1. Initial Shock and Mourning:
- News of Caesar's assassination quickly spread throughout Rome, causing shock, disbelief, and widespread grief among many Roman citizens, especially his supporters.
2. Senate Meeting and Conspirators' Escape:
- After the assassination, the conspirators, led by Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus, gathered in the Senate House. They tried to justify their actions by arguing that they were acting in the interest of the Republic.
- However, the conspirators realized they lacked popular support and were outnumbered. They decided to flee Rome for fear of retribution from Caesar's loyalists and supporters.
3. Public Reaction:
- Many of Caesar's supporters and the urban poor were enraged by his death. They expressed anger and demanded justice against the assassins.
- Crowds gathered in the Forum Romanum, where Caesar's body lay, and expressed their grief and outrage.
4. Mark Antony's Funeral Oration:
- Mark Antony, a close friend and ally of Caesar, played a significant role in shaping public opinion. He delivered a powerful and emotive funeral oration over Caesar's body.
- Antony's speech aroused the emotions of the crowd, inflaming their anger against the conspirators and turning the tide of public sentiment in Caesar's favour.
5. Formation of the Second Triumvirate:
- In the wake of Caesar's death, political realignments began. Antony formed an alliance with Octavian (Caesar's grandnephew and adopted heir) and Marcus Aemilius Lepidus (a military commander and Caesar's supporter).
- The three men formed the Second Triumvirate, effectively taking control of Rome and launching a campaign against the conspirators.
6. Civil War and Defeat of Brutus and Cassius:
- The conspirators, Brutus and Cassius, gathered their forces and raised armies to oppose the Second Triumvirate.
- The two sides engaged in a series of battles, culminating in the decisive Battle of Philippi in 42 BC. Brutus and Cassius were defeated, and both committed suicide rather than face capture.
7. Consolidation of Power:
- The Second Triumvirate consolidated its power, eliminating their political rivals and solidifying their control over the Roman world.
- This period marked a turning point in Roman history, paving the way for the eventual establishment of the Roman Empire under Augustus Caesar, Octavian's new title and the first emperor of Rome.