Ancient Sources on the Reasons for Caesar’s Assassination
“…(they) made the pretence of something more seemly,
saying that they were displeased at the rule of a single man
and that they were striving for a republican form of
government.”
Nicolaus of Damascus on Caesar’s pardoning of Pompey’s men, Life of
Augustus, 19
On his favouritism, “command of the three legions which
he had left Alexandria to a favourite of his called Rufio, son
of one of his freedmen.”
On his arrogance, “the state was nothing, a mere name
without body or form.”
ON HIS MONARCHICAL
ASPIRATIONS,
“…But the most open and deadly
hatred towards him was produced
by his passion for the royal power.
For the multitude this was the first
cause of hatred, and for those who
had long smothered their hate, a
most specious pretext for it.”
Plutarch, The Parallel Lives, The Life of Julius
Caesar, 60.1
Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars, Life of Julius Caesar, 8-.1
Using the sources above, answer the following
questions.
1. Explain why you ranked the reasons for
Caesar’s assassination in that order.
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2. Do you think the assassins’ actions were
justified? Why or why not?
Label the following ancient
historians’ opinions regarding
Julius Caesar’s assassination
from most likely to least likely
1-4
Allowing defeated men to
be part of his Senate
Giving his friends
opportunities over others
Making arrogant comments
about how Rome was ruled
and who ruled it
By his great conquests,
demonstrating a possible
agenda to be a monarch
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