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There were suspicions, probably justified, that Caesar was trying to become a king. This was anathema to Republican culture. The Republic had been established in some 460 years earlier with the overthrow of the last king of Rome who was a tyrant. The Romans decided to do away with the monarchy and to establish a Republic headed by two annually elected consuls. The aim of the Republic had been not to leave power in the hands of a sole man so as to prevent the return of tyranny. The Romans also swore that they would not allow anyone to become a king ever again. In the Early Republic trying to become a king had been the worst allegation against anyone. In the 5th century BC a man was killed and his house razed to the ground because he was accused of trying to become a king and in the 4th century BC another man was executed for the same reason.
Julius Caesar had used his military power and his enormous popularity among the Roman lower classes to concentrate power in his hands. Some of his behaviour seemed to strongly suggest that he wanted to become a king. To traditional republicans this would have meant the end of the Republic and tyranny. They equated monarchy to tyranny. Therefore, they decided to kill Caesar to save the Republic. Further justification for their action was provided by an old law of the Republic which authorised anyone to kill someone who tried to become a king and exempted them from punishment.
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How might the development of the Etruscan arch have contributed to the building of roads by the Romans?
I have in idea.
Romans believed strongly in the idea that citizens have a responsibility to help their country so what was it called?
Any responsibility or duty was called a "munus". A civic duty would be a "munus civilis".
What feast did the Romans celebrate on February 15th?
The Romans celebrated the feast of Lupercalia on the ides of February (15th). The priests performed rites of purification of the city in February. The festival had a dual purpose, to purify and to advocate fertility. The priests would sacrifice goats, the symbol of fertility, and naked men would run through the city (just what route they took is speculative) carrying strips of goat skin. They would strike women who held their hands out with the goat thong, supposedly insuring fertility. This was the festival in which Marc Antony offered Caesar the crown. (If he were running naked, as the ancient writer claim, I have no idea where he would have concealed the crown) In time, this festival merged into the celebration of Valentine's Day.
Who benefited from the roman empires prosperity?
Just about all Romans benefited from the empire's prosperity. The ones who did not were the low lifers who would never benefit no matter what the political circumstances.
What did Romans read?
There are hundreds of books on ancient Rome out there, some good and some not too accurate. If you are just getting interested in the subject, a good starting point is a book called "As the Romans Did" by Jo-Ann Shelton. This is a sourcebook in Roman social history and it gives you an idea of how they lived, covering just about all aspects of their lives. In addition, there is an extensive bibliography covering each subject, if you want to study further. Another book, "The Rise of Rome" by Anthony Everitt covers a general background. These are only two of the many that are out there and they can serve as stepping stones to further reading on the specifics of Roman culture such as government, gladiators, the army, family, etc. There are also biographies of the famous Romans such as Julius Caesar, Augustus and all the other emperors. And don't forget the ancient writers. Tactius, Seutonius, Dio, and Plutarch all have much to add. Your local librarians may also be helpful, for even if they don't have a certain book, they can get it for you from another library.
