According to Suetonius (Lives of the Caesars, Julius 81) there were many warnings presented to Julius Caesar about his impending doom. He received bad omens such as the discovery of a table of brass that spoke of “a descendant of Iulus” being slain by his kinsmen. He had dreams and his wife had dreams. A soothsayer named Spurinna observed various signs that something bad was going to happen to Caesar. There was such a fear that Caesar’s wife begged him to skip his final appearance before the senate prior to launching his next military campaign.
Unfortunately for Caesar he was convinced by Decimus Brutus that avoiding the senate would shame them and it would cause him further problems. He considered Brutus a son, so he didn’t suspect Brutus’ participation in the plot against his life. In fact, his will stated that if for some reason Octavian (future Augustus) was not alive then Brutus was to receive the inheritance destine for Octavian.
As Caesar moved toward the meeting with the senate he was handed a paper with a warning, but he was too busy to read it. When he entered the senate meeting he was attacked by Tullius Cimber, and then the others, including Brutus.
What is quite amazing to me is that if Caesar lives a series of other events unfold. He continues his military campaigns aiming to expand Rome’s power. What happens to young Octavian? Does he join Caesar on the front lines of war? Does anything happen to him? Does Brutus receive Caesar’s inheritance? If so, how does he handle it?
It is impossible to know what happens to Caesar in this alternative universe, but it is fun to speculate. What do you imagine may have happened if Caesar had survived? How may have this impacted Rome’s expansion? What about Rome’s future governance?
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