Storiascopio · Era 6 of 12 · primary year 5
Caesar crosses the Rubicon
49 BC · River Rubicon, Romagna
In short
The Rubicon is a small river in Romagna that marked the border between Cisalpine Gaul and Italy proper. The law forbade a general to cross it with his army under arms. Julius Caesar, after conquering Gaul, crossed it anyway in January 49 BC, starting a civil war against Pompey and the Senate. According to the historian Suetonius, at that moment he said “The die is cast”.
Why it matters Even today ‘crossing the Rubicon’ means making a decision you cannot go back on.
Source: Treccani, entry “Cesare, Gaio Giulio”
Where we are in the era “Ancient Rome”
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about 753 BCEvent 11 of 25AD 476
Your turn
Name ______________________ Class ______ Date __________
When did it happen? Find the date at the top and write it here:
Tell it in your own words: what happened?
Draw the scene below.
storiascopio.com/en/event/caesar-crosses-the-rubicon/ · free worksheet, you may photocopy it for your class