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Debunking Five Myths About Julius Caesar
Spoiler: the salad is not named after him
In any list of famous historical rulers, one name in particular is sure to come up: Julius Caesar. He is easily the most famous Roman of all time (and second only to Frank Sinatra as the most famous Italian) and most people know at least the basics of his biography. As is the case with any notable figure from antiquity, however, a number of myths about him have crept in among the fact, myths that need to be dispelled for us to have an accurate view of the man.
It is no easy task separating fact from fiction about Julius Caesar. There are contemporary accounts, of course, but they have been overshadowed by two much louder voices: William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar and Hollywood movies. In fact, many of the myths perpetuated by modern films trace their origins to Shakespeare’s play. In this particular case, you could say that the Bard is one of the biggest revisers of history who ever lived.
In any case, here are five myths about Julius Caesar that deserve to be cleared up:
1. “Beware the Ides of March.” It’s true that Caesar was assassinated on March 15, 44 BC, the Ides of March, but the idea that a seer predicted the exact date of his death was totally invented by Shakespeare. Two Roman historians, Plutarch and Suetonius, record…
