The place where Julius Caesar was killed is the newest tourist spot in Rome
2023-06-21 19:38:03
TiranaPost
An ancient square where historians believe Julius Caesar was stabbed on March 15, 44 AD, one of the most infamous assassinations in history, opened to the public for the first time on Tuesday.
The Sacred Area of Largo Argentina, containing the remains of four ancient temples in a bustling part of central Rome, can now be seen up close for €5.
The site was previously only visible from street level and was overgrown with weeds.
"One of the most beautiful and precious places in Rome is finally fully usable by Roman citizens and tourists, who will from now on be able to see from the wonderful archaeological finds nearby from different periods of the history of our city", says a press release.
Caesar's death has stood in Western culture as one of the greatest political events in history, although its details and wider implications continue to be debated.
In Shakespeare's dramatic retelling, the dying dictator's last words were: "Et tu, Brute?" - after seeing that his old friend Marcus Brutus, one of the main ringleaders of the assassination plot, was among his assassins.
What is agreed upon is that Brutus and a group of Roman senators were concerned about the extent of Caesar's power and influence and about undermining the Republic.
However, Caesar's assassination sparked a period of revenge and civil war that killed thousands. His designated successor, his 18-year-old adopted son, Octavian, became what is considered Rome's first emperor in AD 27, known until then as Augustus.
