On February 44BC
Julius Caesar declared himself dictator for life. This act, along
with Julius Caesar's continual efforts to prove and show his power,
turned many in the Senate against him. Sixty members of the Senate
concluded that the only solution to this problem would be to
assassinate him. Nevertheless, after many discussions and proposals,
the conspirators were finally able to execute their plan.
On March 15, 44BC,
on the ides of March, a group of senators pulled their hidden daggers
and struck Caesar. Caesar rose to defend himself, but on his valiant
efforts to save himself, Julius Gaius Gracchus drove a sword into his
ribs and ended with his life. Under the mass of wounds, he fell at
the foot of Pompey's statue.
That morning Clodia
Minor had received a letter from Julius Gaius Gracchus requesting her
services at Palatine Hill. But before she was head to Palatine Hill,
she would have to complete the chores she had been assigned by her
master. On her way to the Forum, she noticed that there were less
people than usual. This when she decided it was prudent to approach another slave and ask her if she knew if an event was taking place. The servant responded
“Julius Caesar is heading to Pompey Theatre to finalize his
agenda.” With the number of Julius Caesar's petitions that had been
denied lately, Clodia Minor found it of equal importance, and soon
made her way to the theatre.
When Clodia
arrived, she saw crowds of people gathering around the statue of
Pompey. When she got closer to the scene, she heard people screaming
and shouting in panic, “Julius Caesar has been killed!” This was
too much to take in at once, but who could possibly kill the
dictator? This is when Clodia heard the speculations that the
senators had participated in his murder. The first thought that came
to Clodia's mind was Gaius Julius Gracchus.
Out of fear, Clodia
Minor refused to go to the meeting that afternoon. Little did she
know, that Julius Caesar Gracchus would send his men to murder her
for denying him her services.
That day, two
heroes had fallen......
