March 15th of this month was a bloody day for Julius Caesar; he was assassinated on this day in 44 B.C. This event has evolved to become known as the Ides of March. During this time the ides was simply one common way of marking monthly lunar events, particularly the appearance of a full moon. But in this case, the Ides of March took on an entirely new meaning. This was the day that changed everything in Rome: society, government, and the course of history. On this day, the Roman Republic died. And the formation of the long-ruling reign of emperors in the powerful, altering, and exciting period of history known as the Roman Empire was born.