Download Why was Julius Caesar murdered?

Why was Julius Caesar
murdered?
Why was Julius Caesar
murdered?
Today’s Objective: Understanding
reasons (causation)
Skills
• Selection of
information
The story so far………
•
Starter – Brainstorm in
the your books
Who exactly was
Caesar?
The Republic under threat
German tribesmen invaded Gaul and
even threatened Rome in 102BC
King
Mithdradates VI
of Pontus
occupied Asia in
88BC
Some of
Rome’s allies in
Italy rebelled
against Roman
rule in 91BC
Slaves rebelled in
Sicily in 73BC
Pirates established strongholds in the eastern Med
& they attacked Roman shipping and coastal towns
Rivals
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.
POMPEY
CAESAR
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
They thought
he was becoming
too powerful
(like a tyrant)
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
Some
thought
he wanted to
become King,
and that would
mean the end of
the Republic
WHY?
The Senators
were
jealous
of him