DBWI: Gajus Julius Caesar assassinated...

...a couple of months before the Caesaris astrum comes close to Earth. How would Rome handle this? Would it revert to republicanism? Or monarchy? Or dictatorship? Who would lead following Caesar's death?
 
The Republic is dead, one way or another. Without the Caesarean model of Dictatura, I'm not sure whether a stable system can be achieved at all. It took a charismatic warleader to bring Rome into the modern age (if you look at comparable instances, it is almost incredible how long they managed to cling to the impractical polis model - at that point, Greece had long switched to basileia). Without the switch, the Imperium might simply fall apart like the Delian League did.

Of course it would depend on who does it, too. I suspect the most likely culprit would be someone close to him, but jealous of his success. Pompey comes to mind if it happens before their war. Or Sextus Pompeius, after the war, to avenge his father. Alternatively, maybe Lepidus or Marcus Antonius figure they can get away with replacing Caesar. I don't think either had it in them, though if anyone, Marcus Antonius might have stood a chance. If it's Pompey, he might try to rebuild his father's clientela and make himself dictator perpetuus, but the Caesarians would likely prevent that. In that case, a collapse into disorder is likeliest, especially after the star. The people would panic and riot.
 
If he had been assassinated, that at least would have saved me from reading those bloody commentaries about his Parthian Campaign. What a waste of time... :mad:
 
If he had been assassinated, that at least would have saved me from reading those bloody commentaries about his Parthian Campaign. What a waste of time... :mad:

He was a brilliant tactician and an inspired leader - asking him to also be a brilliant writer is too much, I think :p

Yes, I read all his commentaries, too, and man do they suck.
 
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