Basket.

Everyone thinks they know how Julius Caesar died. A great number of us have, of course, done the eponymous play which details the downfall of this great man. Caesar was unopposed dictator in a state with a great republican tradition, a group of republicans were dissatisfied with him, he was warned but ignored all of it, including the soothsayer Spurinius and the more famous Artemidorus, the conspirators stabbed him to death on the Ides of March, 15 March 44BC. Yessir, everyone is familiar with this good, old story.

The truth, an excellent documentary I today had the good fortune to catch, suggests the truth is not quite so simple.

Apparently, on closer examination of the evidence (though by virtue of the long time period between then and the present day is necessarily largely circumstantial), the stunning conclusion that one can come to is that Caesar knew of the plot to kill him, and walked willingly into it, manipulating the conspirators to his own ends.

Of course, they aren't wholly convincing, but it is something to mull about. What is not commonly known is Caesar was a very sick man then, afflicted with worsening epilepsy that was increasingly causing him psychiatric problems. He certainly had reason to hope for death, and it is unlikely that he did not know of the plot against him, given his power and clout in Rome, and the number of warnings he received. It is also rather unlikely that he, a shrewd man and skilful general and politician who for sure had enemies and knew who they were, would have completely ignored all of these reports. His actions before the big day also seemed to suggest he was deliberately provoking the conspirators - for instance, the famous refusal of the crown and the disrespect shown to a group of senators who came to announce his deification.

Plus he had much to gain from this; he was effectively immortalised by the dramatic assasination, and his heir Octavian (who suspiciously became heir only months before Caesar died) was to become Augustus Caesar. Caesar's name was to be forever remembered. Rather than dying old, sick and undignified, he has been memorialised down the ages. Perhaps that is exactly what he wanted.

Caesar more cunning than most give him credit for? Very intriguing indeed.