Ancient square where Julius Caesar was stabbed now open to tourists
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History lovers may take a stroll close to the location where Julius Caesar is said to have been murdered, as Rome authorities open a new walkway on the historic site.
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A view of the site at Largo Argentina Square (AP)
A historic temple complex in the heart of the Italian city where Julius Caesar was killed, according to legend, was made accessible to the general public for the first time on Tuesday.
Four temples from the third century BC can be found in the "sacred area" at Largo Argentina Square, which was previously only accessible from street level. There are also the ruins of Pompey's Theatre, where the Roman dictator is thought to have been assassinated by enraged senators in 44BC.
In a famous account of the murder, which was garnished by William Shakespeare, the dying dictator is credited as saying, "Et tu, Brute?" when he recognized his closet friend Brutus was among his assassins. It is worth noting that he was murdered not long after being named Rome's ruler for life.
The temples, which were built to commemorate the Roman Republic’s victories over its rivals and the theatre, were found in 1927 when the colossal head and arms of a marble statue were unraveled during works to reconstruct parts of Rome.
The location, which is bordered by congested roadways, opened as a result of a construction project financed by the Italian fashion business Bulgari and supervised by Rome’s superintendency of cultural heritage. In order to observe the remains up close, visitors can stroll across the area on a path. In a nearby chamber, visitors may see more artifacts unearthed there throughout the years, such as two statue heads, pillars, and tomb parts.
Read next: 2 skeletons discovered at the ancient Roman city of Pompeii
