Julius Caesar, theâdictator for lifeâof the Roman Empire, is murdered by his own senators at a meeting in a hall next to Pompeyâs Theatre. The conspiracy against Caesar encompassed as many as sixty noblemen, including Caesarâs own protege, Marcus Brutus. Caesar was scheduled to leave Rome to fight in a war on March 18 and had appointed loyal members of his army to rule the Empire in his absence. The Republican senators, already chafing at having to abide by Caesarâs decrees, were particularly angry about the prospect of taking orders from Caesarâs underlings.