Caesar Crosses the Rubicon

What happened

Ordered by the Senate to give up his command, Julius Caesar instead led his army across the Rubicon, the small river marking the northern boundary of Italy — an act of open rebellion that plunged Rome into civil war against Pompey and the Senate.

Why it matters

Caesar's victory in the civil war effectively ended the Republic's traditional government and set Rome on the road to one-man rule.

Sources

• World History Encyclopedia. Julius Caesar · Reputable source