On Edge

On edge.  Two words to describe the City of Rome and its environs following the death of Julius Caesar at the hands of several men on the Ides of March 44 B.C.  Julius Caesar himself, had pretty much taken full control of Rome and it provinces by 44 B.C. Hence the reason that men who believed in the Roman Republic would take matters into their own hands.  Julius Caesar was fresh off a victory over Pompey Magnus, who was the Consul of the Roman Republic.  Caesar had crossed the Rubicon with his legions to head south to Rome.  Even though it was a clear violation of Roman law (the Roman Senate had to approve legions heading into that portion of Italy), the law was disregarded by a man who had obtained much in military victory, thought himself as invincible, and was still wanting more.  Although most historians regard his adopted son, Octavian, who would become Augustus Caesar as the first Roman Emperor, it was Julius Caesar who did much to show the way.  When Brutus, Cassius, and Decimus plotted the murder of Julius Caesar they were hoping to save the republic.  They knew they had to act as Caesar and his legions were to leave Rome in a few days to conquer Parthia. While the main conspirators knew the importance of the legions, Cassius and Decimus were well regarded generals, they had hoped for a better outcome from the people of Rome.

Bust of Julius Caesar

 After having just faced a civil war the citizens of Rome were not inclined to have to go through another round.  Perhaps they did not like the power Caesar had gained and gathered to himself, but yet there may have been a certain comfort with the leader.  As dictators go, Caesar was not all bad.  he gave to the poor.  However, to keep the men in his legions happy, he confiscated land and belongings with those he disagreed, or disagreed with him, for distribution to the men of the legions. The concern was if Caesar was victorious against the Parthians he would entrench himself even more and deny the rights of the senate.   He was making the military happy, and in the closing era before the birth of Christ, a happy military was like a happy financial industry today.  While the citizens of Rome could understand the reasons for the murder of Caesar, they did not necessarily appreciate it.  The publicity machine around Caesar had made him a living god, and coupled with the possibility of another civil war, the citizens preferred some time off.

Octavian, also known as Caesar Augustus

Even though two days after the Ides of March a certain peace had been established and accommodations made, Caesar's right hand man, Marc Antony would have other ideas.  The young Octavian, not yet in his twenties, but smart, ruthless, brutal and cunning would play both sides of the fence knowing full well that he, as Caesar's adopted son and main heir of the large estate, would seize control of Rome for himself.  It certainly helped his cause that the well regarded orator Cicero (and a person whose letters would give insight to the events of this time, would back him over Antony.  Cicero was a republican, and believed in the plot to kill Caesar, although he also thought Antony should be killed as well.  Cicero may have been right that Antony was dangerous to the republic, but he was wrong in siding with Octavian.  

Coin minted by Brutus to pay his troops.
Note the two daggers, to make them well aware who he was

Octavian would, for awhile, side his forces against Antony with those of Decimus, but he would also pull away and let Decimus face the fate of death rather than allow Decimus to join forces with Brutus and Cassius who, by this time (43 B.C.) were in the eastern part of the empire.  Decimus would see a wholesale desertion of his forces as time was running out, and would be beheaded when captured by a man for whom he had done favors while ruler of Gaul.  Past favors were easily bought-off  by the bounty on Decimus' head.  Octavian and Antony would join forces together, and with promises of riches to the legions they led, they set off east to conquer Brutus and Cassius.  Brutus and Cassisus had made deals, and even shaken down some provinces and lands east to obtain funds to which they paid there men before battle.  The legions were usually paid after a successful battle from the bounty and lands captured--not before.  Brutus and Cassius recognized the increasingly strong roll the military paid, and the before engagement payments was a way for them to be ahead of the curve, and to make up for past transgressions when immediately after the death of Julius Caesar they failed to make proper appropriations to the military.

Cassius

In the fall of 42 B.C. the forces of two of the main conspirators fell to those commanded by Antony and Octavian near the city of Philippi in Macedonia near the Aegean Sea.  The fall of Brutus is described by the poet Horace as "when virtue broke."  The murder of Caesar would not bring back the republic, it would lead, not only to the early demise of Brutus, Cassius and Decimus, but it would give Rome what the three wanted to prevent--dictatorship and autocracy.  Historian Barry Strauss says that true autocracy of Rome did not begin until the reign of Diocletian (ruled 285 to 309 A.D.) although he also says that much power had been concentrated in to the hands of Octavian--Caesar Augustus.  However, he notes that even Augustus had given some semblance of authority to the Roman Senate, they had control of a few essential provinces and even a few legions.  Augustus referred to himself as first citizen, not dictator.  Augustus knew full well the fate of Julius Caesar and thus, as Strauss writes:  "Augustus showed a certain fear and healthy respect for the Roman nobility. He remembered what happened on the Ides of March and he knew it could happen again."

Location of Philippi

Things are different in the 21st century as compared to the the last century before the birth of Christ.  While the military still holds importance they are subservient to political leaders, at least in Western democracies.  Political assassination by one powerful person to another is much more rare than it was at the time of the Roman Empire and its beginnings from Pompey Magnus on.  However, today we have the financial class and the upper ten percent who gather the riches to themselves from the power bestowed to them through the ruling political class.  One example, the policies the Federal Reserve used for much of the Obama Administration is testament to the financial class.  Quantitative easing, or the pumping of money into the economy has helped the stock market with the top 1 % owning half of the stocks and bonds in the nation, and 81% of the stock wealth is owned by the top 10%.  The top ten percent has done well during this period of time. Quantitative easing allowed stock market prices to rise as near zero interest rates kept interest rates in banks low.  The American middle class has, over the past several years shrunk and lost ground.  So too do the hands of a few tech moguls seen huge increases in their personal value.

Are the tech and financial sectors of today comparable to the military at the time of Julius Caesar?  If so, we should all be aware, that just like then when the military did not wish to see their personal fortunes fall, so too do the wealthy today not wish to see their fortunes fall. Concern over the ruling class led first to the Tea Party and then Occupy Wall Street.  Two groups on opposite ends of the political spectrum, but also with similar concern of a nation doing much to protect the political and financial elites.  Is the United States, like Rome after the murder of Caesar, on edge?