The assassination of Julius Caesar on March 15, 44 BC (the Ides of March) was a pivotal event in Roman history. A group of around 60 Roman senators, led by close friend Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus, conspired to kill Caesar, fearing his stubborness threatened the future of Roman Republic, and their personal futures “down-ballot”.
Making senators and other agencies and institutions angry in any government introduces invisible risks. Defending democracy is a full contact sport.
Caesar arrived at the Senate meeting in the Theatre of Pompey, ignoring warnings from his wife Calpurnia’s unsettling dreams. As he took his seat, the conspirators surrounded him under the pretense of presenting a petition. Tillius Cimber grabbed Caesar’s toga, signaling the attack. Caesar was stabbed 23 times by the senators wielding daggers.
“Et tu, Brute?”
The assassins, the Senators, believed they had saved democracy, but they underestimated Caesar’s popularity among the Roman people. Mark Antony, Caesar’s loyal ally, delivered a stirring funeral oration that turned public opinion against the conspirators.
Contrary to the conspirators’ intentions, Caesar’s death did not restore Democracy. Instead, it led to a series of civil wars and ultimately paved the way for Caesar’s grandnephew and adopted heir, Octavian (later Augustus), to become the first Roman Emperor. This marked the end of the Roman Republic and the beginning of the Roman Empire, forever altering the course of history.
The American system of government draws significant inspiration from the Roman Republic, particularly in its structure and core principles. Both systems employ a separation of powers, dividing authority among executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The U.S. Senate is directly modeled after its Roman counterpart, though with key differences in selection and representation. Both systems implemented checks and balances, term limits for executive positions, and emphasized the importance of citizenship rights and written laws.
However, the American system also diverges from and expands upon the Roman model in crucial ways. It introduces “federalism,” dividing power between national and state levels, “state’s rights” to reflect the different cultures and types of economy across the broad landscape of the large diverse nation. It establishes judicial review, allowing courts to strike down unconstitutional laws. The Bill of Rights provides more comprehensive protections for individual liberties than Rome’s Twelve Tables.
The American founders drew heavily from Roman concepts, but also innovated and adapted these ideas to create a more democratic system with stronger safeguards against the concentration of power. The result is a government that honors its Roman inspiration while addressing perceived flaws and incorporating Enlightenment ideals.
