Julius Caesar: How historian uncovered secret meaning to Roman leader's famous quote

Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman dictator, politician and military general who played a critical role in the fall of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire. In 60 BC, Caesar, Marcus Licinius Crassus and Pompey The Great formed the First Triumvirate, an alliance that dominated Roman politics for several years. Caesar rose to become one of the most powerful politicians in the Roman Republic through a number of his accomplishments, notably his victories in the Gallic Wars, completed by 51 BC. 

After these concluded, the Senate ordered Caesar to step down and return to Rome, but this meant losing his immunity from being charged as a criminal, and, as a result, Caesar found himself with no other option but to cross the Rubicon River and illegally challenge the Roman power structure.

It was explained during Amazon Prime’s “I, Caesar” documentary how events then played out.

The narrator said in 1997: “The choice was stark, surrender his legions and face trial, exile, even death, or fight.

“Declaring ‘the die is cast’ he crossed the Rubicon, which marked the northeastern border of Italy, and headed towards Rome.

Julius Caesar was an Roman leader

Julius Caesar was an Roman leader (Image: GETTY)

Caesar rose to power more than 2,000 years ago

Caesar rose to power more than 2,000 years ago (Image: GETTY)

It’s interesting that he picks a gambler’s term for this

Peter Connolly

“Word spread quickly, people knew of Caesar’s brutal behaviour in Gaul and feared the worst.

“His experienced veterans advanced south, tearing through hastily organised oppositions.

“The towns of Italy feared the worst, but were spared, as their city gates opened without a fight. 

“Senatorial opponents in Rome, like Cicero, felt increasingly isolated.”

However, renowned British scholar Peter Connolly, who passed away in 2012, claimed during the series that there was a secret meaning to Caesar’s words.

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The Roman leader led his fighters into battle

The Roman leader led his fighters into battle (Image: GETTY)

Mr Connolly claims the leader may not have been as confident as he seemed.

He said during the series: “When he embarks on a civil war and he crosses the Rubicon, his famous statement ‘the die is cast,’ it has two meanings.

“One, it’s done, there’s no going back.

‘But it’s interesting that he picks a gambler’s term for this, because the other meaning is that the die is in the air.

“Of course nobody knows which way it will land.”

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Peter Connolly

Peter Connolly said there were two meanings to the quote (Image: AMAZON)

Other Roman leaders plotted against Caesar

Other Roman leaders plotted against Caesar (Image: GETTY)

The narrator then detailed how this roll of the dice paid off for Caesar.

He explained: “Caesar entered Rome to find his opponents had fled and within weeks, Pompey had gathered loyal legions under his command.

“A civil war waged throughout North Africa and Europe.

“Caesar headed west to crush any legions that had declared their support for Pompey.

“After winning victory in Spain, he marched to Greece to confront Pompey himself on the plain of Pharsalus.

“Caesar, with 22,000 troops, was outnumbered two to one, but once the battle was joined, he proved the more skilful general.

“15,000 of Pompey’s finest troops were killed, the rest captured, it was a decisive victory, but Pompey himself managed to escape.”

On the Ides of March (March 15), 44 BC, Caesar was assassinated by a group of rebellious senators led by Gaius Cassius Longinus, Marcus Junius Brutus and Decimus Junius Brutus, who stabbed him to death.

A new series of civil wars broke out and the constitutional government of the Republic was never fully restored. 

Caesar’s adopted heir Octavian, later known as Augustus, rose to sole power after defeating his opponents in the civil war. 

Octavian set about solidifying his power, and the era of the Roman Empire began.

source: express.co.uk