Conspiracy in the Senate: Why Caesar was killed by his friends

Conspiracy in the Senate: Why Caesar was killed by his friends

The murder of the Roman dictator Gaius Iulius Caesar in 44 BC. BC is an undisputed historical event that still has diverse interpretations and explanations. In a current analysis, historian Michael Sommer puts the motivations and background of the conspiracy against Caesar in the foreground. This assassination is not just a brutal change of power, but a decisive turning point that created the basis for the upcoming Empire that the Roman Republic should replace.

Summer illuminates why Caesar's beneficiaries in particular are conspired by him and thinks of the strategy of the conspiracy, which was thwarted by prominent senators. Particularly noteworthy is Gaius Cassius Longinus, who is considered the driving force behind the murder. His motivation was not just personal hatred, but also a deep -rooted need to restore the balance of power in Rome, which was endangered under Caesar's sole rule.

the tyrannical freedom

The attack was found on March 15, 44 BC. BC in the Curia Pompeia. The conspirators described themselves as the "rescuer of the republic", which they wanted to free them from the clutches of a tyrannical dictator. But instead of returning freedom, this led to a devastating power vacuum and ultimately to consolidate a new autocratic rule. The permanent pressure of Caesar's increasing exercise of power had reinforced the resistance of the senators and polarized the political discourse.

The murder itself was not an easy act as such; He required a comprehensive strategy. The conspirators led by Cassius and Marcus Brutus tried to gain broad support within the upper class because they knew that the success of their undertaking was dependent on the public and the other senators. In fact, Brutus, as a nephew and son-in-law of the famous Cato, was regarded as a flagship senator, whose participation in the conspiracy gave credible legitimacy.

Summer explains that the circumstances before the murder were already tense. On the day of the attack, Caesar suffered from nightmares that made him hesitate, but ultimately, Decimus Brutus persuaded him to appear at the Senate meeting. The core of the problem was not only in Caesars, but also in the incessant fear of his adversaries that he could finally take a royal title and thus finally destabilize the Republic. Even his first offer to wear the diadem during the Lupercalien, he had only rejected.

When the conspirators finally struck, they immediately surrounded Caesar, who was surprised by the first dagger. The most famous moment of the murder is Caesar's Exclamatio "et tu, brute?" When he saw Marcus Brutus among the attackers. This quote is often regarded as a symbol for fraud among friends and illustrates the terrible extent of the power struggles in Rome.

consequences of the assassination attendant

After the murder, the hopes of the conspirators dissolved. Instead of being celebrated as a liberator, they only harvested chaos and fear of a new civil war. Caesar was raised posthumously to an almost divine status. His burial became a trigger of a broad movement, which radically questioned the limits of the existing balance of power.

The conspirators were forced to entrench themselves on the Capitol, but their plans broke quickly because the estimated consul Antonius was able to regain control of the Senate. Within a very short time, Caesar's reforms were again valid, and his will, which left part of his assets to the people, showed strong resentment among the citizens and embittered the conspirators even more.

Sommer emphasizes that Caesar's murder may not only be regarded as an act of despair, but as a serious miscalculation, which ultimately opened the doors to a new autocratic regime. This was done by Caesar's adoptive son Octavian, who later became known as Augustus and established the Empire. Gestión of power, which was premature for the Republicans, only led to more repression than ever.

Researching the events around the murder of Caesar not only offers insights into ancient history, but also illustrates universal problems of power, the struggle for freedom and the rhetorics that are still valid for the need for political changes. The work of Michael Sommer, "Mordsache Caesar. The last days of the dictator", deals critically on the action and raises many questions about the nature of power and its protagonists, which is of enormous importance for today's social discourses. More information on this topic can be found in the report on www.welt.de .