On this day: March 15

Ides of March

On this day in history, the Ides of March, which is March 15th in the Roman calendar, is infamous for being the day when Julius Caesar, the dictator of Rome, was assassinated in 44 BC. A group of Roman senators led by Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus conspired to kill Caesar, fearing that his power was becoming too great. The assassination took place in the Theatre of Pompey, where Caesar was stabbed to death by his own countrymen.

The Treaty of Paris

On March 15, 1783, the Treaty of Paris was signed, officially ending the American Revolutionary War. The treaty was negotiated by representatives of the United States, including Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay, and representatives of Great Britain. The treaty recognized the independence of the United States and established the boundaries of the new nation. It also granted fishing rights to American fishermen in the waters off Newfoundland and Nova Scotia.

The Ides of March in Literature

One of the most famous literary works about the Ides of March is William Shakespeare’s play “Julius Caesar.” In the play, Caesar is warned by a soothsayer to “beware the Ides of March,” but he dismisses the warning and is ultimately assassinated on that day. The play explores themes of betrayal, power, and the consequences of political ambition.

Other Events on March 15

On this day in 44 BC, Julius Caesar was assassinated.
On March 15, 1493, Christopher Columbus returned to Spain after his first voyage to the New World.
In 1917, Czar Nicholas II of Russia abdicated the throne, marking the end of the Romanov dynasty.
On March 15, 1972, “The Godfather,” directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Marlon Brando and Al Pacino, was released in theaters.
The first internet domain name, symbolics.com, was registered on March 15, 1985.
On this day in 2001, the Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage.