Pugnalate Cesare Courses

Pugnalate Cesare was a famous and iconic phrase used to describe the assassination of Julius Caesar by his senators in 44 B.C. in Rome. The phrase roughly translates to "stab Caesar" and it quickly became famous as a rallying cry of those in the Ancient Roman Republic who wanted greater power to be distributed among the citizens rather than held solely by one ruler. The assassination was the result of a long military and political battle between Julius Caesar and Pompey, his former ally and rival. Once Julius Caesar declared himself Rome's dictator, a group of senators, led by Brutus and Cassius, feared he had taken too much power and plotted to end his rule. They eventually succeeded, and on the Ides of March 44 B.C., when Julius entered the Senate House surrounded by his assassins, one of them shouted "Pugnalate Cesare!" The phrase found renewed relevance during the Middle Ages, when it was used to emphasize the importance of citizen participation in politics. Later, during the Enlightenment and the French Revolution, it was used to criticize the concentration of power held exclusively by kings and monarchs. Today, the phrase still stands as a reminder of democracy and the power of the people.