On this day in 44 B.C.E., Julius Caesar, the “dictator of life” of the large Roman Empire, was murdered. The conspiracy against Caesar consisted of as many as sixty noblemen, including Caesar’s own protege, Marcus Brutus.

Caesar had to leave for a war on March 18th and had appointed several loyal members, or senators, to take his role while he was absent from control. The senators were already angry about taking orders from people beneath them. Cassius Longinus started the scheme against the dictator, quickly getting his brother-in-law Marcus Brutus to join the plan as well.

Caesar was clueless about how many senators had it out for him, and he dismissed his security members not long before his assassination. Caesar was apparently handed a note the day before he went to the Senate meeting, which he never read. When Caesar showed up to the meeting, he encountered the senators holding daggers. Caesar was first hit in the neck, then the other senators joined in.

Marcus Brutus hit Caesar, and when he noticed it was Brutus, he said in Greek, “You too, my child?” After the murder, Antony took his place but later, Caesar’s will left Octavian, his adopted son, in charge. Brutus and Cassius tried to rally an army and Brutus even crafted coins celebrating the murder that became known as the Ides of March. Octavian deeply wished for revenge against the assassins and two years later, Cassius and Brutus took their own lives after learning that Octavian’s army had defeated theirs at the Battle of Philippa in Greece.

Antony took his armies east, where he met Caesar’s old lover, Cleopatra. Octavian and Antony fought against each other for years until Octavian proved to be more powerful. In 30 B.C., Antony committed suicide. Octavian, later known as Augustus, ruled the Roman Empire once again.