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Dictator perpetuo

Office held by Julius Caesar

Dictator perpetuo

Office held by Julius Caesar

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Dictator perpetuo (English: "dictator in perpetuity"), also called dictator in perpetuum, was the office Julius Caesar held at the end of his life. He was granted the title between 26 January and 15 February during the year 44 BC. By abandoning the time restrictions of the regular Roman dictatorship, it elevated Caesar to a rank more akin to the ancient Roman kings. This change, among other monarchical tendencies, motivated his assassination a few weeks later on 15 March 44 BC.

History

Julius Caesar held the dictator position for only eleven days in 49 BCE (holding elections either as dictator Comit. habend. or as dictator rei gerundae causa) and again for the year 48/47 BCE. In 46 BCE, he was elected dictator for the next ten years. At some point between January and February 44 BCE he was appointed dictator perpetuo, but was assassinated less than two months later, on the Ides of March.

Stefan Weinstock has argued that the perpetual dictatorship was part of the senatorial decrees regarding Caesar's divine honors, as well as his planned apotheosis as Divus Iulius, a complex of honors aimed at eternity and divinity.

References

References

  1. For this title in inscriptions and texts ''cf''. the ''Fasti Capitolini'' (Rome): ..../ ''[C(aius) Iulius C(ai) f(ilius) C(ai) n(epos) Caesar in perpetuum dict(ator)] / [rei gerundae causa]''... and the ''Fasti Amiternini'' (''Amiternum''/ Poggio San Vittorino): ''...[C(aius) Iulius Ca]esar dict(ator) [in p]erpetuum/ [bellu]m civil(e) Mutine(n)se / cum M(arco) [A]ntonio...''; important is also [https://www.livius.org/li-ln/livy/periochae/periochae116.html Livy, ''Perioch.'' CXVI] {{Webarchive. link. (2018-12-04: ''Caesar... Et cum plurimi maximique honores a senatu decreti essent (inter quos... dictator in perpetuum esset...)...'' For the date [http://www.csun.edu/~hcfll004/datesjc.html "Julius Caesar: Dates and Events"].)
  2. Wilson, Mark. (2021). "Dictator: The Evolution of the Roman Dictatorship". University of Michigan Press.
  3. (11 August 2020). "Caesar: Life of a Colossus". Yale University Press.
  4. Martin Jehne (1987), ''Der Staat des Dicators Caesar'', Köln/Wien, pp. 15-38.
  5. Weinstock, Stefan. (1971). "Divus Julius". Clarendon Press.
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44-bc heads-of-government heads-of-state latin-political-words-and-phrases positions-of-authority julius-caesar dictatorship coups-d'état-in-europe self-coups
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