Rome on Sunday commemorated one of the most famous and dramatic moments in its history: the Ides of March, the day in 44 BC when Julius Caesar was assassinated. The event, which marked the beginning of the end of the Roman Republic and paved the way for the rise of the Roman Empire, was remembered with a series of ceremonies and historical reenactments.
The commemoration took place in the archaeological area of Largo di Torre Argentina, which corresponds to the site of the Curia of Pompey’s Theatre, the Senate chamber where the conspiracy led by Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus culminated in Caesar’s assassination.
The event began with greetings and speeches from city authorities, followed by performances by historical reenactment groups, including the cultural associations Decima Legio and XXX Ulpia.
Participants staged the conspiracy and assassination scene before a symbolic funeral procession moved from Largo di Torre Argentina to the statue of Julius Caesar along Via dei Fori Imperiali.
Actors also delivered the famous speeches attributed to Brutus, Mark Antony and Calpurnia. Hundreds of Romans attended the commemoration, paying tribute to one of the most decisive turning points in ancient history