Prof. Barry Strauss and Prof. Philip Freeman discuss the characters of Brutus, Cassius, and Decimus who orchestrated the assassination of Julius Caesar. They explore the motivations and backgrounds of the key ringleaders, the growing opposition towards Caesar, and incidents leading up to his assassination including his relationship with Cleopatra.
The main conspirators against Julius Caesar, Cassius, Brutus, and Decimus, were motivated by personal honor, Republican principles, and career aspirations.
The growing power of Julius Caesar, his appointment as dictator for life, and his relationship with Cleopatra prompted resentment and opposition, leading to the conspiracy against him.
Deep dives
The key ringleaders of the conspiracy against Julius Caesar
In this episode of the podcast, the three main conspirators against Julius Caesar are explored: Cassius, Brutus, and Decimus. Cassius, a military man and confirmed Republican, was driven by Caesar's growing power and his own thwarted career. Brutus, a politician and philosopher, saw himself as the defender of the Republic and was motivated by personal honor and Republican principles. Decimus, Caesar's distant cousin, was initially a member of the Caesarian party but joined the conspiracy out of ambition and his own sense of honor.
Reasons behind the conspiracy to kill Julius Caesar
The growing power of Julius Caesar and specific incidents in the months leading up to his assassination prompted the conspiracy against him. Caesar's appointment as dictator for life, interference in elections, testing of kingly power, and his relationship with Cleopatra all contributed to resentment and opposition. The conspirators perceived Caesar's actions as a threat to the Republic and took it upon themselves to overthrow him.
The risks and circumstances of Caesar's assassination
The conspirators chose to personally carry out the assassination, both to demonstrate their seriousness to the Roman people and because of the historical myth around the overthrow of a king-like figure. Caesar's dismissal of his bodyguard and his trust in the senators played a role in the successful execution of the assassination. The venue for the Senate meeting, the Senate House of Pompey, was particularly symbolic as it honored Caesar's former enemy, Pompey.
In episode four of our new series on Julius Caesar’s rise and fall, we come face-to-face with the men who orchestrated the assassination. Professor Barry Strauss and Professor Philip Freeman join Rob Attar to dissect the characters of Brutus, Cassius and Decimus and reveal how the conspiracy got off the ground.
The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.