Why was Julius Caesar murdered?

Why was Julius Caesar murdered?

Today’s Objective: Understanding reasons (causation)

Skills• Selection of

information

The story so far………

•

Who exactly was Caesar?

Starter – Brainstorm in the your books

German tribesmen invaded Gaul and even threatened Rome in 102BC

Some of Rome’s allies in Italy rebelled against Roman rule in 91BC

Slaves rebelled in Sicily in 73BC

King Mithdradates VI of Pontus occupied Asia in 88BC

Pirates established strongholds in the eastern Med & they attacked Roman shipping and coastal towns

The Republic under threat

Rivals

POMPEY CAESAR

Rome depended on army generals like Pompey and Julius Caesar to deal with

threats to Rome. They had been successful in

dealing with the problems outlined in

the diagram.

These two men were friends at first, but they soon became deadly rivals as each tried to become more

powerful than the other.

I’ve cleared pirates from the Mediterranean!

I’ve won back Asia

Minor (which is modern Turkey)

I also have support from the

very powerful and important Senate

I have led an army and conquered the

whole of Gaul (modern day France)

I have sent an expedition over

to Britain

I am a popular hero with my troops and the ordinary people

of Rome

The Story continues…Arguments broke out over how Rome should be governed. Some Romans were beginning to think that Rome would be safer if one of these generals took over completely. They thought that the Republic wasn’t very good at dealing with the problems Rome faced.

What problems might there be in a situation of this kind due to the structure of the Roman Republic?

Think back to your diagram (next slide)

BUT… What would be the concerns if Pompey or Caesar took over completely?

Murder!The Senate disliked Caesar and supported Pompey. They ordered Caesar to get rid of his army, but Caesar ignored them and in 48BC defeated Pompey in battle.

Most ordinary Romans were quite happy to let Caesar take over as ‘Dictator for life’, even though he had not been elected.

The Senate on the other hand were not happy for this to happen and in 44BC a group of angry Senators stabbed him to death!

Why was Julius Caesar murdered?

Activity • READ THE CARDS • FIND REASONS WHY CAESAR WAS KILLED

• WHICH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT REASON?

• WRITE THESE REASONS IN THE FRONT OF YOUR BOOK IN THE ORDER OF IMPORTANCE E.G. THE SENATE WERE JEALOUS OF HIM

The Senators worried that

he was on the side of the Plebeians

and wanted to make the

Senate less powerful

The Senators disliked Caesar because he was

arrogant and acted as though

he was superior

The Senators were

jealousof him

Some thought

he wanted to become King, and that would

mean the end of the Republic

They thought he was becoming

too powerful (like a tyrant)

WHY?