Scientists determine 75% of Rome’s emperors died from violent deaths on battlefield or palace plots 

Julius Caesar was a politician and general of the late Roman republic who lived from 100 – 44 BC. 

As a general from 60 – 68 BC, Caesar added the whole of modern France and Belgium to the Roman empire, and crushed rebel Gallic forces across Europe in the Gallic wars.

In total he made two expeditions to Britain, in 55 BC and 54 BC, though never established a force of occupation.

Caesar returned to Italy a hero and famously crossed the Rubicon river in 49 BC without disbanding his army, insulting the authority of the Roman senate.

In the ensuing civil war Caesar defeated the republican forces, and took control of the Empire as dictator.

He used his power to carry out much-needed reform, relieving debt, enlarging the senate, building the Forum Iulium and revising the calendar.

Caesar’s ambition and success eventually led to his downfall when a group of republican senators assassinated him in 44 BC. 

Traditional bust of Caesar have not included the strange bump. Pictured, a  bronze bust of Julius Caesar is displayed in the lobby at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas

Julius Caesar was stabbed (23 times) to death in the Roman Senate led by Marcus Junius Brutus, Gaius Cassius Longinus and 60 other co-conspirators.

On his way to the Theatre of Pompey where he would be assassinated, the all-powerful Caesar visited a seer who had foretold that harm would come to him not later than the Ides of March.

Caesar joked, ‘The ides of March are come’, to which the seer replied ‘Ay, Caesar, but not gone.’

His wife Calpurnia had dreamed of his body streaming with blood and tried to prevent him from leaving the house.

As Caesar took his Senate seat, the conspirators gathered around him. One then took hold of his purple toga and ripped it away from his neck.

A dagger was thrust at Caesar’s throat but missed and only wounded him.

Another assassin then drove a dagger into his chest as he twisted away from the first assailant.

Brutus struck Caesar in the groin. It was later written that Brutus was reproached in Greek with the words ‘You, too, my child?’

 

 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk