Topic 5: Civil War and the Death of the Republic (49-44 BC)

The final conflict between Caesar and Pompey, and the assassination that changed Rome forever

H408/33 - Politics of the Late Republic

By the end of this topic, you will be able to:

Analyse the causes and outbreak of civil war between Caesar and Pompey in 49 BC
Evaluate Caesar's military campaigns and political strategies during the civil war
Assess the significance of key battles including Pharsalus and the African and Spanish campaigns
Examine Caesar's dictatorship, reforms, and accumulation of unprecedented powers
Analyse the motives and actions of the conspirators who assassinated Caesar
Evaluate contemporary and modern interpretations of Caesar's death and legacy

5.1

Crossing the Rubicon

Explore the dramatic events of January 49 BC when Caesar made his fateful decision to march on Rome with his legions.

Covers: The breakdown of negotiations, alea iacta est, Pompey's flight from Rome, the constitutional crisis

5.2

The Civil War Campaigns

Follow Caesar's military campaigns across the Mediterranean as he pursued and defeated the Pompeian forces.

Covers: Spain 49 BC, Pharsalus 48 BC, Egypt and Cleopatra, Africa 46 BC, Munda 45 BC

5.3

Caesar's Dictatorship

Examine Caesar's accumulation of power, his reforms, and the growing concerns about his monarchical ambitions.

Covers: Dictator perpetuo, clementia, reform programme, honours and titles, the Lupercalia incident

5.4

The Ides of March

Analyse the conspiracy against Caesar, the assassination on March 15, 44 BC, and its immediate aftermath.

Covers: The liberatores, Brutus and Cassius, the assassination, funeral and aftermath, legacy debates

Retrieval Practice

Test your knowledge with interactive quizzes covering all aspects of Topic 5. Multiple question types with instant feedback.

Features: Subtopic selection, drag-and-drop, gap-fill, flexible marking, progress tracking

Tip: Student worksheets are in purple, teacher resources in red. All files are PDF format for easy printing.

salve!