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The Assassination Of Julius Caesar. A Rome Walking Tour Of The Sites.
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Poetic Justice
Oct 22, 2002, 6:16:40 PM10/22/02
to
I posted this in rec.travel.europe also and had problems in the "google
achives" with it.
It didn't seperate many paragraphs, it just ran them together. Also it
added *alot* of groups of question marks (?? ???? ?) between sentences
and left out the "_" in the URLs I posted, which made them a "dead
link".
*****I will also add the URLs as a reply to this post, so if the links
are dead in the original post just click-on "View: Complete Thread (#
Articles)" for them.*****
Any problems, just e-mail me and I'll send you the trip report:).
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 this was written in parts over
time, 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) 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) leaves for (?) Parthia. 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 (to Rome?).
It is not the first omen or warning JC has recieved and it will
not be his last! [I wonder if JC was their alone or 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 (50m) 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 the House
of the Vestals.
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 lived in this house with his 4th
wife Calpurnia (Cleopatra and his son Caesarion are living in his estate
in Trastevere). Now look to your extreme right, you see how the
Via Sacra branches at the Regia. That right branch wasn't there in JC's
time.
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 answered "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) 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.
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. 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
recieves 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
Clivus Argentarius (Photo9). JC is ~55yrs old, he has less than 30
minutes remaining in his life. And ~3-4hrs later 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 ~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 to
"Resume your liberty, Julius Caesar is dead". Some people for the
glory, honor and 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 where they spend that afternoon and night. (There are some
Temple remains in the Palazzeo dei Conservatori which is built over this
site. 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] On 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 and probably in general like
JC but they also pity on what has befallen him. All-in-all the
Roman people are in the middle on this one, the deed is done, it's over
with, 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?)
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 Rostra from JC's time is the substructure (Augustus enlarged
the Rostra) and those white marble slightly curved steps on the left]
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 coffin (bier) 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 (purple, worn only by rulers), which you assumed, 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 (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
market place is 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. Others will not be so lucky. Brutus and the conspirators
with other allies/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 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 fight the 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. A comet is
seen for 7 nights around sunset, it's believed to be the defied soul of
Julius Caesar in 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) and go counterclockwise around the Hill (JC's route).
But be certain to check-out the actual road (Clivus Argentarius) he took
with the original paving stones (like the Via Sacra in the Forum). This
road will appear on the right and merge with the road you're on, it's
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"
(admittance beneath the museum on the leftside of the street) and the 2
columns of a disputed temple 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 or side (Photo10,10a). And 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 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 probably beneath that bldg behind you and in front of
them JC's litter was put down upon the ground. [It's said that on the
14th a King-Bird flew into the Curia carrying a sprig of laurel (JC
wears 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 position 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 1m 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 recieves 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 23 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 3yo 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
day.
............PHOTO-LINKS....................... The views (1,2,4,5)
are taken from the Palatine Hill and 7 from the Capitoline Hill. Just an
historic tidbit: the views from the Palatine would be what Caligula saw
from his Domus Gai, an extension he built from his Palace ~40AD.
1.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/for_rom_central/ac822333.html
At the top of the photo right-to-left you can see an arch in a brick
wall and [¯¯] shaped areas. This is the Porticus of Gaius & Lucius
and behind it is the Basilica Emilia (aka Aemilia, Paulli). The Porticus
was built ~42yrs after Julius Caesar's (JC) assassination but in 44BC
that area had many shops facing the original Forum across the street. It
was from these shops that tables, chairs, benches etc were looted by the
frenzied mob to build JC's funeral pyre.
The large brick ruin in the center of the photo is the "Temple of
(Divine) Julius Caesar" (Divus Julius). The rectangular area on the left
side is the front of the Temple facing the Forum, in the middle of this
is a half-circle recess covered by a modern tin roof. In this recess are
the remains of the altar's concrete core which marks the spot where JC
was cremated. The small standing white columns also roughly in the
center of the photo is the "Temple of Vesta" where the Vestal Virgins
kept an eternal sacred fire burning.
Directly behind the Temple of Julius Caesar to the right of the
Temple of Vesta is the Regia.
The road to the right of the Temple of Vesta is the original Via Sacra.
Halfway between the Temple of Vesta and the right edge of the photo you
can make-out a rectangular area then a smaller square hole to the right
alongside the Via Sacra.
The rectangular area is the "Shrine of Mars" in the Regia where my
trip-report starts.
2.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/for_rom_central/ac660408.html
In this photo the Regia is covered-over and you can see the Via Sacra
(partially hidden) from the Regia heading to the rightside of the photo.
Directly below the photo out of view is the garden courtyard of the
"House of the Vestal Virgins".
Between the bottom of the photo and the Via Sacra you'll see a
small roofed building in the center with a small grove of trees on the
left and an open space with some ruins on the right to the right/end of
the photo.
This is where the "Domus Publica" was located, it was the official
residence of the Pontifex Maximus (Pope). It was JC's residence from
62BC when his pontificate (term) began until the day he was
assassinated.
The photo is old but today between that small roofed building and
the bottom of the photo is a modern tin roof to protect recent
excavations. The Domus Publica has been built over by latter buildings.
But under that tin roof they have discovered rooms from JC's resident
time-period including a apsidal room with mosaic paving, ID'ed as a
bathing area (JC's private bath?). Also now they are doing
excavations all along the area to the right of this building.
3.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/for_rom_west/ac990904.html
This is the view from Regia-Shrine of Mars. The Temple of JC and behind
that is a tall complete brick building. That is the Curia Julia (Senate
House) that JC was having built at the time of his death. It was
completed by Augustus ~15yrs later. It was to replace the Curia Hostilia
which was demolished to build this new Curia. It's remains are probably
located under the Church you see to the left behind the Curia. The rear
doors of JC's Curia opened into the Forum of Caesar where the Senate
sometimes met.
But on 15 March 44BC the Senate was to meet at the Curia Pompey,
located outside the Forum ~.9km NW of the Curia Julia. JC's litter
bearers left his house (Domus Publica) and exited the Forum on the
street "Clivus Argentarius" (The Banker's Rise) Photo9. It was located
between where that building (Church: St. Giuseppe dei Falegnami, Carcer
Mamertine Prison) is just to the right of the scaffolding on the Arch of
Septimius Severus and the Forum of Julius Caesar located behind the
Curia. 4.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/for_rom_west/ac660411.html
From the Palatine. The Regia is covered-over, the bottom left square
section covers "The Shrine of Mars".
5.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/tabularium/ac660412.html At
the bottom section of the photo from the center over to the Arch of
Septimius Severus, there appears to be a wall behind that lone standing
column. This is the Rostra (podium-orator's platform) where JC's body
was brought and Marc Anthony give his famous speech.
6.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/tabularium/ac881321.html A
close-up of the Rostra, the holes in the bricks are where the captured
enemy rostra where mounted (sharp bronze prows mounted on the front of a
ship for ramming/sinking). The original location of the Rostra was in
front of the Curia, JC had this one built at the end of the Forum. After
his death Augustus expanded it outwards towards the Forum. The only real
remnants of JC's Rostra would be in the back. Basically the concrete
core and some of the substructure. But a section of steps up onto the
Rostra do remain, these would have been climbed by JC, Marc Anthony and
also those who carried JC's coffin (bier) up onto the podium.
7.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/arch_septimius/ac740810.html
To the right of the Arch you can see the rear of the Rostra. The
remaining "steps" mentioned above appear black in this photo (they must
have been covered over then?) but they are white. They are at the bottom
of the photo to the right of that circular object, which is the
Mundus/Umbilicus Urbis. The center of the city and where the living
world was in contract with the underworld thru a deep cleft in the
earth.
8.
www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/6946/virtual/regiainfo.html This is a
blueprint of the Regia, the Via Sacra is at the bottom left-to-right.
The bottom left rectangle with the black circle (2.53M/diameter either a
circular chamber in which hung the "Sacred Spears" or a hearth?) is the
"Shrine of Mars". The "black circle" appears today as a circular grassy
raised mound but beneath it is a grey tufa stone circle in the floor.
9.
www.ku.edu/history/index/europe/ancient_rome/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma/Rome/.Texts/PLATOP*/Clivus_Argentarius.html
This street mentioned in Photo3 is the Clivus Argentarius, this was the
road you'd take to go to the Campus Martius (Field of Mars) where the
Curia Pompey was located. .................CURIA-POMPEY.............
10. www.vroma.org/images/raia_images/3theaters.jpg That half-circle bldg
at the bottom of the photo is the Theatre of Pompey. The rectangular
Porticus of Pompey is behind the theatre, and in the center of the back
section of the porticus is the Curia Pompey (small square bldg). And
behind the rear porticus are the 4 Temples (A, B, C, D), directly behind
the Curia is the circular Temple B and the rectangular Temple C.
At the top of the photo right-of-center is a temple (Juno?) atop
the Capitoline Hill where today stands the Vittorio Emanuele II
Monument. To the left of that off the photo is the Forum. 10a.
www.vroma.org/images/raia_images/pompeyrecon.GIF
11.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/largo_argent/ac740511.html
This will be your 1st view of the Temples. "D" is below you (not in
photo), "C" is in the bottom of photo, "B" is center (white steps), "A"
is the far temple (Brown steps). Also
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/largo_argent/ac990808.html
12.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/largo_argent/ac990807.html
Circular Temple "B', distant tree-2nd one from the leftside of photo
marks the center/rear of the Curia.
12a. www.vroma.org/images/raia_images/largoargent3.jpg
13.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/largo_argent/ac991829.html
The missing section of the Curia is to the left of that tree on the
right-end of photo.
14. www.vroma.org/images/raia_images/largoargent8.jpg Taken in front of
Temple B (on the right), the plastic shelter is attached to Temple C,
and that footbridge crosses the ditch between these temples. Behind the
plastic the right/rear wall of the Curia comes out from the sidewalk and
butts against the rear of Temple C and the Curia's rear wall (stone
blocks) are visible to the right of the plastic and extending (right) to
behind Temple B.
To the left of that middle tree is the 1st rear structure (window?)
support (stone blocks). From there to behind "C" is the 1st third of the
Curia. The tree on the right is *The Tree* again:) in the middle of the
2nd third.
15. www.vroma.org/images/raia_images/largoargent11.jpg Standing behind
Temple B (directly behind the 1st column-on left). Directly beneath the
feet of where this photo was taken is where the missing left-rear wall.
If you look straight down (not in the photo) you will see *a* stone
block which is all that remains of that left side of the Curia. The wall
would have come out from the sidewalk and turned right and been attached
to the 2nd stone structure (window?) support in the center of the photo.
You can see the 1st structure support at the end of the plastic. And
that small rectangular stone block above it in the photo is the
right-rear corner of the Curia. There it turns right and heads back to
the sidewalk along that iron fence. And on the right is *The Tree*
again, dead center in the middle rear third of the Curia.
16. www.vroma.org/images/raia_images/largoargent10.jpg View from behind
Temple C of the Curia, the iron fence is along the Curia's right-rear
wall. In the distance are the remains (visible from the sidewalk) of
marble bathrooms behind Temple A, these bathrooms were attached to the
rear wall of the Porticus of Pompey, to the left of the Curia in Photo
10a. (Photo 17 actually just info:)
REGIA: (House of the King) The site of the 2nd King of Rome's
(Numa Pompilius 715-673BC) Royal Palace. Excavations under this site
show it was built upon a noble Estruscan-style residence from that time
and below that are early Iron-Age huts (9C BC), like those on the
Palatine. A cup excavated from the site was dated to ~625BC and had the
word REX (King) on it. It's been rebuilt many times but the general plan
we see today is *Early* Republican (after 509BC). Rebuilt after fires in
210BC, 148BC and 36BC when they used solid marble floors & walls and
other solid rock blocks. It later withstood the fires of 64AD & 191AD.
The Regia was a very sacred place where the Pontifex Maximus
(Pope) had his official headquarters. It's where he and his Pontiffs
(priests) held official meetings and stored their records. Julius Caesar
was the Pontifex Maximus from 63BC until his death in 44BC.
The largest room is believed to be the "Temple of Mars"
(Sacrarium Martis). This temple housed the Hastae (sacred spears/lancers
consecrated to Mars) and the Ancilia (shields in a figure-8 like shape).
The God Jupiter (father of Mars who in turn was the father of
Romulus and Remus) sent down from heaven a ancilia/shield as a gift to
Numa Pompilius. Numa was so afraid that the Ancilia would be stolen, he
had 11 perfect copies made. This way no one would know which one was the
actual divine Ancilia.
It's *assumed* that the shields hung on the walls in the Temple
and the spears were either hung or somehow fastened to the circular
altar or hearth? within the Temple.
Before going to war the General leading the army went into the temple
and rattled, shook or moved the spears, while saying "Mars Vigila" (mars
awaken). The God Mars would then lead the army to victory. If the
spears ever vibrated/shook/rattled/moved on their own it was a bad omen
of something terrible about to happen to Rome. It's believed that
the spears were so *delicately balanced* that a very minor
earthquake/shake could vibrate them, like a primitive seismograph.
*OR* perhaps even a very loud clap of thunder could get them to
vibrate???
achives" with it.
It didn't seperate many paragraphs, it just ran them together. Also it
added *alot* of groups of question marks (?? ???? ?) between sentences
and left out the "_" in the URLs I posted, which made them a "dead
link".
*****I will also add the URLs as a reply to this post, so if the links
are dead in the original post just click-on "View: Complete Thread (#
Articles)" for them.*****
Any problems, just e-mail me and I'll send you the trip report:).
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 this was written in parts over
time, 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) 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) leaves for (?) Parthia. 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 (to Rome?).
It is not the first omen or warning JC has recieved and it will
not be his last! [I wonder if JC was their alone or 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 (50m) 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 the House
of the Vestals.
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 lived in this house with his 4th
wife Calpurnia (Cleopatra and his son Caesarion are living in his estate
in Trastevere). Now look to your extreme right, you see how the
Via Sacra branches at the Regia. That right branch wasn't there in JC's
time.
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 answered "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) 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.
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. 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
recieves 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
Clivus Argentarius (Photo9). JC is ~55yrs old, he has less than 30
minutes remaining in his life. And ~3-4hrs later 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 ~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 to
"Resume your liberty, Julius Caesar is dead". Some people for the
glory, honor and 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 where they spend that afternoon and night. (There are some
Temple remains in the Palazzeo dei Conservatori which is built over this
site. 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] On 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 and probably in general like
JC but they also pity on what has befallen him. All-in-all the
Roman people are in the middle on this one, the deed is done, it's over
with, 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?)
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 Rostra from JC's time is the substructure (Augustus enlarged
the Rostra) and those white marble slightly curved steps on the left]
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 coffin (bier) 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 (purple, worn only by rulers), which you assumed, 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 (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
market place is 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. Others will not be so lucky. Brutus and the conspirators
with other allies/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 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 fight the 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. A comet is
seen for 7 nights around sunset, it's believed to be the defied soul of
Julius Caesar in 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) and go counterclockwise around the Hill (JC's route).
But be certain to check-out the actual road (Clivus Argentarius) he took
with the original paving stones (like the Via Sacra in the Forum). This
road will appear on the right and merge with the road you're on, it's
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"
(admittance beneath the museum on the leftside of the street) and the 2
columns of a disputed temple 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 or side (Photo10,10a). And 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 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 probably beneath that bldg behind you and in front of
them JC's litter was put down upon the ground. [It's said that on the
14th a King-Bird flew into the Curia carrying a sprig of laurel (JC
wears 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 position 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 1m 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 recieves 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 23 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 3yo 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
day.
............PHOTO-LINKS....................... The views (1,2,4,5)
are taken from the Palatine Hill and 7 from the Capitoline Hill. Just an
historic tidbit: the views from the Palatine would be what Caligula saw
from his Domus Gai, an extension he built from his Palace ~40AD.
1.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/for_rom_central/ac822333.html
At the top of the photo right-to-left you can see an arch in a brick
wall and [¯¯] shaped areas. This is the Porticus of Gaius & Lucius
and behind it is the Basilica Emilia (aka Aemilia, Paulli). The Porticus
was built ~42yrs after Julius Caesar's (JC) assassination but in 44BC
that area had many shops facing the original Forum across the street. It
was from these shops that tables, chairs, benches etc were looted by the
frenzied mob to build JC's funeral pyre.
The large brick ruin in the center of the photo is the "Temple of
(Divine) Julius Caesar" (Divus Julius). The rectangular area on the left
side is the front of the Temple facing the Forum, in the middle of this
is a half-circle recess covered by a modern tin roof. In this recess are
the remains of the altar's concrete core which marks the spot where JC
was cremated. The small standing white columns also roughly in the
center of the photo is the "Temple of Vesta" where the Vestal Virgins
kept an eternal sacred fire burning.
Directly behind the Temple of Julius Caesar to the right of the
Temple of Vesta is the Regia.
The road to the right of the Temple of Vesta is the original Via Sacra.
Halfway between the Temple of Vesta and the right edge of the photo you
can make-out a rectangular area then a smaller square hole to the right
alongside the Via Sacra.
The rectangular area is the "Shrine of Mars" in the Regia where my
trip-report starts.
2.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/for_rom_central/ac660408.html
In this photo the Regia is covered-over and you can see the Via Sacra
(partially hidden) from the Regia heading to the rightside of the photo.
Directly below the photo out of view is the garden courtyard of the
"House of the Vestal Virgins".
Between the bottom of the photo and the Via Sacra you'll see a
small roofed building in the center with a small grove of trees on the
left and an open space with some ruins on the right to the right/end of
the photo.
This is where the "Domus Publica" was located, it was the official
residence of the Pontifex Maximus (Pope). It was JC's residence from
62BC when his pontificate (term) began until the day he was
assassinated.
The photo is old but today between that small roofed building and
the bottom of the photo is a modern tin roof to protect recent
excavations. The Domus Publica has been built over by latter buildings.
But under that tin roof they have discovered rooms from JC's resident
time-period including a apsidal room with mosaic paving, ID'ed as a
bathing area (JC's private bath?). Also now they are doing
excavations all along the area to the right of this building.
3.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/for_rom_west/ac990904.html
This is the view from Regia-Shrine of Mars. The Temple of JC and behind
that is a tall complete brick building. That is the Curia Julia (Senate
House) that JC was having built at the time of his death. It was
completed by Augustus ~15yrs later. It was to replace the Curia Hostilia
which was demolished to build this new Curia. It's remains are probably
located under the Church you see to the left behind the Curia. The rear
doors of JC's Curia opened into the Forum of Caesar where the Senate
sometimes met.
But on 15 March 44BC the Senate was to meet at the Curia Pompey,
located outside the Forum ~.9km NW of the Curia Julia. JC's litter
bearers left his house (Domus Publica) and exited the Forum on the
street "Clivus Argentarius" (The Banker's Rise) Photo9. It was located
between where that building (Church: St. Giuseppe dei Falegnami, Carcer
Mamertine Prison) is just to the right of the scaffolding on the Arch of
Septimius Severus and the Forum of Julius Caesar located behind the
Curia. 4.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/for_rom_west/ac660411.html
From the Palatine. The Regia is covered-over, the bottom left square
section covers "The Shrine of Mars".
5.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/tabularium/ac660412.html At
the bottom section of the photo from the center over to the Arch of
Septimius Severus, there appears to be a wall behind that lone standing
column. This is the Rostra (podium-orator's platform) where JC's body
was brought and Marc Anthony give his famous speech.
6.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/tabularium/ac881321.html A
close-up of the Rostra, the holes in the bricks are where the captured
enemy rostra where mounted (sharp bronze prows mounted on the front of a
ship for ramming/sinking). The original location of the Rostra was in
front of the Curia, JC had this one built at the end of the Forum. After
his death Augustus expanded it outwards towards the Forum. The only real
remnants of JC's Rostra would be in the back. Basically the concrete
core and some of the substructure. But a section of steps up onto the
Rostra do remain, these would have been climbed by JC, Marc Anthony and
also those who carried JC's coffin (bier) up onto the podium.
7.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/arch_septimius/ac740810.html
To the right of the Arch you can see the rear of the Rostra. The
remaining "steps" mentioned above appear black in this photo (they must
have been covered over then?) but they are white. They are at the bottom
of the photo to the right of that circular object, which is the
Mundus/Umbilicus Urbis. The center of the city and where the living
world was in contract with the underworld thru a deep cleft in the
earth.
8.
www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/6946/virtual/regiainfo.html This is a
blueprint of the Regia, the Via Sacra is at the bottom left-to-right.
The bottom left rectangle with the black circle (2.53M/diameter either a
circular chamber in which hung the "Sacred Spears" or a hearth?) is the
"Shrine of Mars". The "black circle" appears today as a circular grassy
raised mound but beneath it is a grey tufa stone circle in the floor.
9.
www.ku.edu/history/index/europe/ancient_rome/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma/Rome/.Texts/PLATOP*/Clivus_Argentarius.html
This street mentioned in Photo3 is the Clivus Argentarius, this was the
road you'd take to go to the Campus Martius (Field of Mars) where the
Curia Pompey was located. .................CURIA-POMPEY.............
10. www.vroma.org/images/raia_images/3theaters.jpg That half-circle bldg
at the bottom of the photo is the Theatre of Pompey. The rectangular
Porticus of Pompey is behind the theatre, and in the center of the back
section of the porticus is the Curia Pompey (small square bldg). And
behind the rear porticus are the 4 Temples (A, B, C, D), directly behind
the Curia is the circular Temple B and the rectangular Temple C.
At the top of the photo right-of-center is a temple (Juno?) atop
the Capitoline Hill where today stands the Vittorio Emanuele II
Monument. To the left of that off the photo is the Forum. 10a.
www.vroma.org/images/raia_images/pompeyrecon.GIF
11.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/largo_argent/ac740511.html
This will be your 1st view of the Temples. "D" is below you (not in
photo), "C" is in the bottom of photo, "B" is center (white steps), "A"
is the far temple (Brown steps). Also
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/largo_argent/ac990808.html
12.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/largo_argent/ac990807.html
Circular Temple "B', distant tree-2nd one from the leftside of photo
marks the center/rear of the Curia.
12a. www.vroma.org/images/raia_images/largoargent3.jpg
13.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/largo_argent/ac991829.html
The missing section of the Curia is to the left of that tree on the
right-end of photo.
14. www.vroma.org/images/raia_images/largoargent8.jpg Taken in front of
Temple B (on the right), the plastic shelter is attached to Temple C,
and that footbridge crosses the ditch between these temples. Behind the
plastic the right/rear wall of the Curia comes out from the sidewalk and
butts against the rear of Temple C and the Curia's rear wall (stone
blocks) are visible to the right of the plastic and extending (right) to
behind Temple B.
To the left of that middle tree is the 1st rear structure (window?)
support (stone blocks). From there to behind "C" is the 1st third of the
Curia. The tree on the right is *The Tree* again:) in the middle of the
2nd third.
15. www.vroma.org/images/raia_images/largoargent11.jpg Standing behind
Temple B (directly behind the 1st column-on left). Directly beneath the
feet of where this photo was taken is where the missing left-rear wall.
If you look straight down (not in the photo) you will see *a* stone
block which is all that remains of that left side of the Curia. The wall
would have come out from the sidewalk and turned right and been attached
to the 2nd stone structure (window?) support in the center of the photo.
You can see the 1st structure support at the end of the plastic. And
that small rectangular stone block above it in the photo is the
right-rear corner of the Curia. There it turns right and heads back to
the sidewalk along that iron fence. And on the right is *The Tree*
again, dead center in the middle rear third of the Curia.
16. www.vroma.org/images/raia_images/largoargent10.jpg View from behind
Temple C of the Curia, the iron fence is along the Curia's right-rear
wall. In the distance are the remains (visible from the sidewalk) of
marble bathrooms behind Temple A, these bathrooms were attached to the
rear wall of the Porticus of Pompey, to the left of the Curia in Photo
10a. (Photo 17 actually just info:)
REGIA: (House of the King) The site of the 2nd King of Rome's
(Numa Pompilius 715-673BC) Royal Palace. Excavations under this site
show it was built upon a noble Estruscan-style residence from that time
and below that are early Iron-Age huts (9C BC), like those on the
Palatine. A cup excavated from the site was dated to ~625BC and had the
word REX (King) on it. It's been rebuilt many times but the general plan
we see today is *Early* Republican (after 509BC). Rebuilt after fires in
210BC, 148BC and 36BC when they used solid marble floors & walls and
other solid rock blocks. It later withstood the fires of 64AD & 191AD.
The Regia was a very sacred place where the Pontifex Maximus
(Pope) had his official headquarters. It's where he and his Pontiffs
(priests) held official meetings and stored their records. Julius Caesar
was the Pontifex Maximus from 63BC until his death in 44BC.
The largest room is believed to be the "Temple of Mars"
(Sacrarium Martis). This temple housed the Hastae (sacred spears/lancers
consecrated to Mars) and the Ancilia (shields in a figure-8 like shape).
The God Jupiter (father of Mars who in turn was the father of
Romulus and Remus) sent down from heaven a ancilia/shield as a gift to
Numa Pompilius. Numa was so afraid that the Ancilia would be stolen, he
had 11 perfect copies made. This way no one would know which one was the
actual divine Ancilia.
It's *assumed* that the shields hung on the walls in the Temple
and the spears were either hung or somehow fastened to the circular
altar or hearth? within the Temple.
Before going to war the General leading the army went into the temple
and rattled, shook or moved the spears, while saying "Mars Vigila" (mars
awaken). The God Mars would then lead the army to victory. If the
spears ever vibrated/shook/rattled/moved on their own it was a bad omen
of something terrible about to happen to Rome. It's believed that
the spears were so *delicately balanced* that a very minor
earthquake/shake could vibrate them, like a primitive seismograph.
*OR* perhaps even a very loud clap of thunder could get them to
vibrate???
Poetic Justice
Oct 22, 2002, 6:27:02 PM10/22/02
to
1.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/for_rom_central/ac822333.html
2.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/for_rom_central/ac660408.html
3.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/for_rom_west/ac990904.html
4.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/for_rom_west/ac660411.html
5.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/tabularium/ac660412.html
6.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/tabularium/ac881321.html
7.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/arch_septimius/ac740810.html
8.
www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/6946/virtual/regiainfo.html
9.
www.ku.edu/history/index/europe/ancient_rome/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma/Rome/.Texts/PLATOP*/Clivus_Argentarius.html
10. www.vroma.org/images/raia_images/3theaters.jpg 10a.
www.vroma.org/images/raia_images/pompeyrecon.GIF
11.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/largo_argent/ac740511.html
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/largo_argent/ac990808.html
12.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/largo_argent/ac990807.html
15. www.vroma.org/images/raia_images/largoargent11.jpg
16. www.vroma.org/images/raia_images/largoargent10.jpg
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/for_rom_central/ac822333.html
2.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/for_rom_central/ac660408.html
3.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/for_rom_west/ac990904.html
4.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/for_rom_west/ac660411.html
5.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/tabularium/ac660412.html
6.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/tabularium/ac881321.html
7.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/arch_septimius/ac740810.html
8.
www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/6946/virtual/regiainfo.html
9.
www.ku.edu/history/index/europe/ancient_rome/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma/Rome/.Texts/PLATOP*/Clivus_Argentarius.html
10. www.vroma.org/images/raia_images/3theaters.jpg 10a.
www.vroma.org/images/raia_images/pompeyrecon.GIF
11.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/largo_argent/ac740511.html
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/largo_argent/ac990808.html
12.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/largo_argent/ac990807.html
12a. www.vroma.org/images/raia_images/largoargent3.jpg
13.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/largo_argent/ac991829.html
14. www.vroma.org/images/raia_images/largoargent8.jpg 13.
http://wings.buffalo.edu/AandL/Maecenas/rome/largo_argent/ac991829.html
15. www.vroma.org/images/raia_images/largoargent11.jpg
16. www.vroma.org/images/raia_images/largoargent10.jpg
..And Paradise Was Lost...like teardrops in the rain...
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