2026/07/27 by Consuelo Martino
paper · doi:10.1017/s0009838826101438
Abstract This article proposes a new reading of Suetonius’ narrative regarding Caesar’s crossing of the Rubicon in 49 b.c.e. (Suet. Iul . 32). The apparition that persuades Caesar to cross the river in Suetonius has, until now, been interpreted in a positive light, as a clear endorsement of Caesar’s actions. In contrast, this article suggests that the episode is more ambiguous and critical of Caesar than previously recognized. Strong structural parallels, I argue, evoke the apparitions that appeared to Xerxes before his attack on Greece, as described in Herodotus (7.4–19), as well as the apparition that appeared to Hannibal before he crossed the Ebro, as mentioned in Livy (21.21–2), prompting readers to draw a connection between Caesar and these two notable foreign invaders. This aligns with portrayals of Caesar as hostis , or a foreign enemy, in contemporary authors such as Cicero, who also explicitly compares Caesar to Hannibal ( Att . 7.11). The crossing of the Rubicon is thus interpreted as deeply ambiguous and even negative, foreshadowing Caesar’s failure and death as the ultimate consequences of this crossing and the Civil War it initiated. This innovative reading also fosters a deeper appreciation of the complexity in the construction of Caesar’s memory in Suetonius, while demonstrating Suetonius’ political interest in, and engagement with, the negative tradition surrounding Caesar as a foreign enemy following the onset of the Civil War.