S8 Ep1068: Civil War, the Ides of March, and the Spiritual Godfather. Guest Author: Josiah Osgood. Cicero eventually returned to Rome, but t

The John Batchelor Show · Jun 29, 2026 · 11m

Civil War, the Ides of March, and the Spiritual Godfather. Guest Author: Josiah Osgood. Cicero eventually returned to Rome, but the republic was sliding toward civil war between Caesar and Pompey. Although Cicero tried to remain neutral, he eventually joined Pompey's side but was pardoned by Caesar after the latter's victory. Cicero was present in the Senate on the day Julius Caesar was assassinated. While he was not part of the conspiracy, he celebrated the act and was famously hailed by Brutus as a spiritual "godfather" of the plot. The aftermath was chaotic, as the assassins' hope for…