey in
the southeastern corner (possibly between Temples C & D?, just a guess:)
but I saw a walled-in arch and some marble paving stones remains that
looked sort of out-of-place, like a wide pathway that could enter that
bldg attached to the outside-rear of the Porticus) or thru the side
(Photo10,10a). And then turned right to go to the front steps of the
Curia, which was centered in the backend (E) of the Porticus with the
Theatre of Pompey (W) at the other end. This entire complex was ~325M X
150M. Cross the street (Via di Torre Argentina) and turn right
(you are behind the temples), in the Temple area now across the street
you'll see 6 columns rising above streetlevel (Photo12 You'll be on the
sidewalk in front of that bldg in the background), stop just before you
get parallel with them and face them. A black iron and plexiglass
fence surrounds these temples. Now look to the right and you will see
stairs leading down into the site (no admittance) and to the left of
this a brickwall (part of this fence) and then a short section of this
fence connected to a white stone fence post and around the of the next
(2nd) section you will see a *tree*. Align yourself with that, it will
put you in the center of the front of the Curia (Photo14- the *tree* is
on the extreme right). 5M past that sidewalk fence across the street
would be the backwall of the Curia and ~23M from that rail coming
towards you would be the front entrance to the Curia. The front steps
would be located beneath that bldg behind you and in front of them JC's
litter was put down upon the ground (I paced-out this area, the Curia
building itself probably ended ~5m into that bldg, add to that probably
a columned porch and then the front steps). [It's said that on the
14th a King-Bird flew into the Curia carrying a sprig of laurel (I
believe JC would have been crowned King with a gold laurel wreath
crown?) pursued by other birds, it was then attacked and torn to pieces
(Photo10,10a).] The Senator-Conspirators have been waiting around
since early morning, their daggers lay hidden beneath their
robes. Also hidden somewhere nearby are a group of Gladiators owned by
Decimus Brutus. The Gladiators will be called upon if things start to go
wrong. A Senator named Popilius Laenas whispers to Brutus and
Cassius " My wishes are with you, that you may accomplish what you
design and I advise you to make no delay, for the thing is now no
secret". They are now probably past the point of no return, it is
either kill JC or themselves. They await JC near the entrance and on the
steps of the Curia.
JC's litter arrives and he steps out. Popilius Laenas walks over
and starts talking to JC, the conspirators can't hear what is being said
but think the worst. Popilius kisses JC's hand and walks away, he was
just talking business with JC. I wonder if he was trying to be on the
winning side? Wishing the conspirators luck if they won and acting if
everything was normal with JC if he won? JC starts up the steps
and sees the Soothsayer (fortune-teller) Spurinna who had told him
earlier (within 15 days) "Beware of a danger that will come no latter
than the Ides of March" (Beware the Ides of March). JC mockingly
says to him in passing "The Ides of March have come". Spurinna calmly
replies "Yes, but not yet passed". JC enters the Curia alone, his
friend and ally Marc Antony is kept outside engaged in a contrived
conversation with either Decimus Brutus or Gaius Trebonius. [I'd guess
Decimus, from the doorway he'd be able to easily call to his Gladiators
if things went wrong inside. It would be the best place for him.]
Marcus Lepidus was also said to have arrived with JC & Antony,
assume he was also taken aside in a phony conversation. [A bit of irony:
While JC was walking across the Curia floor, he would see the back of
Temple "B" thru the window (if not curtained) to the left of the podium.
The name of that temple is "Fortuna Huiusce Diei" (Good Fortune On This
Day). Walk across the street to that place I mentioned before,
that tree the closest one to you is actually in the middle of the rear
remains of the Curia (Photo15). Look over to Temple C on your right,
alongside that ditch. The Curia's right wall (iron fence) comes out from
under the sidewalk and butts right up to the rear wall of that temple.
The Curia's rear wall ran over to your left behind Temple B, but that
last 30% of rear wall is completely missing along with the leftside wall
(Photo13). But if you move over to the left so that you are directly
behind that 1st (left) column of Temple B and look over the railing
directly straight down (photo15- stand right there). You will see a
small section of stone blocks coming out from the sidewalk, this is all
that remains of the leftside wall (*just* to the left (1.5M) of that
broken column on the ground ).
For a diagram of this walk over to the stairs to the right of you.
#1 marks the "Remains of the central exedra of Pompey's Porticus. Used
as the Senate House, it was here that JC was assassinated on March 15,
44BC". #1 is exactly where that tree is located! Ok back to the
tree:), what actually remains below you is the concrete core and rooms?
that were below the Curia floor (Photo14,15,16). Look at the ground
level around Temple B and remember the Curia was entered by walking up
the front steps (Photo10a). So somewhere (in space & time:)
hovering this rubble was the floor, podium and the large Statue of
Pompey.
So look at the back wall and imagine say 0.5m for the wall
thickness, the large Statue of Pompey on a 1m sq. base against the back
wall. (Think of the Curia Julia) In front of the Statue on the slightly
raised podium was JC's chair. I used a diagram by Christian Meier
(Author & Professor of Ancient History), he shows the 2 large windows on
each side of the podium. I also noticed extra support (stone blocks)
along the back wall where these windows would be (Photo14,15). So
it's safe to assume that below you (the *tree* in Photo15) and above the
ruins ~3m from the back wall was where JC died. His chair was probably
somewhere directly below you (looking straight down) along with the area
he was surrounded and stabbed.
Pompey was a great general and once a political ally who had
married JC's daughter Julia in an arraigned marriage to bond their
alliance. He really loved her but she died young. JC defeated Pompey in
a civil war and he was murdered escaping to Egypt but not on JC's
orders. Not really friends but JC respected him. So dying at the foot of
the Pompey's Statue was a bit of poetic justice for Pompey.] JC
walks over to his chair (an elaborate camp stool actually) and sits
down. He's surrounded by the conspirators (many of these men are men he
trusts and/or had pardoned after winning the civil war). Some to pay
their phoney respects and others with petitions. Tillius Cimber is in
the forefront with a petition on behalf of his exiled brother. They are
starting to bother and crowd JC, he scolds them for their disrespect
towards him and his office. Cassius against his beliefs, looks to the
Statue of Pompey and silently asks/prays for assistance. Suddenly
Tillius graps JC's robe with both hands and pulls it down from his neck.
This is the prearranged signal to attack. Publius Casca who is behind JC
stabs him slightly in or below the neck. JC grabs Casca's hand/dagger
and with his other hand stabs Casca in the arm with his stylus (pen).
And shouts "Vile Casca, What does this mean?" JC rises still
stuggling with Casca and yells in Greek "Brother Help!" (to Antony I
assume?).
Now they all attack, for they all have promised one other that
they all will inflict 1 wound. A pact in blood that will tie them all
together, for better or worst. In the bloody frenzy that ensues they
have also mistakenly cut one another (Brutus receives a bad cut on his
hand). JC is still fighting for his life until he sees Brutus (JC's
longtime mistress's son, a good and trusted friend and one who he had
pardoned after the civil war plus had given a good position too) with
his dagger drawn.
JC looks to Brutus and says in Greek "You too!, my child", he then
stabs JC in the groin.
JC bleeding from the 23 conspirators stab wounds falls at the base
of the now bloodied Statue of Pompey and covers his head and legs with
his robe (head covering is common in Greece & Italy when dying) and
dies.
It happened so quickly that the Senators in their seats were in
shock and then a panic ensued as they all tried to exit at once. Brutus
attempts to give a speech on the reason for their act but no one is
waiting around to listen.
Antony and Lepidus flee the area and go into hiding, not knowing
Brutus has forbidden their deaths. His 1st major mistake, he should have
listened to Cassius and the others.
The conspirators leave the Curia and march en mass to the Temple
of Jupiter on the Capitoline Hill.
JC's body lies alone for ~3hrs until slaves sent by his wife
retrieve it.
Cleopatra and her 3yr son Caesarion by JC flee Rome to Alexandria.
She and Antony will become lovers in ~3yrs and commit suicide in 14yrs.
JC and Cleoparta's son will murdered on Augustus's orders, he was
advised that "A multiplicity of Caesars is not a good thing".
Later Augustus has the Statue of Pompey moved into Pompey's
theatre and the Curia walled-up. The Ides of March will also be now
called the "Day of Parricide".
The Senate will never again meet on that fateful day.
replaced a dead link.
Also I wanted this article in the "google archives" so in the
future I can just post this link (thanks Miguel for that info:).
Webtv tends to not seperate paragraphs in long posts, so there is
nothing I can do about that:(.
And in the "google archives" it really runs these paragraphs
together. Also it adds groups of question marks ?? ???? ? between
sentences and leaves out the "_underlines" in the URL's, which makes
them a "dead link". I think this is caused by the post being extremely
long?
So I will add the Photo Link URL's as 2 replies to this post (1
with info and 1 with just the links), so just click-on "View: Complete
Thread (# Articles)" for them.
Any problems, just e-mail me and I'll send you this trip report if
you're interested. Regards, Walter
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
The Roman Forum and historical sites associated with Julius Caesar have
always fascinated me when I'm in Rome. Tourists (like myself:) often
bypass these unmarked major and minor sites, never knowing what
transpired there over 2000yrs ago. But we all have heard the story,
either thru history books, teachers. movies, TV or the Shakespearean
play.
I'm not a very good writer and an even worst proofreader:). This
was written in parts over time plus additions from my last trip and
finding new links for dead ones. I repeat info sometimes (usually at
locations) so if you do take this walk you don't have to go back and
look for something I mentioned previously. Also I detail locations in
case the Photo Links go dead someday. And I admit I do tend to go
overboard in the directions to certain places, esp *The Tree*:).
The actual site locations are accurate but as far as what was said
or done, or the omens that happened...It's up to you to believe it or
not:). All I have done is piece together what was written by ancient
historians (Suetonius, Plutarch, Cassius Dio, etc) and info I've gotten
from websites, history books, historical guidebooks, documentarys, etc.
I have paraphrased some words and/or combined different versions or just
chosen one version of who, what or where. Also a few educated guesses:).
I have added a "(?)" here and there in the middle of a sentence when
there's a doubt or another version says something differently.
Again it's just a historical tourist walk of the sites and not a
thesis:). I just tried to balance everything out to keep it very
accurate plus entertaining and interesting.
.................ROMAN-FORUM.................. Located around the
center of the Roman Forum *area* ruins is the Regia. Stand on the Via
Sacra with the south side of the Regia before you. In front of you is
the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina and behind you is the House of the
Vestal Virgins (Atrium Vestae) and the Temple of Vesta. (Photos
1,3,4,17).
Directly in front of you is the "Shrine of Mars", a room in the SW
(left-bottom) corner of the Regia (all that remains is just the floor).
(Photo 8) It's a rectangular area made from stone blocks (some missing).
It has a circular grassy mound on it (beneath this mound is a stone
circle-2.53m/diameter), this was probably the altar (or hearth?) that
held the "Sacred Spears of Mars".
It's the evening of March 14, 44BC, a violent thunderstorm rages
(?) that night. It's looked upon as an ill omen. Julius Caesar (JC
from now on) enters the "Shrine of Mars". In 4 days he leaves for war
with Parthia (Iran & surrounding areas) but tomorrow after the Senate
meeting his friend Marcus Aemilius Lepidus "Master of the Horse"
(Commander of the Cavalry) will leave (?) for Parthia also. They will
also dine together that night. It's written that while JC was in
the Shrine that night the "Sacred Spears" started to vibrate/rattle/move
on their own. Legend has it that they only do this when something
terrible is about too happen. It is not the first omen or warning
JC has received and it will not be his last! [I wonder if JC was there
with his friend Lepidus to ask the God Mars for his help/blessing in
their upcoming war? Generals would go into the Shrine and rattle the
Spears (for luck, blessing, prayer) before they would depart for war.
Also I wonder if the violent thunderstorm recorded (?) that night was
raging at that moment? Could the sonic boom (thunder) from a nearby
lighting strike have caused the Spears to vibrate? Was this omen just a
myth? Or could it have actually happened? It's been said (?) that the
Spears might have been *delicately* balanced somehow, like an ancient
seismograph.] Now look to your right (photo 2) and you will see a
small grove of trees, face them. The House of the Vestal Virgins runs
along the rightside and the Via Sacra along the left. Walk into that
small grove of trees and look thru the fence and you will see a
surviving section of a stylobate (a continuous base that supported a row
of columns). It's easy to find:), it's between you and that tin roof
that protects the mosaic paving (out of sight:( of the Domus Publica's
baths. Both the mosaic and this stylobate (also part of the baths) are
dated to before and during the time JC was Pontifex Maximus. So you'll
looking at the remains of where JC bathed and entertained friends:).
The stylobate remains are 2 large grayish/white travertine blocks
with a half-column base chiseled out of one of them. Also a travertine
moulding in front of them with what looks like a water channel cut thru
it. Plus you can just barely see another stylobate section in one of the
rooms off to the right of that section.
This bath was probably destroyed to the level of the stylobate we
see today and built over by the Vestal Virgins after Augustus gave them
the Domus Publica. Vestal Virgins cannot use water that comes from a
pipe, only water drawn from a well.
Now walk up the Via Sacra to the Temple of Romulus, you can't miss
it (intact circular temple with bronze doors-photo 2). With your
back to this Temple face the House of the Vestal Virgins and the
Palatine Hill. The area in front of you from that small grove of trees
on your right over to the left of you and between the Via Sacra that you
are standing on and over to near-by the base of the Palatine Hill.
This was where the "Domus Publica" was located. A prime piece of
real estate where the Pontifex Maximus (Pope, presides over the Vestal
Virgins plus other duties) lived. It wasn't a full-time job, JC
was the Pontifex Maximus since 62BC and lives in this house with his 4th
wife Calpurnia (Cleopatra and their son Caesarion are living in JC's
estate in Trastevere).
This is just a guess on my part from looking at the recently
excavated ruins of the Domus Publica. Bear in mind that after JC
Augustus give this house to the Vestals. They were then able to vastly
enlarge the House of the Vestals and rebuilt over the Domus Publica. So
alot of the brick walls you now see are from Augustus' time (after JC)
and later. It would be logical that the front door would open onto
the Via Sacra, on the east side there would be other houses (Cicero's
house was adjacent to the Domus Publica and Marc Anthony also lived
nearby), on the west the House of the Vestals plus the Domus Publica's
baths, in the back the Palatine Hill and the Via Nova more like an dark
alley. So for an important public official to receive guests or to make
a grand exit or entrance, the Via Sacra would be the place. The outside
ground floor of the house was probably walled with perhaps no windows
and strong barred doors guarded by slaves (freemen or soldiers?) 24/7.
Standing in front of the Temple of Romulus try and visualize this
house. Most of the right half is taken up by the baths. So the entrance
would have to be either in the center or the left half. I mention
this because if you look 45deg to the left and ~15M into the Domus
fenced-in area you will see two pedestal-type bases. There is marble
paving between these bases and they are higher than the Via Sacra with
the foundation sloped towards the Via Sacra. Enter thru the ugly front
fortress-like door and up a ramp or steps to the beautiful entrance into
the Domus' Atrium? This wouldn't seem to be something the Vestals would
have added-on, another *main* entrance to a high security (chastity:)
area? Plus they already have a main entrance to their atrium by the
Temple of Vesta. Or perhaps the entrance was already there and the
Vestals just incorporated it into their new House? Anyway look at it
from all different angles and see how out of place (pedestals, marble,
etc) it looks among the ruins. Remember the brick wall behind it was
*most probably* added during the Vestal renovations. I'm fairly
convinced that it is the main entrance to the Domus Publica and the
doorway used by JC when he left that fateful morning. It's
later in the evening, JC and his friend Marcus Aemilius Lepidus have
just finished dinner along with others. JC is catching-up on some work
(reading and signing things) while everyone else is engaged in after
dinner conversation. The topic of "What is the best death?" comes-up, JC
quickly answers "A sudden one". That night JC and his wife go to
sleep, it will not be restful! In the middle of the night the doors and
windows in their bedroom(s) (or through-out their home) are blown open
by a violent wind. That thunderstorm again? JC has a dream (?)
that he is flying above the clouds holding the hand of the God Jupiter.
His wife has a nightmare, she dreams that the pinnacle (placed
there by the Senate) atop their house falls and smashes on the ground
and she weeps over the body of her murdered husband in her arms.
.....*Early Morning March 15, 44BC*..... It is the "Ides Of
March". JC is ill and his wife begs him not to go to the Senate meeting
that day. She tells him of her dream. JC is worried by her pleads, she
is not a overly superstitious person. Later the priests report to
him that they have made several (animal) sacrifices and found them to be
inauspicious (unfavorable). [ill health, ill omens, Calpurnia's dream
and pleas, and now these unfavorable sacrifices!] JC hesitates for
quite a while and finally decides to send Marc Anthony to the Curia
Pompey (~1.4km walking distance) to dismiss the Senate. But he doesn't,
because of one man's words. Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus (aka
Decimus Brutus or Brutus Albinus) is also at the house that morning. He
is not *that* Brutus:) but he is his distant relative of his. He is a
confidant, trusted ally and close friend of JC. And is actually in JC's
will as a 2nd heir (more as an overseer of his decrees and not an actual
money/property inheritor). He is also a major one of sixty or so
conspirators. His life and the others, all depend on JC going to that
Senate meeting. If not, it's probably for certain that by sunset JC will
have gotten wind of their plot. The "cat is out of the bag" and the
rumors have already started, they will not get a 2nd chance.
Decimus Brutus tells JC that *he* called this Senate meeting and
it would be insulting to the Senators not to show. He scoffs and mocks
the priests and their sacrifices. "Caesar shall we tell the Senate you
will only meet them when your wife has better dreams?", "What will your
enemies say?" "The Senate wants to give you the title of King/Rex (to be
used *only* outside of Italy and only to forfill a Sybil prophesy, JC is
"Dictator For Life" (Dictator Perpetuus) but the title *King* to the
Romans is like the title *Dictator* to us) and will vote unanimously for
you".
D. Brutus takes JC's hand and leads him towards the door. "At
least, if you think this day is unfortunate, the decent thing to do is
to go to the Senate meeting yourself and adjourn it in person". JC
agrees and walks out his door to where his litter awaits. He will leave
for the Senate meeting with a small entourage, including friends and
conspirators but no bodyguards. (He had already disbanded his Spanish
bodyguards, his friends urged him to bring them back into service, JC
refused.)
Even if JC had heard rumors or thought of a possible conspiracy
this would be typical of him. In battle when the tides were turning
against him, he would send away his horse and his bodguards and fight
alongside his men. His bravery would rally his troops on to victory.
Once the enemy's reinforcements arrived and he was now vastly
outnumbered and surrounded. Any other commander probably would have
dug-in or attempted a break-out. Instead JC split his troops and
attacked both fronts, he won:).
The Via Sacra is *mobbed* with people outside his home (~1030am),
most are just onlookers, others to try and give him a petition for
something they need or desire. But two people in the crowd have an
urgent message for JC but only one will get thru. A servant sent
by his master or mistress tries to get to JC as he leaves his house but
cannot get thru the mob that surrounds him. He goes into JC's house and
begs Calpurnia to secure him until JC returns because he has something
of great importance to tell him. A teacher of Greek logic named
Artemidorus knows *Brutus* and his friends, he also knows their secret.
He is in the crowd that day with a written message warning JC of the
conspiracy. He notices that JC is handing all the petitions he
receives to a servant to read later. Artemidorus pushes thru the crowd
and hands JC his message. "Read this Caesar, alone, and quickly, for it
contains a matter great importance which concerns *you*". JC tries
to read it several times but he keeps getting distracted by people
wishing to speak to him along the way. It will still be in his
hand and unread when he enters the Senate. It's also said that
Artemidorus couldn't get thru the crowd and give it to someone
(stronger?) who could.
[This route travelling thru and exiting the Forum is based upon:
It's the original Via Sacra, the branch you see to the top of the Regia
(Photo1&2&4) would be the most direct route to that NW corner of the
Forum but it wasn't built until ~36BC.
The Clivus Argentarius (Photo9&3) exits the Forum and provides the
only *direct* access between the Forum and the Campus Martius where the
Curia Pompey (Photo10) is located. It's also the most logical and
easiest route. The Timeline is just guess, it's recorded that he
arrived at the Senate Meeting ~11AM or that he left his home ~11AM.
Either way timekeeping in 44BC wasn't that accurate:), it was just to
the hour (the 4th, 5th etc hour). But what transpired that day probably
happened say between 1030-1200.]
JC's litter and his entourage start up the Via Sacra passing
between the Regia and the Temple of Vesta (Photo1). He then passes an
open area that's at the end of the Forum on his right. In 3 days it will
be the location of his funeral pyre and in 15yrs his Temple. Also
you will walk over a marble paved "speed bump:)" on this section of the
Via Sacra (dead center in Photo1). It's the scanty remains of the "Arch
of Augustus" (Actium Arch). Built ~the same time as the Temple of JC,
this arch celebrated the naval victory of Augustus over Marc Antony and
Cleopatra in 31BC at Actium. From his litter as he crosses the
Forum he can see the Basilica Julia (on his left, he's having it
rebuilt) and the Curia Julia that he is having built. Also the Rostra
that he had built in this new location at the end of the Forum. A gold
statue of JC stands upon the Rostra. JC's litter leaves the Forum
by the northwest corner on the street called "Clivus Argentarius"
(Photo9).
JC is ~55yrs old, he has less than 30 minutes remaining in his
life. And in ~3-4hrs he will be returning home along this same street.
He will be in a litter carried by 3 slaves sent by Calpurnia to retrieve
his body and bring it home, his bloodied arm will hang from the litter
as it crosses the Forum.
At this point you should be standing in front of the Curia Julia
(Photo4). I'm writing this as walk so rather than leave the Forum to go
to the assassination site ~.9km away, only to return to the Forum again.
We will skip ahead ~1hr and I will put the assassination at the end.]
It's before noon and a large mob of people are marching back along
this street to the Forum. Leading this procession are 23 Senators,
their robes and hands are bloodied. They are still clutching their
daggers. Marcus Junius *Brutus* and Gaius *Cassius* Longinus (*x* these
are the names I will use for them) the main conspirators lead the
Senators, ~60 total were in on the plot. Along the way they were
very confident and called to the people "Resume your liberty, Julius
Caesar is dead". Some people for the glory, honor or fame decide to
"hop-on this bandwagon" as it passed, even though they weren't in on the
plot. It's a fatal mistake for many of them, Caius Octavius and Lentulus
Spinther are two of them that history sadly records. The
conspirators proudly march into the Forum, proclaiming the great deed
they have done for Rome.
They march up the Clivus Capitolinus and into the Temple of
Jupiter (easy to defend, like a hilltop fortress) where they spend that
afternoon and night. (There are some Temple remains in the Palazzeo dei
Conservatori which is built over this site, they can be seen thru the
skylights on the floor of the museum's outdoor cafeteria's patio on the
2nd floor. Also the SE temple's corner is visible {just large foundation
stones} on the Via del Tempio di Grove, it's below street level
surrounded by a metal fence *right alongside* this same building).
[Walk thru the Arch of Septimius Severus (203AD-Photo5) and turn
left and stand behind the Rostra, face the Capitoline Hill. On your
left is the Temple of Saturn, in front of this Temple and going past it
on the right and uphill to the Capitoline Hill is the ancient street
called the Clivus Capitolinus].
That afternoon Brutus came down to talk to the people in the
Forum. He either gave a speech or he didn't due to an angry audience. If
it was the latter, it was probably because the conspirator and Praetor
named Cornelius *Cinna* might have gotten the crowd angry and stirred-up
with an anti-JC speech.
The people respect Brutus *very* much. But they also like JC and
are angry and scared about what has occured. All-in-all the Roman people
are in the middle on this one. The deed is done, it's over with and
hopefully lets just get along with our lives with no in-fighting, civil
war or revenge...Just Peace!
Lepidus (Master of the Horse-Cavalry) starts to occupy the center
of the city that night to keep the peace, he probably expects to assume
power.
The following morning (16th) the Senate convenes. Both sides are
heard, Lepidus wants justice and revenge against the assassins, Cicero
and others want amnesty, Antony wants a compromise. A deal is
struck. The conspirators will get amnesty and positions. JC will be
deified (made into a God) and they will approve and revoke none of JC's
acts and laws, including allowing his troops to keep their goods &
money. This makes Lepidus lose his "ace-in-the-hole" over the troops
under him (?), they thought and were probably told? they wouldn't
receive it now that JC was dead (Civil war to regain their own
money-Yes, but just to put Lepidus in power-No way:). Marc Antony
convinces him he must accept this and be quite about it, it's a done
deal.
That night (16th) over dinner the two opposing factions meet,
there is still much negotiating (backroom deals:) to be done before all
this can be peacefully settled. Antony and Lepidus(?) send their sons up
to the Temple of Jupiter as hostages so that Brutus and Cassius can come
down to the dinner negotiations without fear of retaliation against
them.
Brutus dines with his relative Lepidus and Cassius with Antony.
While eating Antony asks Cassius if he has a dagger on him, he answers
"Yes and a large one, if you too desire to become a tyrant yourself".
The next day (17th) the Senate meets again to finalize the new and
old deals that have been struck to maintain the peace. They are very
thankful to Marc Antony for the compromise that avoided a civil war.
Besides amnesty the conspirators will also receive positions
(Brutus-Crete, Cassius-Africa, Decimus Brutus-Cisalpine Gaul). For
Antony, all JC's acts and laws will remain, he will be defied, his Will
will be honored and read to the people (Antony has already read it, so
he knows what it contains. I've oftened wondered if he had a plot of his
own for justice and revenge, figuring the will reading would turn the
tides against the conspirators?) and JC will have a public funeral.
Everything seems to have gone very well for the conspirators but
Brutus has made 2 fatal mistakes. Cassius and others want to kill Antony
(and others?) along with JC on the 15th but Brutus wouldn't agree to
join the conspiracy (Brutus was the Kingpin they needed) if anyone else
was killed besides JC. Cassius opposed the public funeral and Will
reading, but Brutus agreed to it. Tomorrow Brutus will see that
Cassius was correct on both points! The funeral is held in the Forum on
the 18th (some say the 20th). His body is then to be brought to the
Campus Martius where a funeral pyre has been built near his family tomb.
[Photo7 You are still behind the Rostra. All that remains of the
original JC Rostra is the substructure (Augustus enlarged the Rostra)
and those white marble slightly curved steps on the left. Also if you
look from the side of the Rostra you can see the Front (with small
sections of marble facing still attached) of the original JC Rostra,
roughly in the middle of the enlarged Rostra.] Friends, foes,
conspirators?, allies and the common people all crowd into the Forum
that day.
JC's coffin is a model of the Temple of Venus Genetrix (Universal
Mother- who JC's family claimed decent) which is located in the Forum of
Caesar.
Up those stairs the bier (coffin) and Marc Antony accend. I assume
that like at any state funeral there were alot of speeches:). But only
one will have impact that changes the course of history. Julius Caesar's
Will is read to the crowd.
He has actually named several of the conspirators as guardians to
any son that he might father and Decimus Brutus (his friend who
convinced him to go to the Senate meeting) as a heir in the 2nd degree.
The crowd has just heard that men who JC had enough faith and confidence
in to be named in his will, have also betrayed and murdered him! He
has also left 300 Sesterces (~$168USD in 1998, consider that many of
them are "On the Dole"-Welfare) to each Roman Citizen! Plus he leaves
his gardens near the Tiber to all Roman Citizens to use as a public
park! The crowd is now on the verge of becoming an angry mob, all that
is needed is just one spark to ignite them. Antony steps-up to the
edge of the Rostra and addresses the crowd. He has written a eulogy for
his friend, Julius Caesar. [Cassius Dio said it ended with these words
(?)] "Of what avail, O Caesar, was your humanity, of what avail
your inviolability, of what avail the laws? Nay, though you
enacted many laws that men might not be killed by their personal foes,
yet now mercilessly you yourself were slain by your Friends! And
now, the victim of assassination, you lie dead in the Forum through
which you often led the Triumph crowned; wounded to death, you have been
cast down upon the Rostra from which you often addressed the People.
Woe for the blood-bespattered locks of gray, alas the rent (cut)
robe, which you assumed (in purple-the royal color?), it seems, only
that you might be slain in it!" Antony then grabs and holds up
Caesar's bloodsoaked robe to the crowd so they see the all the cuts made
by the assassins knives. THE SPARK!!!
[Now walk back the way you came, thru the Arch, past the Curia and
over to the Temple of Julius Caesar Photo4&1). See the little entrance
under the tin roof, walk into it. Protected by that roof are the remains
of the concrete core of the Altar (usually a few flowers have been
placed upon it), this marks the spot where JC was cremated and the
Temple was built from this point back.
Go back outside and face the Rostra. That section on your 90deg
right and back to the Curia alongside that section of the Via Sacra you
just walked along to the Basilica Aemilia (Emilia) located behind it,
are the remains of the Porticus of Gaius & Lucius and the Tabernae Novae
(a 2 story shopping mall:). It was built ~40yrs after JC's death. But in
44BC that section contained a market place with different shops and they
are about to have a very bad business day:). I have found nothing about
whether or not any of the conspirators were at the Will reading &
funeral that day. But if so, I'm certain that they decided to "get outta
Dodge" rather quickly at this point:). Roman rulers were always cremated
and/or buried outside of the city walls. Rumors while JC was alive was
that he wanted to be buried within the city walls like the Kings from
the early Roman times. This would have really upset the
Romans...King=Dictator but it would also be a great honor if they (the
Mob) choose to do it themselves.]
The crowd is now an angry Mob, some are calling for revenge and
death to the conspirators!
The Mob shouts that they should cremate the body either in the
Temple of Jupiter on the Capitoline Hill or the Curia Pompey where JC
was murdered.
Finally they decide to do it at the other end of the Forum in
front of the Regia (this would be an very honorable spot). The
shops are looted of tables, chairs and benches and they are piled high.
The Mob takes possession of JC's body and places it atop the pile and
sets it afire. Some in the Mob throw in parts of their clothing,
jewelery or other personal possessions (JC's bones will be picked out of
the ashes the next day and buried in his family tomb). A friend of
JC's named Helvius *Cinna* had a dream the night before that JC had
invited him to supper (or to go into a dark place) but when he refused
JC took him by the hand and forced him to go along with him. Helvius was
ill (fever) that day and didn't go to the funeral. But when he heard
that JC was being cremated in the Forum he decided to go and honor his
friend. Someone in the Mob asked who he was (a rich/nobleman that
probably looked out of place in the Mob?), someone said *Cinna* and
someone said something to someone etc. The Mob now believes that
the Praetor Cornelius *Cinna* (the conspirator who read the anti-JC
speech in the Forum on the 15th) is within their grasp. And poor Helvus
is literally torn limb from limb. The Mob now has had it's 1st
taste of blood! They grab firebrands from the pyre and march to Brutus
and Cassius's houses to torch their homes and kill them, but they are
repelled by their slaves and freemen. Others will not be so lucky.
Brutus and the conspirators with other allies and friends wisely
choose to leave Rome. The civil war they all wished to avoid is
about to begin. Within 3 years basically all of the 60 conspirators will
be dead, along with many friends and allies. Brutus commits
(assisted?) suicide with his own sword after being defeated in battle by
Antony. Antony gives Brutus an honorable cremation and sends his ashes
to his mother.
Cassius uses the same dagger he stabbed JC with to kill himself,
as some of the other conspirators also did. Cicero is killed (he
honorably accepted his fate and offered his neck to the sword) by
Antony's troops while attempting to flee Italy. He wasn't an actual
conspirator, they thought him an old man and a blabbermouth:) but he was
a confident/friend of Brutus who sided with him. His head and hands are
returned to Rome (per Antony's orders-they really hated one another) and
displayed on the Rostra. The man who betrayed him is turned-over to a
Roman noblewoman who after torturing him forces him to cut off his own
flesh, roast it and then eat it.
JC's great-nephew and adopted son Octavian (later called Augustus)
becomes Ruler per JC's will and with Antony and Lepidus as co-rulers
while fighting this civil war. But they do have a falling-out in the
future and become enemies of Octavian/Augustus. And the civil war will
actually end with Marc Antony and Cleopatra's naval defeat at Actium in
Sept 31BC. Antony and Cleopatra commit suicide in Aug 30BC.
Lepidus loses his wealth and power but retains his life (in
exile), he was made Pontifex Maximus after JC's death and this saved
him. A few months before JC death, settlers in Capua were
demolishing some ancient tombs to make room for country estates. One of
the tombs was that of the Capys the founders of Capua. They found a
bronze tablet written in Greek saying "Whenever the bones of Capys shall
be moved, it will come to pass that a son on llium shall be slain at the
hands of his kindred, and presently avenged at heavy cost to Italia".
Cornelius Balbus a friend of JC vouched for this event. The following
late-July which is the month JC named after his family name
(Julia/Julio). A comet is seen for 7 nights around sunset, it is
believed to be the defied soul of Julius Caesar traveling to or thru
heaven.
CURIA POMPEY-THE ASSASSINATION Ok now we will backtrack to where
JC is leaving the Forum and going to the Curia Pompey (just Curia from
now on).
On your map it will be called the "Largo di Torre Argentina" it's
~300m due south of the Pantheon. In your guidebooks it will be called
the "Area Sacra" or the "Four Republican Victory-Temples". Face the
Rostra, the Curia remains are ~1km away on the otherside of the
Capitoline Hill. You can exit 3 ways, to the left & behind the Rostra
going up the Clivus Capitolinus and across the top of the Capitoline
Hill (Photo5).
***Or the stairs to the right of the Rostra and behind the Arch of
Septimius Severus (Photo3,5). Exit right at the 1st street-level landing
and go counterclockwise around the Hill (JC's route). But be certain to
follow the actual road (Clivus Argentarius) he took with the original
paving stones (like the Via Sacra in the Forum). This road is to the
right (and lower) of the modern one there and passes *directly* behind
the Forum of Julius Caesar (Photo9).
Or exit (Photo4) by the main gate, behind you (45deg right) and up
the ramp to the gate and the Via dei Fori Imperial (go left). The main
gate has a so-so Forum audioguide, a giftshop/bookstore/w.c. ("The Roman
Forum" by the Soprintendenza Archeologica Di Roma is the best guidebook
IMO). Also another w.c. (bathroom) is hidden behind the (southside)
Basilica Julia. Also before you leave go into the Curia Julia to get an
idea of the layout of the Curia Pompey. The Curia Pompey was alittle
smaller, the 2 backboors would have been large windows, the Senator's
seats would also be on the right & left on those steps and the Statue of
Pompey would have been centered and against the back wall on the
slightly raised podium in the rear.
After you exit the Forum get yourself in front of the Vittorio
Emanuelle II Monument facing the large traffic square in front of it
which is the Piazza Venezia. The main street at the opposite end coming
into it is the Via Del Corso (in ancient times called Via Lata "Broad
Way") which goes to the Piazza d. Popolo and then continues on as the
Via Flamina (ancient times called Flaminia), this is the path of the
ancient road that left Rome. JC's litter would have taken the 1st
exit:) which is today's Via S. Marco. Ancient maps show this street
passing between the "Theatre and Porticus (Crypta) of Balbus" (actually
built after JC's death, admittance to the remains are beneath the museum
on the leftside of the street) and the 2 columns of a disputed temple
(Nymphs, Guardians of Seafarers, ?) on the rightside of the street.
So cross the street (have fun:) to that little grass & tree park
(Piazza d. S. Marco) on the leftside of the Piazza Venezia. and go left
(west) down the Via S. Marco. [That green wooden kiosk in the middle of
the sidewalk 30m down sells tickets for the Archeobus Tours, pick-up a
pamphlet (Catacombs & other sites outside the Walls of Rome).] In
~500M you will come upon the "Area Sacra" in the Largo di Torre
Argentina on the right (Photo11). The 4 Temples are in an excavated
block below street level. The 4th temple (D) is excavated partially
beneath the street you're on, so JC's litter would have passed-by the
leftside of this temple and somehow entered the Porticus of Pompey in
the southeastern corner (possibly between Temples C & D?, just a guess:)
but I saw a walled-in arch and some marble paving stones remains that
looked sort of out-of-place, like a wide pathway that could enter that
bldg attached to the outside-rear of the Porticus) or thru the side
(Photo10,10a). And then turned right to go to the front steps of the
Curia, which was centered in the backend (E) of the Porticus with the
Theatre of Pompey (W) at the other end. This entire complex was ~325M X
150M. Cross the street (Via di Torre Argentina) and turn right
(you are behind the temples), in the Temple area now across the street
you'll see 6 columns rising above streetlevel (Photo12 You'll be on the
sidewalk in front of that bldg in the background), stop just before you
get parallel with them and face them. A black iron and plexiglass
fence surrounds these temples. Now look to the right and you will see
stairs leading down into the site (no admittance) and to the left of
this a brickwall (part of this fence) and then a short section of this
fence connected to a white stone fence post and around the of the next
(2nd) section you will see a *tree*. Align yourself with that, it will
put you in the center of the front of the Curia (Photo14- the *tree* is
on the extreme right). 5M past that sidewalk fence across the street
would be the backwall of the Curia and ~23M from that rail coming
towards you would be the front entrance to the Curia. The front steps
would be located beneath that bldg behind you and in front of them JC's
litter was put down upon the ground (I paced-out this area, the Curia
building itself probably ended ~5m into that bldg, add to that probably
a columned porch and then the front steps). [It's said that on the
14th a King-Bird flew into the Curia carrying a sprig of laurel (I
believe JC would have been crowned King with a gold laurel wreath
crown?) pursued by other birds, it was then attacked and torn to pieces
(Photo10,10a).] The Senator-Conspirators have been waiting around
since early morning, their daggers lay hidden beneath their
robes. Also hidden somewhere nearby are a group of Gladiators owned by
Decimus Brutus. The Gladiators will be called upon if things start to go
wrong. A Senator named Popilius Laenas whispers to Brutus and
Cassius " My wishes are with you, that you may accomplish what you
design and I advise you to make no delay, for the thing is now no
secret". They are now probably past the point of no return, it is
either kill JC or themselves. They await JC near the entrance and on the
steps of the Curia.
JC's litter arrives and he steps out. Popilius Laenas walks over
and starts talking to JC, the conspirators can't hear what is being said
but think the worst. Popilius kisses JC's hand and walks away, he was
just talking business with JC. I wonder if he was trying to be on the
winning side? Wishing the conspirators luck if they won and acting if
everything was normal with JC if he won? JC starts up the steps
and sees the Soothsayer (fortune-teller) Spurinna who had told him
earlier (within 15 days) "Beware of a danger that will come no latter
than the Ides of March" (Beware the Ides of March). JC mockingly
says to him in passing "The Ides of March have come". Spurinna calmly
replies "Yes, but not yet passed". JC enters the Curia alone, his
friend and ally Marc Antony is kept outside engaged in a contrived
conversation with either Decimus Brutus or Gaius Trebonius. [I'd guess
Decimus, from the doorway he'd be able to easily call to his Gladiators
if things went wrong inside. It would be the best place for him.]
Marcus Lepidus was also said to have arrived with JC & Antony,
assume he was also taken aside in a phony conversation. [A bit of irony:
While JC was walking across the Curia floor, he would see the back of
Temple "B" thru the window (if not curtained) to the left of the podium.
The name of that temple is "Fortuna Huiusce Diei" (Good Fortune On This
Day). Walk across the street to that place I mentioned before,
that tree the closest one to you is actually in the middle of the rear
remains of the Curia (Photo15). Look over to Temple C on your right,
alongside that ditch. The Curia's right wall (iron fence) comes out from
under the sidewalk and butts right up to the rear wall of that temple.
The Curia's rear wall ran over to your left behind Temple B, but that
last 30% of rear wall is completely missing along with the leftside wall
(Photo13). But if you move over to the left so that you are directly
behind that 1st (left) column of Temple B and look over the railing
directly straight down (photo15- stand right there). You will see a
small section of stone blocks coming out from the sidewalk, this is all
that remains of the leftside wall (*just* to the left (1.5M) of that
broken column on the ground ).
For a diagram of this walk over to the stairs to the right of you.
#1 marks the "Remains of the central exedra of Pompey's Porticus. Used
as the Senate House, it was here that JC was assassinated on March 15,
44BC". #1 is exactly where that tree is located! Ok back to the
tree:), what actually remains below you is the concrete core and rooms?
that were below the Curia floor (Photo14,15,16). Look at the ground
level around Temple B and remember the Curia was entered by walking up
the front steps (Photo10a). So somewhere (in space & time:)
hovering this rubble was the floor, podium and the large Statue of
Pompey.
So look at the back wall and imagine say 0.5m for the wall
thickness, the large Statue of Pompey on a 1m sq. base against the back
wall. (Think of the Curia Julia) In front of the Statue on the slightly
raised podium was JC's chair. I used a diagram by Christian Meier
(Author & Professor of Ancient History), he shows the 2 large windows on
each side of the podium. I also noticed extra support (stone blocks)
along the back wall where these windows would be (Photo14,15). So
it's safe to assume that below you (the *tree* in Photo15) and above the
ruins ~3m from the back wall was where JC died. His chair was probably
somewhere directly below you (looking straight down) along with the area
he was surrounded and stabbed.
Pompey was a great general and once a political ally who had
married JC's daughter Julia in an arraigned marriage to bond their
alliance. He really loved her but she died young. JC defeated Pompey in
a civil war and he was murdered escaping to Egypt but not on JC's
orders. Not really friends but JC respected him. So dying at the foot of
the Pompey's Statue was a bit of poetic justice for Pompey.] JC
walks over to his chair (an elaborate camp stool actually) and sits
down. He's surrounded by the conspirators (many of these men are men he
trusts and/or had pardoned after winning the civil war). Some to pay
their phoney respects and others with petitions. Tillius Cimber is in
the forefront with a petition on behalf of his exiled brother. They are
starting to bother and crowd JC, he scolds them for their disrespect
towards him and his office. Cassius against his beliefs, looks to the
Statue of Pompey and silently asks/prays for assistance. Suddenly
Tillius graps JC's robe with both hands and pulls it down from his neck.
This is the prearranged signal to attack. Publius Casca who is behind JC
stabs him slightly in or below the neck. JC grabs Casca's hand/dagger
and with his other hand stabs Casca in the arm with his stylus (pen).
And shouts "Vile Casca, What does this mean?" JC rises still
stuggling with Casca and yells in Greek "Brother Help!" (to Antony I
assume?).
Now they all attack, for they all have promised one other that
they all will inflict 1 wound. A pact in blood that will tie them all
together, for better or worst. In the bloody frenzy that ensues they
have also mistakenly cut one another (Brutus receives a bad cut on his
hand). JC is still fighting for his life until he sees Brutus (JC's
longtime mistress's son, a good and trusted friend and one who he had
pardoned after the civil war plus had given a good position too) with
his dagger drawn.
JC looks to Brutus and says in Greek "You too!, my child", he then
stabs JC in the groin.
JC bleeding from the 23 conspirators stab wounds falls at the base
of the now bloodied Statue of Pompey and covers his head and legs with
his robe (head covering is common in Greece & Italy when dying) and
dies.
It happened so quickly that the Senators in their seats were in
shock and then a panic ensued as they all tried to exit at once. Brutus
attempts to give a speech on the reason for their act but no one is
waiting around to listen.
Antony and Lepidus flee the area and go into hiding, not knowing
Brutus has forbidden their deaths. His 1st major mistake, he should have
listened to Cassius and the others.
The conspirators leave the Curia and march en mass to the Temple
of Jupiter on the Capitoline Hill.
JC's body lies alone for ~3hrs until slaves sent by his wife
retrieve it.
Cleopatra and her 3yr son Caesarion by JC flee Rome to Alexandria.
She and Antony will become lovers in ~3yrs and commit suicide in 14yrs.
JC and Cleoparta's son will murdered on Augustus's orders, he was
advised that "A multiplicity of Caesars is not a good thing".
Later Augustus has the Statue of Pompey moved into Pompey's
theatre and the Curia walled-up. The Ides of March will also be now
called the "Day of Parricide".
The Senate will never again meet on that fateful day.
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