CAESAR’S MEN
CAESAR (Gaius Julius Caesar), 100–44 B.C. Brilliant politician, general, and writer, he was eventually Dictator in Perpetuity. The most polarizing figure of the age, he made many Romans fear that he wanted to become king and harm their interests, and so they decided to assassinate him. Age in 44 B.C.—fifty-five.I
OCTAVIAN (Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus, born Gaius Octavius, later Imperator Caesar divi Filius and, finally, Augustus), 63 B.C.–A.D. 14. Caesar’s brilliant and ruthless grandnephew and heir made his way through the dangerous political waters of the age to become Augustus, Rome’s first emperor. Age in 44 B.C.—eighteen on the Ides of March.
MARK ANTONY (Marcus Antonius), ca. 83–30 B.C. One of Caesar’s best generals, he was a cagey politician who defeated the assassins, became Cleopatra’s lover and one of the two most powerful men in the Roman Empire, only to be defeated by Octavian. Age in 44 B.C.—thirty-nine.
LEPIDUS (Marcus Aemilius Lepidus), ca. 89–12 B.C. One of Caesar’s generals, a loyalist, he commanded a legion in Rome at the time of Caesar’s assassination. He was Chief Priest and eventually one of the three triumvirs but he was squeezed out by Antony and Octavian. Age in 44 B.C.—forty-five.
THE MAIN CONSPIRATORS
BRUTUS (Marcus Junius Brutus), ca. 85–42 B.C. Brutus’s name, eloquence, and reputation for ethical behavior made him the most famous of the assassins and their public face. On the less positive side, he had a penchant for betrayal and he squeezed money out of provincials. He wanted to kill Caesar without launching a revolution or disturbing the peace—an impossible ambition. Age in 44 B.C.—forty.
CASSIUS (Gaius Cassius Longinus), ca. 86–42 B.C. Perhaps the man who hatched the conspiracy, Cassius was a military man and a supporter of Pompey, who only reluctantly accepted Caesar before finally turning on him. He advocated harsher measures than his brother-in-law, Brutus. Age in 44 B.C.—forty-one.
DECIMUS (Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus), ca. 81–43 B.C. Often forgotten, Decimus was the third leader of the conspiracy against Caesar. A brilliant young general from a noble family, he rose in Gaul under Caesar and then turned on him, either out of republican principle or thwarted ambition, or both. He fought Antony in Italy and Gaul, was betrayed and executed. Age in 44 B.C.—thirty-seven.
TREBONIUS (Gaius Trebonius), ca. 90–43 B.C. One of Caesar’s leading generals, he played a prominent role in the conspiracy against him and was later treacherously murdered. Age in 44 B.C.—forty-six.
CASCA (Publius Servilius Casca), died 42 B.C.? He struck the first blow against Caesar on the Ides of March. He served as People’s Tribune in 43 B.C. and then went east and fought under Brutus at Philippi, where he probably died either in battle or by suicide afterward.
GAIUS CASCA (Gaius Servilius Casca). Brother of Publius, struck Caesar in the ribs, which might have been the fatal blow.
CIMBER (Lucius Tillius Cimber), died 42 B.C.? Caesar liked his officer, Cimber, even though Cimber was known as a brawler and a drinker. But Cimber betrayed Caesar and signaled the start of the attack on the Ides of March by pulling the toga from Caesar’s shoulders. As governor of Bithynia, he supported Brutus and Cassius. He fought at Philippi, where he probably died.
PONTIUS AQUILA, died 43 B.C. People’s Tribune who refused to stand during Caesar’s triumph in 45 B.C. and so offended the dictator. He might be the same Pontius Aquila whose estate was confiscated by Caesar. He served under Decimus in the fighting of 43B.C. and fell in battle.
THE WOMEN
SERVILIA (Servilia Caepio), born ca. 100 B.C.–died after 42 B.C. Mother of Brutus, mother-in-law of Cassius and Lepidus, half-sister of Cato, and mistress of Caesar, the noble Servilia was one of the most well-connected and powerful women of Rome. Could anyone have been more conflicted over the plot that killed Caesar? Age in 44 B.C.—about fifty-five.
CLEOPATRA (Cleopatra VII Philopator, Queen of Egypt), 69–30 B.C. The legendary queen was the lover of two of the most powerful Romans of the era, first Julius Caesar and then Mark Antony. Age in 44 B.C.—twenty-five.
JUNIA TERTIA, died A.D. 22. Daughter of Servilia, wife of Cassius, and, some said, mistress of Caesar.
CALPURNIA (Calpurnia Pisonis). Caesar’s third and last wife, she was the daughter of a noble political family. She tried in vain to stop Caesar from going to the Senate on the Ides of March. Age in 44 B.C.—thirty-three.
FULVIA (Fulvia Flacca), ca. 75–40 B.C. Married to the politicians Clodius, Curio, and finally to Mark Antony, she was one of the most able women of the era. She may have stage-managed Antony’s role in Caesar’s funeral and she recruited an army in 41 B.C.Age in 44 B.C.—about thirty.
PORCIA (aka Portia, full name: Porcia Catonis), died 42 B.C. Daughter of Cato, Porcia married her cousin Brutus after the death of her first husband, the staunch conservative Bibulus. Perhaps she helped turn Brutus against Caesar. In any case, he let her into the secret of the conspiracy. Age in 44 B.C.—about twenty-five.
ATIA, died 43–42 B.C. Caesar’s niece and mother of Octavian, the future Augustus, she sent news to her son abroad about the terrible events of the Ides of March.
SEMPRONIA (Sempronia Tuditana). Mother of Decimus, Sempronia had a reputation for brains, beauty, adultery, and revolutionary politics. She supported Catiline in 63 B.C. and invited his Gallic allies into her home.
PAULA (Paula Valeria), wife of Decimus. Tongues wagged when in 50 B.C. she divorced her previous husband on the very day he was due home from military service abroad in order to marry Decimus. She remained loyal to him until his death.
FRIENDS OF THE CONSPIRATORS
CICERO (Marcus Tullius Cicero), 106–42 B.C. The greatest orator and political theorist of the age, he supported Pompey in the Civil War but remained on good terms with Caesar. He then supported the assassins, moved heaven and earth to fight Antony, gambled on an alliance with Octavian, and lost. He was executed in 42 B.C. Age in 44 B.C.—sixty-two.
DOLABELLA (Publius Cornelius Dolabella), 70–43 B.C. A turncoat, Dolabella supported Pompey, switched to Caesar, then favored the conspirators, and then defected to Antony in return for a prominent command in the East. After treacherously murdering Trebonius, he was defeated by the armies of Cassius and committed suicide.
CINNA (Lucius Cornelius Cinna). A praetor in 44 B.C. and Caesar’s former brother-in-law, he ostentatiously supported the assassins in public, which infuriated many people.
OTHERS (NEUTRALS, UNCOMMITTED PARTIES, DIFFERENT GENERATION)
CATO THE YOUNGER (Marcus Porcius Cato), 95–46 B.C. A prominent senator and a follower of Stoic philosophy, he was Caesar’s archenemy. He committed suicide rather than surrender to Caesar, an act that galvanized opposition to the dictator.
POMPEY (Cnaeus Pompeius Magnus), 106–48 B.C. Second only to Caesar as a Roman general and statesman in the mid-first century B.C., he changed from Caesar’s ally and son-in-law to his leading opponent—and the result was civil war.
CNAEUS POMPEY (Cnaeus Pompeius), ca. 75–45 B.C. Older son of Pompey, he was defeated by Caesar at the Battle of Munda.
SEXTUS POMPEY (Sextus Pompeius Magnus Pius), 67–35 B.C. The younger son of Pompey, he led the naval opposition to Octavian and Antony.
LABIENUS (Titus Labienus), died 45 B.C. Caesar’s right-hand man in Gaul, he supported Pompey in the Civil War and fought against Caesar to the bitter end.
ATTICUS (Titus Pomponius Atticus), 110–32 B.C. Banker, Roman knight, friend, and correspondent of Cicero, and well-connected politically. Age in 44 B.C.—sixty-six.
DEIOTARUS (King of Galatia), ca. 107–ca. 40 B.C. This wily and violent political survivor switched his support for Roman factions several times. He was accused of plotting in 47 B.C. to assassinate Caesar. Age in 44 B.C.—about sixty-three.
I. Age in 44 B.C. stated if known or at least roughly known.