Caesar's dictature, and his death.

Caesar chased Pompeius for a long time, and at Dyrrhachium he caught up with him.

However Pompeius managed to escape in the spring of 48 with most of his army.

Once again Caesar had to chase Pompeius. This time he fled to Greece, to Pharsalus where Caesar at last managed to crush

Pompeius army.

However Pompeius himself managed to escape, and he went to Egypt.

Caesar followed him, but he found that he had already been murdered by the Egyptians.

After the death of Pompeius Caesar realized that the Roman republic was in very big trouble.

Because of the civil war many provinces either rebelled or were threatened by other countries.

Therefore Caesar left the business of governing Rome to his friend Marcus Antonius, while he himself travelled around the

country crushing

enemies.

Then Caesar returned to Rome.

Everyone now expected a new bloodbath, but Caesar just asked his enemies not to oppose him any longer. If they did, they

were safe, if the didn’t, they were killed or exiled.

Even though Caesar had shown great mercy he had still many enemies. One of them were a young man named Brutus.

He and his friend Cassius formed a conspiracy against Caesar with some of the senators.

It was very important for them that each of them made a stroke, so that the blame of the murder would not fall upon any man.

Caesar had dismissed his bodyguard, and on 15th of March 44 the conspirators stapped Caesar.

The conspirators thought that the republic would be restored.

However Marcus Antonius was determined not to let it happen.

 

Marcus Antonius, and Octavian.

 

Back to the index.