Hello, and welcome to the History of Rome, episode 43, insert well-known idiom here.

Since we began the history of Rome some 50 odd episodes ago, I've covered some pretty

obscure stuff.

Things that have long been forgotten by all the professional scholars and a few amateur

enthusiasts.

Indeed, I was drawn to the idea of producing this podcast, specifically to shed light on

some of these oft-ignored stories.

The next few episodes will be a bit different, though.

This week, we are going to start dealing with things that are so famous that they have

worked their way well into our collective imagination.

For the next little while, it's going to be all, the day is cast, I came, I saw, I conquered,

a tube rote, and I come here not to praise Caesar, but to bury him.

We're about to delve into events and personalities that are almost universally recognizable.

That the language of Caesar's Civil War still sits on the tips of our tongues is a testament

to the massive impact it had on the development of the Western world.

Because what do you say when you want to express that someone has gone past the point of

no return?

Ah, yes, you say that they are crossing the Rubicon.

As the winter of 50 BC came to a close, Caesar and the Senate had reached an impasse.

Caesar refused to obey a direct order from the Senate to stand down his army, and the

Senate refused to grant any of the concession Caesar demanded an exchange for his cooperation.

Both sides accused the other of upending the rule of law for the sake of private ambition.

...