Famous Men of Rome · Ch. XXI, part 3 · Unit 4: The end of the Republic

31. Julius Caesar, part 3: The Ides of March

Goal: Your child can tell how Caesar ruled, why he made a new calendar, and how he was killed on the Ides of March.

⏱ About 30 minutes · 7 steps

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You'll need

  • The book, open to this chapter
  • Paper and colored pencils
  • Your timeline strip (see the tips at the top)
  • A calendar

What's in the book

The rest of Chapter XXI: Caesar's four-day triumph, his title of dictator for life and "Father of his Country," his buildings and the new Julian Calendar with a leap year every four years. A plot forms, led partly by Brutus, and Caesar is killed in the Senate on the Ides of March. Mark Antony speaks at the funeral.

The lesson, step by step

  1. Set the scene

    SayCaesar has beaten all his enemies. Now he is master of Rome. Remember how the Romans felt about kings?

  2. Read the chapter

    Read from Caesar's triumph to the end of Chapter XXI. It begins:

    He had equal success in Africa and Spain.

  3. Tell it back

    Prompts:

    - What was in Caesar's great triumph?

    - What titles and honors did Caesar receive?

    - Why did some nobles plot against him?

    - What warning did Caesar laugh at?

  4. The calendar

    The book says the true year is 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and 50 seconds. Work it out together: four years of those extra hours and minutes add up to 23 hours, 15 minutes and 20 seconds, almost a whole day. So Caesar added one day every fourth year.

    SayOur calendar today is Caesar's calendar with one small fix made in 1582: most years ending in 00 skip the leap day.

    Look at a calendar: the month of July is named after Julius Caesar.

  5. Talk it over

    Read:

    I am not king, but only Caesar.

    and the warning:

    Beware the Ides of March!

    SayThe Ides of March was the fifteenth of March.

    Ask: The plotters said killing Caesar saved the Republic. The book says it did not. Why not?

  6. Remember it

    Add to the timeline: "44 B.C. Julius Caesar is killed." The book says he died forty-four years before Christ was born.

    SayThis Brutus is usually called Marcus Brutus. The famous Latin words "Et tu, Brute?" come from Shakespeare's play about Caesar; our book gives them in English: "You, too, Brutus!"

  7. Words from Rome

    SayCaesar defended himself with his stylus, a pointed iron tool for writing on wax. Our word style comes from it. Later emperors took the name Caesar as part of their title.

Afterwards

Ask your child to explain to someone else why we have a leap year.

Answers to the book's problems

The triumph lasted four days, with chariots, banners showing his battles, elephants and camels, prisoners carrying treasure, plays, games and feasts. Caesar was made dictator for life, called imperator and Father of his Country, given statues and a throne-like chair. Nobles feared he meant to make himself king. The book says the Republic had already ceased to exist in all but name, and Rome became an empire.

Worked out for this site from the scan. If a number in your copy differs, trust the book.

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