Ides of March (historical re-enactment of the assassination of Julius Caesar)

The Ides of March return to where history happened

On March 15, 44 BC, Julius Caesar was assassinated in Rome by a group of conspirators led by Brutus and Cassius. The site of the ambush was not the Senate in the Forum, but the Curia of Pompey, the remains of which are located today in the Area Sacra di Largo di Torre Argentina, in the capital's historic center. It is precisely here, at the exact spot where history reached its climax, that the Gruppo Storico Romano presents the re-enactment of the Ides of March every year, one of Rome's most evocative historical reconstruction events.

Not a show, but an act of remembrance

The event is not intended as entertainment, but as an act of rigorous historical re-enactment, respectful of the site and the profound significance of the event that changed the fate of Rome and the ancient world. Re-enactors in faithfully reconstructed attire embody the senators, conspirators, and legions, bringing the atmosphere of the final days of the Roman Republic back to the public. The philological attention to costumes, insignia, and gestures is the hallmark of the initiative.

The conspiracy and the funeral procession

The heart of the re-enactment is the staging of the conspiracy and Caesar's assassination among the ruins of the Area Sacra. Immediately afterward, the dictator's body is carried in a funeral procession along the streets of the center to the statue of Julius Caesar on Via dei Fori Imperiali, where the orations of Brutus, Mark Antony, and Calpurnia, Caesar's wife, resonate. The public follows the procession, immersed in the natural theater of the Forums and the city's ancient stones.

Organizers

The event is organized by the Gruppo Storico Romano, the oldest historical re-enactment association in the capital, with the participation of the Legio XXX Ulpia Victrix of the "Decima Legio" Cultural Association and the Gruppo Storico Sabino. The event takes place under the patronage of Roma Capitale and the auspices of the Culture Commission of the Chamber of Deputies.

An appointment in the heart of Rome

The Ides of March are part of the rich calendar of cultural events of the Municipality of Rome, in the Lazio region, offering citizens and visitors the chance to relive a key moment of ancient history exactly where it occurred. Admission is free, and the re-enactment attracts history buffs, tourists, and families to the city's historic center every year.