After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal

Episode: Who Killed Julius Caesar?

Date: March 9, 2026
Host: Anthony Delaney
Guest: Dr. Jess Venner (Historian & Archaeologist)

Episode Overview

This episode plunges into the dramatic and world-altering assassination of Julius Caesar: not just the who, but the why and how behind one of history’s most famous murders. Host Anthony Delaney is joined by ancient historian Dr. Jess Venner, as they unravel the political chaos of late republican Rome, the psychology of its key players, and the enduring myths that sprang from March 15, 44 BCE.

Main Discussion Points

1. Setting the Scene: Rome in Turmoil

• Rome’s Flux: The late Republic was defined by mounting instability, political violence, and a growing gulf between old aristocratic power and the ambitions of ‘new men’ or populares.
• Senatorial Anxiety: "The senators...really, really unhappy because there are a lot of players that are starting to rise and realize that they can take power for themselves." (Dr. Jess Venner, 06:57)
• The Republican System: Strict checks on individual power, annual elections, and revulsion at kingship stemming from Rome’s foundational trauma—the expulsion of the Tarquin kings following Lucretia’s assault.

Key Quote:
"So the word ‘rex’, which is king, was just absolutely not. It was disgusting to them. They hated that."
—Dr. Jess Venner (12:08)

2. Build-up to the Ides of March

• Caesar’s Power: Caesar’s accumulation of military and populist support threatened the Republic’s fragile balance; his acceptance of increasingly kingly honors alarmed the elite.
• Festival Drama: During the Lupercalia festival, Mark Antony (possibly naked) offered Caesar a diadem (a symbol of kingship) twice—Caesar theatrically refused both times, wary of popular reaction (17:32).

Host’s Quip:
"I'm getting really hung up on the nude part of this."
—Host Anthony Delaney (18:12)

• Public Testing?: Antony and Caesar may have been “testing” public sentiment towards monarchy.
• Soothsayer’s Warning: The famed prophecy—“Beware the Ides of March”—came from a soothsayer who repeatedly warned Caesar, even at the Senate doors (24:50, 27:08).
• Ominous Dreams & Omens: Calpurnia, Caesar's wife, dreamt of his violent death and bleeding statues, urging him not to attend the Senate (25:14).

3. The Assassins and Their Motives

• Key Conspirators:
  • Marcus Junius Brutus: Descendant of Rome’s anti-royal founder, conflicted, pressured by public graffiti to “remember your ancestry” (28:53).
  • Gaius Cassius Longinus: Seasoned military man, once fought against Caesar, a key ringleader (31:15).
  • Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus: "The biggest traitor of all” — a close friend and even named in Caesar’s will, who convinces Caesar to attend the Senate that fatal day (32:27).
• Deadlines & Desperation: The conspirators rushed their plan as Caesar was set to depart to campaign in Persia, potentially returning invincible (33:35).

4. The Murder Unfolds (The Ides of March)

(Approx. 34:26–39:31)

• Scene: Senate meeting in the Theatre of Pompey (not the “cat sanctuary” as some tour guides claim). Caesar, without a bodyguard, is closely surrounded by as many as sixty conspirators.
• The Signal: A senator petitions Caesar, and upon being rebuffed, grabs Caesar’s toga as the signal to attack (35:47).
  • "It's so dramatic...pulling at the toga...it's so intimate and it's so personal..." (Host, 36:02)
• The Stabbing: The first blow hits his chest, soon followed by a frenzy of attackers. Brutus (Marcus) delivers a wound to the groin—in some sources, symbolically charged due to alleged scandals between Caesar and Brutus’s mother (37:25).
• No Defense: The assassins smuggled daggers into the hall using writing boxes; their plan counted on the unarmed Senate (36:38).
• Final Gesture: Upon recognizing Brutus, Caesar is said to draw his toga over his head, hiding his face in a last act of dignity (37:46).

Memorable Exchange:
"This is violence."
—Attributed to Caesar upon first contact (36:09)

5. The Aftermath: Not Saving the Republic

• Immediate Reaction: Caesar’s bloodied toga is paraded before the public, sparking riots from his supporters (44:25).
  • "Almost immediately, he's again given all these amazing things following his death." —Jess Venner
• Deification: A comet soon after is interpreted as a sign of Caesar becoming divine; Augustus later establishes a temple to “Divus Julius” in the Forum (45:24).
• Republic Falls, Empire Rises:
  • "They realized that actually it was an empire without the name of an empire...they were calling it a republic, but it really wasn't." (Dr. Jess Venner, 45:40)
  • The assassins’ intention to preserve the Republic leads instead to more chaos, civil wars, and the rise of Augustus (Octavian), Caesar’s grand-nephew and adopted heir.

Key Quote:
"They had wanted to preserve this. But actually, what we see is the rise of empire."
—Host Anthony Delaney (45:29)

• Brutus’s Fate: Tries to legitimize the murder, minting coins with daggers and the legend "Ides of March"—but public mood turns, and power solidifies around Octavian (47:05).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• On the Republican Mindset:
  "The word rex, which is king, was just absolutely not. It was disgusting to them. They hated that."
  —Dr. Jess Venner (12:08)

• On Caesar’s Strategy:
  “So the other task now is to get the people on his side...when he has this diadem thing and they all start groaning, he's like, no, not today.”
  —Dr. Jess Venner (21:39)

• On the Fatal Signal:
  "Somebody comes up to him and then that guy pulls at his toga and this is the pre-arranged signal to go for it. Right."
  —Dr. Jess Venner (35:47)

• On Omens and Portents:
  “An animal that was supposed to be sacrificed was apparently found with no heart inside... there's just... an almost inevitability to this buildup.”
  —Host Anthony Delaney (27:31)

• On Caesar's Alleged Last Words:
  "So he's actually supposed to have spoken Greek and said, 'You too, my child.'"
  —Dr. Jess Venner (39:25)

• On the Assassins’ Regret:
  “It's almost like, oh my God, we've done it.”
  —Dr. Jess Venner (43:47)

Visualizing the Assassination

• Artistic Depictions: The hosts analyze an 1806 painting of Caesar’s death, noting emotional turmoil among senators, the foregrounding of Pompey’s statue, and the mix of horror, regret, and resolve on conspirators’ faces (41:39–43:50).

Conclusions and Enduring Legacy

• Historic Irony: The plot intended to “save” Rome’s Republic instead accelerates its demise.
• Human Element: The story’s enduring appeal rests in its psychological richness and dramatic, very human moments.
• Next Steps: The episode closes with a brief on Dr. Jess Venner’s upcoming book The Lost Voices of Pompeii (48:00), and plugs for future episodes.

Timestamps for Key Sections

• Rome's Political Turmoil & Republicanism – 05:38–15:22
• Rise of Caesar & Path to Dictatorship – 16:35–23:06
• The Soothsayer, Lupercalia Incident, and Growing Tension – 24:23–27:31
• The Main Conspirators – 28:42–33:04
• The Assassination, Step-by-Step – 34:26–39:31
• Aftermath, Public Reaction, and the Birth of Empire – 44:25–47:43

Tone & Style

• The discussion is inquisitive, lively, and lightly irreverent—mixing scholarly expertise with humor and vivid storytelling.
• Hosts and guest are personable, highlighting not just the facts but the feel of ancient Rome’s drama.
• Playful remarks (“He definitely wore red chinos.” – Host, 12:30) and modern parallels keep the conversation engaging for a general audience.

In Summary

This episode offers a compelling, myth-busting exploration of Caesar’s assassination, weaving together political intrigue, superstition, personal betrayal, and historical consequence. Dr. Jess Venner and Anthony Delaney bring the drama to life—and clarify why, in killing Caesar, Rome’s “liberators” unwittingly doomed their Republic and changed world history forever.