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====Background====Caesar was a member of the Roman aristocracy and he was a lifetime member of the popular faction. This was a party of nobles who claimed to be serving the interests of the common people. Caesar became one of the most powerful men in Rome when he joined the First Triumvirate. He used his new-found power to secure a consulship and the command of several legions which he used to wage war in Gaul. Following his conquest of Gaul, he was the most powerful man in Rome and he was feared by the Roman Senate. To safeguard his position Caesar marched on Rome and this began a civil war.<ref> Goldsworthy, Anthony. Caesar: Life of a Colossus (Yale, Yale University Press, 2006), p. 261</ref>. Caesar fought the ''Optimate'' army, initially led by Pompey the Great. He defeated Pompey at Pharsalus and later in a series of battles across the Mediterranean defeated several armies opposed to his rule. By 43 BC Caesar was by far the most important man in Rome and he had himself made dictator for life. This aroused the deep hated of many in the Roman aristocracy. A conspiracy was formed by several leading Roman nobles, whose titular leader was Brutus, someone whom Caesar knew well. The Roman general had pardoned many of the conspirators and had even appointed some of them to high office. The members of the plot called themselves the liberators. The plot involved luring Caesar to Pompey’s theatre where gladiatorial games were to be held in his honour<ref>Plutarch, Life of Caesar, xxxi</ref>. The Roman leader was notoriously reckless when it came to his personal security. He refused bodyguards and he declared that to live surrounded by guards was not a life he wanted. Caesar had only a few personal attendants who escorted him everywhere. On the Ides of March (15th of March), the conspirators lured their target to the Theatre of Pompey. Here after one of the conspirators seized his toga, up to sixty assailants stabbed Caesar, who later died because of blood loss. It is important to understand the motivations of those who killed the great Roman general. They believed that he wanted to become king and to end the Republic. The killers of Caesar were all Republicans and they believed in the Roman Constitution and the rule of the Senate. Brutus and the others believed that they were delivering the Romans from the tyranny of the conqueror of Gaul. The assassination of Caesar was carried out to protect the Republic and to preserve the ancient Constitution of the city<ref> Goldsworthy, p. 314</ref>.

==Immediate Aftermath He defeated Pompey at Pharsalus and later in a series of battles across the Assassination==The death of Caesar was a great shock Mediterranean defeated several armies opposed to manyhis rule. Those who had killed him, expected that the people of Rome would rally to them and support their actions and that this would save the Republic. However, most of the population remained wary and neutral, while many people and especially the political gangs, who controlled large areas of the city, were angered by the killing of By 43 BC Caesar. In the days after the assassination there was an eerie calm in by far the city. Mark Anthony became the de-facto leader of the Caesarean party most important man in the city, even though Rome and he had fallen out of favour in recent years with his former general<ref> Osgood, Josiahhimself made dictator for life. Caesar's Legacy: Civil War and This aroused the Emergence deep hated of many in the Roman Empire (New York: Cambridge University Press (USA)aristocracy. A conspiracy was formed by several leading Roman nobles, 2006)whose titular leader was Brutus, psomeone whom Caesar knew well. 113</ref>. He arranged a political compromise that allowed The Roman general had pardoned many of the killers of Caesar to go unpunished conspirators and for those who had been even appointed by the dead man some of them to remain in high office. This was able to maintain some semblance The members of order in the cityplot called themselves the liberators. The lower class became increasingly incensed when they learned more about the death of plot involved luring Caesar and Anthony threatened to unleash them against the senatorsPompey’s theatre where gladiatorial games were to be held in his honor <ref> Plutarch, Life of AnthonyCaesar, xxivxxxi</ref>. The reading of the will of Caesar Roman leader was notoriously reckless when it came as a surprise, he made to his grand-nephew his son personal security. He refused bodyguards and heir. This shocked Mark Anthony who he declared that to live surrounded by guards was not even mentioned by Caesar in his will. Octavian returned from Greece and as Caesar’s heir a life he became one of the most influential men in Romewanted. This Caesar had only added to a few personal attendants who escorted him everywhere.  On the confusion in Rome. The Senate supported OctavianIdes of March (15th of March), who distrusted Mark Anthony and he was forced the conspirators lured their target to flee the cityTheatre of Pompey. He assembled an army Here after one of five legions but was defeated by Octavian and the forces conspirators seized his toga, up to sixty assailants stabbed Caesar, who later died because of blood loss. It is important to understand the Senate at the Battle motivations of Mutina in Northern Italy (43 B.C.). The two consuls for that year were also those who killed during the battlegreat Roman general. Antony was forced to retreat, and his cause seemed lost, but They believed that he was fortunate. The Senate tried wanted to take his army away from Octavian become king and give it to one of end the assassins Republic. The killers of Caesar<ref> Suetonius, Lives were all Republicans and they believed in the Roman Constitution and the rule of the Caesars, xxiv</ref>Senate. This persuaded Octavian to enter an alliance with Anthony Brutus and Lepidus. This was the so-called Second Triumvirate and it divided others believed that they were delivering the Romans from the legions and provinces among tyranny of the three alliesconqueror of Gaul. The aim assassination of the agreement Caesar was carried out to avenge protect the assassination of Caesar. They soon occupied Rome Republic and launched a campaign to preserve the ancient Constitution of terror in the city, summarily killing their enemies. However, their rule was opposed by the ''Optimates'' and the assassins of Caesar and this led to another civil war<ref>Galinsky, Karl. Augustan Culture. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1998)Goldsworthy, p. 89314</ref>.  ====Immediate Aftermath of the Assassination====

==The Civil War==Those who were involved in reading of the assassination will of Caesar under the command of Cassius came as a surprise, he made his grand-nephew his son and Brutus controlled much of the Easter portion of the Empireheir. This shocked Mark Anthony who was not even mentioned by Caesar in his will. Antony and Octavian sailed with an army to confront their enemies returned from Greece and as Caesar’s heir, he became one of the two armies confronted each other at Phillipa most influential men in modern Macedonia or Northern GreeceRome. Here This only added to the two armies clashed and over two battles the followers of Caesar prevailedconfusion in Rome. The battles had been close fought and it was the personal bravery of Senate supported Octavian, who distrusted Mark Anthony and he was forced to flee the general Agrippa that ensured victory for the Second Triumviratecity. The liberators and their ''Optimates'' allies all died in the battle or its aftermath<ref> Suetonius, Lives He assembled an army of the Caesar, vii</ref>. Brutus five legions but was defeated by Octavian and Cassius committed suicide in the aftermath forces of the defeat. The defeat Senate at Philippi was a decisive one and it effectively ended the Optimates as a military forceBattle of Mutina in Northern Italy (43 B. While there were to be more civil conflicts the Senatorial elite were no longer active participantsC. Successive defeats and a series of proscriptions had decimated the old Republican elite and they had most of their power). Those who wanted to preserve The two consuls for that year were also killed during the old ideas of the Republic no longer had the means or perhaps the will to prevent the concentration of power in the lands of one or two men<ref> Osgood, p 227</ref>battle. The assassination of Caesar Antony was motivated by a desire forced to restore the old Republican system retreat, and especially the influence of the Senate. In facthis cause seemed lost, the civil war that ensued in the aftermath of the death of Caesar but he was to result in the side-lining of the Senate and those who believed in the ideals of the Republicfortunate.

The Senate tried to take his army away from Octavian and give it to one of the assassins of Caesar<ref> Suetonius, Lives of the Caesars, xxiv</ref>. This persuaded Octavian to enter an alliance with Anthony and Lepidus. This was the so-called Second Triumvirate and it divided the legions and provinces among the three allies. The aim of the agreement was to avenge the assassination of Caesar. They soon occupied Rome and launched a campaign of terror in the city, summarily killing their enemies. However, their rule was opposed by the ''Optimates'' and the assassins of Caesar and this led to another civil war<ref>Galinsky, Karl. Augustan Culture. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1998), p. 89</ref>.   ====The Civil War====Those who were involved in the assassination of Caesar under the command of Cassius and Brutus controlled much of the Easter portion of the Empire. Antony and Octavian sailed with an army to confront their enemies and the two armies confronted each other at Phillipa in modern Macedonia or Northern Greece. Here the two armies clashed and over two battles the followers of Caesar prevailed. The battles had been closely fought and it was the personal bravery of Mark Anthony and the general Agrippa that ensured victory for the Second Triumvirate. The liberators and their ''Optimates'' allies all died in the battle or its aftermath<ref> Suetonius, Lives of the Caesar, vii</ref>. Brutus and Cassius committed suicide in the aftermath of the defeat.  The defeat at Philippi was a decisive one and it effectively ended the Optimates as a military force. While there were to be more civil conflicts the Senatorial elite were no longer active participants. Successive defeats and a series of proscriptions had decimated the old Republican elite and they had most of their power. Those who wanted to preserve the old ideas of the Republic no longer had the means or perhaps the will to prevent the concentration of power in the lands of one or two men<ref> Osgood, p 227</ref>. The assassination of Caesar was motivated by a desire to restore the old Republican system and especially the influence of the Senate. In fact, the civil war that ensued in the aftermath of the death of Caesar was to result in the side-lining of the Senate and those who believed in the ideals of the Republic. ====The Second Triumvirate==== The Second Triumvirate saw the rise of Octavian and Mark Anthony, who became the most powerful man in Rome. Lepidus was decidedly a junior partner in the political arrangement. Octavian, Mark Anthony and Lepidus divided the Roman Empire between them, but Anthony and Caesar's heir soon deftly side-lined Lepidus. Anthony assumed responsibility for the pacification of the east which had become restive after the civil wars. Anthony successful reimpose Roman control over the Eastern section of the Roman Empire. The relationship between Mark Anthony and Octavian was sealed by a series of marriages. However, in truth , the two men were never really allies and both knew that there would be a day of reckoning. The Second Triumvirate allowed Octavian and Mark Anthony to rule the Roman Empire. B  Octavian was the real power in Rome and he observed the forms of the Republican system <ref>Holland, Tom, Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic (London, Anchor Books, 2003), p. 207 </ref>. In the east Mark Anthony began a relationship with the Ptolemaic Queen of Egypt, Cleopatra IV. For a brief period, the Roman territories were divided between Octavian who presented himself as champion old -fashioned Roman values and beliefs and Mark Anthony who seemed to be creating a personal domain for himself and Cleopatra in the east. For the entire duration of the Second Triumvirate, the Senate was subservient to the demand of , especially Octavian. The political arrangment arrangement between Anyhony Anthony and Octavian that was made possible by the assassins who sought to preserve the Republic, did much to undermine the old system of governance and politics<ref> Holland, p 298</ref>.

====Conclusion====The death of Caesar at the hands of aristocratic Romans was to have far -reaching consequences in both the short and the longer term. The killing led to a series of events that resulted in the rise of Mark Antony and Octavian. It also led to a civil war between the adherents of the Caesarean party and the liberators and their Senatorial allies that ended with the total defeat of those who believed in the Republic. The defeat at Philippi was to effectively end the military power of those who sympathized with the old Republican system. The death of the conqueror of Gaul also enabled Mark Anthony and Octavian to partition the Empire between them. Perhaps the most significant event, that emerged from the bloody confusion in the aftermath of the assassination was the rise of Octavian. He learned much from the death of his grand-uncle and did not repeat his mistakes. He created an imperial system while observing the outward form of the Republican system. As a result, he faced little opposition, as he ended the Republic and made himself the first Emperor. The most important consequence of the assassination of Caesar was the fall of the Roman Republic and the establishment of an Imperial system that was to last until 476 AD.

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