March 15: Ides of March

On March 15, the Ides of March (44 BC), Julius Caesar was assassinated. His adopted son, Octavian, would not only take over his reign, but also his name. And so would later generations of rulers all over the world. Gradually, the name “Caesar” would become the highest inheritable noble title in languages as German (“Kaiser”) and Dutch (“keizer”). Caesar’s fame and legacy were truly established with the help of an astronomical phenomenon: a comet “that lit the sky during seven days”. Ovid called it “sidum Iulium”, “Julius’ Star”, or “Caesaris astrum”, “Caesar’s Star”. It was obvious to everyone attending the funeral games that this was Caesar’s soul on its way to deification on Mount Olympos. “Caesar’s Comet” would become one of those mysterious sky objects, that announced glory or doom throughout history. Together with “Hailey’s Comet” at the battle of Hastings, “Napoleon’s Comet” during the disastrous campaign in Russia and of course, “the star of Bethlehem” at the birth of Christ.

Green Caesar, Buste, Altes Museum, Berlin, Germany

Caesar, Bronze Statue, Rimini, Italy