Part 5/9:
Amid these tensions, the crowning moment came during the festival of Lupercalia in 44 BC when Mark Antony attempted to crown Caesar with a diadem. Although Caesar rejected the gesture, the act stoked suspicions and provided ammunition for his opponents. Their fears culminated in the formation of a conspiracy, which proved to be a powder keg of political distrust and personal grievances culminating in a plot to assassinate the dictator.
The conspiracy, composed of over 60 senators, included figures such as Marcus Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus—the latter being a once-loyal officer turned adversary. Motivated by differing reasons ranging from presidential aspirations to betrayal, the conspirators resolved to act during a Senate session, opting for a closed venue over public confrontation.