The die is cast, Caesar said, and ‘crossed the Rubicon!’
What you need to know:
The name became legendary: ‘crossing the Rubicon’ came to mean one going beyond the bounds/limits – thereby irrevocably committing oneself to an adventurous undertaking!
The Rubicon is a muddy, shallow river north of central Italy flowing east from the Apennines into the Adriatic, forming part of the boundary between Cisalpine Gaul and Roman Italy.
The name became legendary: ‘crossing the Rubicon’ came to mean one going beyond the bounds/limits – thereby irrevocably committing oneself to an adventurous undertaking!
This is rooted in the commitment by Caius Julius Caesar on a date like today’s (January 10) in 49BC when he crossed the Rubicon into Italy with a military contingent from Cisalpine Gaul, the province he administered. That ‘crossing’ amounted to a declaration of war by Caesar against his home-country!
In those days, Promagistrates (governors) of Roman Provinces abroad weren’t to bring their military legions into Italy on the pain of losing their posting and worse - including execution! In Caesar’s case, however, he was victorious in the civil war which his action sparked in the ‘motherland!’
Named Governor of Gaul where he exhibited outstanding military skills in subduing the native Celtic and Germanic tribes, Caesar’s popularity soared. Perceived as a threat to the Senate and to Pompey who held power in Rome, the Senate required Caesar to resign his command and disband his army - or risk being ‘disciplined!’
The Senate summoned Caesar to Rome to stand trial on assorted charges. This put him on the horns of a dilemma: whether or not he should sheepishly go to Rome to quietly stand trial, or ‘cross the Rubicon’ with soldiers loyal to him and take matters into his own (military) hands. He chose the latter...
“Let’s go where the omens of the Gods and the crimes of our enemies summon us! ‘Alea iacta est’ (the die is cast),” Caesar roared at the river bank... [www.eyewitnesstohistory.com (2002)].
And, as they say: the rest is history! Shortly after Rome learned Caesar was coming with an army, many of the senators and consuls fled Rome - including Pompeius Magnus (Pompey), Caesar’s chief rival for power who supported the Senate!
What with one thing leading to another, Caesar was victorious, becoming ‘Dictator Perpetuo’ (dictator-in-perpetuity) of Rome. Pompey fled to Egypt where he was assassinated in 48BC. [Incidentally, Caesar was also assassinated by ‘fellow Romans, countrymen’ in 44BC. But, that’s another tale!] Developments in the aftermath of Caesar’s crossing the Rubicon led to the end of the Roman Republic and the beginning of the (Holy) Roman Empire – which, my History Class Master Alex Gardner stressed – was neither Holy, Roman nor an Empire! But, that’s another story...
Oh, History does have much that’s interesting, intriguing... For instance, three Popes died on January 10 - albeit in different years: Pope Miltiades (died January 10, 314AD); Pope Agatho (681AD) and Pope Gregory-X (1276AD)!
It was also on January 10, 1946 that the first UN General Assembly opened in London, with 51 nations represented... And France Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte divorced his first wife ‘Not-Tonight Joséphine,’ in 1810! Ye gods... Cheers!
