Buzz
Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of sixty conspirators. Each of these individuals had distinct lives and motivations that culminated in their decision to encircle Caesar in the senate and collectively stab him to death.
While their official justification was to prevent Caesar from declaring himself king, personal experiences and circumstances shaped each conspirator's path to this violent act. Though many of these men have faded into obscurity, each had a unique life story that led them to participate in the assassination—and each faced consequences in the aftermath.
10. Caesar Had an Affair with Brutus’s Mother
Caesar wasn’t merely Brutus’s ally—he was also romantically involved with Brutus’s mother, Servilia. Their relationship began even before Brutus was born.
Brutus was almost certainly aware of the affair. Gossip about Caesar and Servilia’s relationship was widespread in Rome, as Caesar made little effort to conceal it. He famously showered her with extravagant gifts, including spending six million sesterces on a single pearl for her.
As Servilia aged, the situation grew more scandalous. Roman rumors claimed that she ensured Caesar’s bed was never empty by sending her own daughter—Brutus’s sister—to take her place in Caesar’s chambers.
While this likely wasn’t Brutus’s primary motive for killing Caesar, it did play a role in his survival. Brutus had opposed Caesar in the war against Pompey, an act that should have cost him his life. However, Caesar explicitly ordered his men to spare Brutus.
Part of this decision was to keep Servilia content, but there was another layer to it. Caesar had been involved with Servilia during her pregnancy, and he harbored suspicions that Brutus might actually be his son.
9. Cassius of Parma and Cicero Circulated Rumors About Caesar’s Sexuality
Assassination wasn’t the sole method of revenge in ancient Rome. The city’s rumor mills were ruthless, and if a dagger couldn’t end someone’s life, a well-crafted story could destroy their reputation instead.
Cicero was the originator of the rumor that Caesar was homosexual—and, more scandalously in Roman society, that he was the passive partner. He claimed Caesar had lost his virginity to Nicomedes IV, the King of Bithynia. Cicero alleged that one of Nicomedes’ servants escorted a young Caesar into the king’s chambers, where Nicomedes awaited him on a luxurious purple couch.
Cassius of Parma perpetuated these rumors even after participating in Caesar’s assassination. Known for his sharp tongue, he didn’t hesitate to insult Octavian’s mother for her humble origins, sneering, “Your mother’s bread came from a common bakery in Aricia!”
But that was only the beginning. Cassius also circulated a rumor that Octavian had secured his position as Caesar’s heir by agreeing to be his sexual plaything. While Cassius spread this malicious tale, he wasn’t its creator. The rumor had originated from Octavian’s most prominent ally: Mark Antony.
8. Lucius Pontius Aquila’s Path to Murder Was Paved by Insults
Initially, Lucius Pontius Aquila, one of Caesar’s assassins, aimed to express his dissent through a nonviolent demonstration. He sought subtle yet bold ways to oppose Caesar’s increasing authority. During a victory parade in Rome, Aquila protested by remaining seated as Caesar passed by in his chariot—a silent act of defiance against what he saw as tyranny.
Caesar, however, refused to ignore the slight. He taunted Aquila, shouting prophetically, “Come on, Aquila! Take the republic back from me!”
Aquila might have moved past the incident, but Caesar spent an entire week ridiculing him. Every time Caesar addressed the senate, he would sarcastically add, “That is, if Pontius Aquila permits it.”
Not long after, Aquila began meeting with conspirators and became part of their plan to assassinate Caesar. This suggests that one of Caesar’s killers may have been motivated by personal humiliation.
7. Caesar Also Had an Affair with Servius Sulpicius’s Wife
Brutus wasn’t the only conspirator forced to endure the humiliation of seeing a loved one emerge from Caesar’s private chambers. Caesar had affairs with numerous wives of influential men, including the spouse of one of his eventual assassins.
Servius Sulpicius was married to Posthumia, a woman whom Roman historians described as being “seduced” by Julius Caesar. Similar to his relationship with Brutus’s mother, Caesar showered Posthumia with extravagant gifts. She would return home adorned in expensive jewelry, leaving Servius seething with homicidal rage.
Historical accounts depict Servius as someone who frequently grumbled about Caesar, criticizing his disrespect toward the senate and blaming him for his own failure in the consular election. However, Servius ultimately had the last laugh. Not only did he participate in Caesar’s assassination, but his great-grandson later ascended to become an Emperor of Rome.
6. Caesar Spared Quintus Ligarius’s Life
Quintus Ligarius narrowly escaped execution before he could join the plot to kill Caesar. Having fought against Caesar in the Roman Civil War, Ligarius was known for his ferocity in battle, which eventually led to him being put on trial.
Ligarius escaped execution solely due to the brilliance of his lawyer, Cicero, one of Rome’s most skilled orators. Cicero delivered a defense that openly acknowledged his client’s guilt yet still persuaded the court to acquit him.
Cicero argued to Caesar that mercy was the highest virtue, stating, “No act brings men closer to the gods than saving others.” By sparing Ligarius, Cicero claimed, Caesar would foster stability across Rome and halt the cycle of violence that had ravaged the city.
Caesar was deeply moved, trembling with emotion. He dropped the papers he was holding, struggling to hold back tears. Cicero’s words resonated—it was time to end the bloodshed. Caesar resolved to show Ligarius mercy, ushering in a new era of peace and safety for Rome.
Yet, Ligarius repaid this mercy by joining the conspiracy to stab Caesar to death, with Cicero supporting the plot.
5. Gaius Trebonius Attempted to Recruit Mark Antony to Assassinate Caesar
While Caesar met his end on the Ides of March, it wasn’t the first time his life had been targeted. Gaius Trebonius, one of his assassins, had previously attempted to kill him—with the assistance of Mark Antony.
Trebonius and Mark Antony combined their resources to hire an assassin to eliminate Julius Caesar. However, the plot failed, and Caesar strongly suspected Mark Antony’s involvement.
Caesar remained unaware of Trebonius’s role, allowing him to continue scheming. Trebonius’s connection with Mark Antony proved crucial. When Mark Antony discovered the conspiracy and tried to intervene, Trebonius intercepted and distracted him while Caesar was being assassinated.
4. Decimus Discovered He Was Caesar’s Heir
Unlike most of Caesar’s assassins, who had opposed him in the Roman Civil War, Decimus stood apart. He had not only supported Caesar but had also grown exceptionally close to him. Caesar entrusted him with command of one of Rome’s largest armies and even named him as his adopted son.
Remarkably, the conspirators persuaded Decimus to join their plot, and Caesar remained oblivious to his friend’s betrayal until the very end. The night before his assassination, Caesar invited Decimus to share a glass of wine, during which they discussed the “ideal way to die.”
After Caesar’s death, his will was publicly revealed, and Decimus discovered that the man he had killed regarded him as a son and had named him his secondary heir. If Octavian had predeceased Caesar, Decimus would have inherited Caesar’s entire fortune.
3. The Assassins Created a Coin to Celebrate Their Crime
A year after Caesar’s death, the Roman senate issued a new coin that circulated throughout Rome, commemorating the day they collectively conspired to stab him to death.
The coin’s design was far from subtle. One side featured the inscription “Eid Mar,” signifying “The Ides of March,” accompanied by an image of two daggers, serving as a stark reminder of the assassination of a consul.
The reverse side bore the likeness of Brutus—a decision that undoubtedly stirred controversy. In Roman tradition, only deities were depicted on coins. Placing one’s own face on a coin was akin to declaring oneself the ruler of Rome, a move that had contributed to Caesar’s downfall.
Yet, Brutus boldly imprinted his image on the coins, suggesting he saw himself as Rome’s leader, even as the coins glorified the act of killing tyrants.
2. A Crowd Brutally Killed a Man for Having the Same Name as an Assassin
Among the violent aftermath of Caesar’s death, the most gruesome was the fate of Helvius Cinna. He was not involved in the conspiracy but shared a name with Lucius Cinna, who was rumored to have plunged a dagger into Caesar’s side.
Helvius Cinna, a close friend of Caesar, felt compelled to attend his funeral. However, when a companion called out his name, unaware it would seal his fate, the crowd turned on him. Hearing the name “Cinna,” the mob attacked Helvius, brutally beating him and tearing him apart in the midst of the funeral.
Ironically, Lucius Cinna, the man the mob mistakenly sought, was not involved in the assassination. He had been wrongly associated with the conspirators due to a speech he made criticizing Caesar. Even if they had targeted the correct Cinna, they would still have killed an innocent person.
1. Lucius Minucius Basilus Met His End at the Hands of His Slaves
Lucius Minucius Basilus faced a poetic demise. His death mirrored the way he had helped kill Caesar.
Though not an emperor, Basilus was a wealthy man who ruled his slaves with the same tyranny Caesar was accused of. He subjected his servants to brutal beatings and even mutilated them for minor mistakes, leaving them permanently scarred.
Two years after Basilus participated in Caesar’s assassination, his slaves reached their breaking point. They surrounded him and took their revenge, exacting justice on the man who had tyrannized them.
Similar to Caesar’s death, Basilus’s demise sparked its own turmoil. A fraudster fabricated a will, claiming to be Basilus’s heir, forcing his family into a legal battle to protect their inheritance. The chaos he had sown in Rome was mirrored in his household, as his family fought against imposters in court. Ultimately, they lost, and his fortune was seized by those named in the forged will, leaving his family with nothing.
