Ides of March

• The Ides of March in the Roman Calendar corresponds to the 15th of March, and was a festival dedicated to the God Mars and marked by a military parade, which originally coincided with the full moon.
• The date has became synonymous with the Assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BCE.

The Ides in the Roman Calendar

• The Ides refers to the 15th of March, May, July and October.
• For the remaining months, the Ides means the 13th.

Assassination of Julius Caesar

• On the 15th of March 44 BCE, Julius Caesar was assassinated in the Curia (Meeting Room) of the Pompey's Stone Theatre.

• Plutarch
  • Stated that he had been forewarned by a Seer.
• Suetonius
  • Named the Seer as the Haruspex Spurinna.

Beware the Ides of March

• “Beware the Ides of March” is a quote from the Play ‘Julius Caesar’ by William Shakespeare.
  • It was a warning given to Julius Caesar by the Roman Soothsayer, the Haruspex Spurinna, where she predicted the Assassination of Julius Caesar.
  • Plutarch wrote that the Soothsayer gave a warning and William Shakespeare immortalised it in this now famous quotation.