They were rebellious senators led by Brutus in Cassius who committed the murder. Caesar was stabbed 23 times. About 60 senators were believed to be involved in the conspiracy. They felt that Caesar was taking too much power.
The conspirators were pardoned after the murder and retreated to the east of the Roman Empire. There they were devastated two years later by Caesar’s allies in the battle of Philippi, in what is now Macedonia. Brutus then committed suicide.
Eventually an adopted son of Caesar came to power, Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus, who later became Emperor Augustus. Caesar’s assassination and Brutus’ dilemmas were also immortalized in William Shakespeare’s play “Julius Caesar”. From this also comes the famous phrase “beware the Ides of March“Beware of the iden of March”, which Caesar hears from an oracle.
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