Ancient Accounts of Julius Caesar's Assassination: Sources and Timing

Julius Caesar's assassination on March 15, 44 BCE, is well-documented in ancient sources, primarily within the Roman historical tradition. Several historians and authors provided detailed accounts and insights into the events leading up to and following this significant event. This article explores the primary and secondary sources available, as well as the timing of their composition.

Primary Sources

The primary accounts of Caesar's assassination come from several notable Roman historians:

Suetonius

The Twelve Caesars (circa 121 CE): Suetonius, a Roman historian, provided a biographical account of Caesar's life, including details about the circumstances surrounding his assassination. His work offers an in-depth look into the political and personal life of Caesar.

Plutarch

Parallel Lives (circa 100 CE): In the biography of Caesar, Plutarch delves into the events leading up to and following the assassination, offering valuable insights into the political climate of the time.

Appian

Roman History (circa 150 CE): Appian's account provides a narrative of Caesar's life and the political context surrounding his assassination, offering a broader historical context.

Cassius Dio

Roman History (circa 200 CE): Cassius Dio's detailed account includes information about the conspirators involved in the assassination and the subsequent impacts on Roman history.

Velleius Paterculus

Roman History (circa 30 CE): Although not as detailed as others, Velleius Paterculus provides a brief account of Caesar's assassination and its significance.

All of these sources were written several decades to over a century after Caesar's death, reflecting the historical interpretations of the time rather than contemporary accounts. Despite some variations in detail and perspective, they collectively contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the assassination and its implications for Roman history.

Secondary Sources and Eyewitness Accounts

In addition to these primary accounts, secondary sources and eyewitness accounts further shed light on the assassination:

Vitruvius' Second Philippic

Marcus Tullius Cicero, a Roman orator and statesman, wrote the Second Philippic in response to a speech made by Mark Antony. Although Cicero did not deliver the speech as planned, it was published as a pamphlet shortly thereafter. In this work, Cicero intensely defends himself against accusations of involvement in the assassination, providing a unique perspective that has survived in written form. Cicero argues that he was not a conspirator and that it is unfair to ascribe the assassination to his instigation.

"But these are all old stories now. This charge, however, is quite a modern one that Caesar was slain by my contrivance. I am afraid, O conscript fathers, lest I should appear to you to have brought up a sham accuser against myself which is a most disgraceful thing to do a man not only to distinguish him by the praises which are his due but to load him also with those which do not belong to him."

Cicero's speech highlights his innocence and the political climate of the time, adding a valuable secondary source to the history of Caesar's assassination.

Nikolaus of Damascus

The Life of Augustus (circa 14 AD) by Nikolaus of Damascus includes fragments that describe Caesar's assassination. This secondary source provides additional context and corroborates the primary accounts, offering a broader historical perspective.

Overall, these accounts from primary and secondary sources offer a rich and detailed understanding of Julius Caesar's assassination, its causes, and its implications for Roman history.