WI Julius Caesar dies in 48 BC in Dyrrachium?

After his victories in Spain Julius Caesar arrived in Illyricum in January of 48 BC... His legate Marcus Antonius drawn by opposite winds landed further north and his army was chased by Pompey but Caesar with a small portion of his army advanced forcing Pompey to retreat in order not to get caught between the armies of Caesar and Antonius... However in 10 July 48 BC Pompey numbering 45000 men attacked Caesar's 15000 army near Dyrrachium... After some fighting the heavily outnumbered Caesar was flanked by Pompey and realising battle is lost he decided to begin a co-ordinated withdrawal from battlefield rather than die trying to win a hopeless battle... WI Caesar was killed that time during the battle or while evacuating the battlefield? With Caesar out of the picture how is situation in Roman Republic alters? Would Marcus Antonius take the mantle and lead Caesar's men against Pompey or surrender to the Senate and Pompey?
 
A dead Caesar would mean the most powerful man in Rome is Pompeii. Marc Anthony couldn't hope for exile. He was not strong enough stop Pompeii but strong enough to be a hinderance to his rise to absolute power. His forces would be reduced from soldiers joining Pompeii or burning their uniforms and melting into the populous. Those that remained could not stop Pompeii.

The senate, as a governing body, would cease to exist. Pompeii would simply state that pro-Caesar senators were traitors and be killed. Anyone who voted against Pompeii would then be considered a Caesarist. Long story short, Pompeii rules with dictator-like power.
 
A dead Caesar would mean the most powerful man in Rome is Pompeii. Marc Anthony couldn't hope for exile. He was not strong enough stop Pompeii but strong enough to be a hinderance to his rise to absolute power. His forces would be reduced from soldiers joining Pompeii or burning their uniforms and melting into the populous. Those that remained could not stop Pompeii.

The senate, as a governing body, would cease to exist. Pompeii would simply state that pro-Caesar senators were traitors and be killed. Anyone who voted against Pompeii would then be considered a Caesarist. Long story short, Pompeii rules with dictator-like power.


I agree... Maybe what follows is a repeat of OTL only with Pompey instead of Caesar... An "Ides of March" style assassination is propable for Dictator-for-life Pompey but unlike Caesar who lacked a direct legitimate heir (Octavian was adopted) Pompey had 2 full grown sons... So civil war could erupt between Gnaeus Pompeius/Sextus Pompeeius and "Liberatores" (aka Pompey's assassins) with unknown results... Plus we have here Marcus Antonius too as a rogue agent now... He could go into Egypt and steer rebelion there...
 
Well.... Bye bye to Roman Egypt and Anatolia, no conquered Britain and a longer lasting roman republic... Very scary situation that could completly change the outcome of Europe.
 
Well.... Bye bye to Roman Egypt and Anatolia, no conquered Britain and a longer lasting roman republic... Very scary situation that could completly change the outcome of Europe.

I don't think Egypt would be free of Rome that easily - I'm sure it would be retaken. In fact, wasn't Rome pretty much heading towards Empire before Caesar?
 
Pompey would become the most powerful man in the Roman Republic though it seemed that it was heading its way towards transformation into a full-fledged dictatorship with how things were running.
 
Well with Pompey in Caesar's place u have the Pompeians instead of Julio-Claudians as Emperors if History repeats OTL in Pompey... Also we have to take seriously in mind that Marcus Antonius is a rogue agent now and could cause signifigant troubles to Pompey so he has to keep an eye on him or get him out of the picture... An alliance of Antonius with Egypt could cause more mayhem in the Republic...
 
1) Why goodbye to the east? Pompey had a good curriculum there, conquering Syria, Iudaea
2) It is not auromatic that A Pompey-win-the-civil-war means Pompey-becomes-the-Emperor (with a capital "E") and thus end-of-the-Republic. Pompey (declared) war-aim included restoring Senate privileges, like Sulla did some 50 years before. And if he was to follow Sulla steps, we could see him keeping the power for some times, making the pars aristocratica stronger and then stepping down.
Thus, Pompey's triumph could very much mean a longer lifespan for the Republic.
 
1) Why goodbye to the east? Pompey had a good curriculum there, conquering Syria, Iudaea
2) It is not auromatic that A Pompey-win-the-civil-war means Pompey-becomes-the-Emperor (with a capital "E") and thus end-of-the-Republic. Pompey (declared) war-aim included restoring Senate privileges, like Sulla did some 50 years before. And if he was to follow Sulla steps, we could see him keeping the power for some times, making the pars aristocratica stronger and then stepping down.
Thus, Pompey's triumph could very much mean a longer lifespan for the Republic.

Octavian vowed to do the same too but in the end his efforts proved that were serving his own ambitions... Pompey could restore the Senate but the plebeians and the army were loyal to him... Remember that in 67 BC and 66 BC Lex Gabinia and Lex Manilia were passed with an unprecedent bypassing of the Senate (the laws were passed and confirmed by the popular assembly where Pompey had complete control) thus giving Pompey supreme powers over the army... And being victorious he ensured the loyalty of his armies... So if Pompey wishes to grasp power the Senate could do nothing to stop him... The days that the army was loyal to the Senate and People of Rome were past... The army is now loyal to victorious Generals...
 
Octavian vowed to do the same too but in the end his efforts proved that were serving his own ambitions... Pompey could restore the Senate but the plebeians and the army were loyal to him... Remember that in 67 BC and 66 BC Lex Gabinia and Lex Manilia were passed with an unprecedent bypassing of the Senate (the laws were passed and confirmed by the popular assembly where Pompey had complete control) thus giving Pompey supreme powers over the army... And being victorious he ensured the loyalty of his armies... So if Pompey wishes to grasp power the Senate could do nothing to stop him... The days that the army was loyal to the Senate and People of Rome were past... The army is now loyal to victorious Generals...

Nonetheless, pompey had Sulla as an explicit model, thile the Iulian family (both Caesar ant Octavianus) viewed him as the enemy archetipe.
Pomey was not exactly one of the populares :rolleyes:
 
Nonetheless, pompey had Sulla as an explicit model, thile the Iulian family (both Caesar ant Octavianus) viewed him as the enemy archetipe.
Pomey was not exactly one of the populares :rolleyes:

Power can change a man... And with the precedent of Leges Gabinia and Manilia Pompey could easily bupass the Senate and turn Senators and opposing aristocrats/Patricians powerless since these law disgrunt;ed aristocracy which would be happy with Pompey out of the picture or at least under their control...
 
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