Much speculation has arisen as to why Shakespeare wrote Julius Caesar. Some say he predicted what would happen if a civil war broke out in England. Shakespeare lived from 1564 to 1616 during the Elizabethan era. Julius Caesar was written in 1599, towards the end of the queen's reign. Elizabeth was getting older and still had no heir; the future ruler of England was in question. Undoubtedly, several candidates would vie for the throne, but the people would ultimately choose the one who succeeded through their support. However, could people motivated by such base things be trusted to make the right decision? This is one of the questions Shakespeare attempts to answer in Julius Caesar. Set after the Roman Civil War, the plot does not revolve around the main character, but the conspirators who wish to kill him, Brutus and Cassius. They fear that Caesar will become king and that the Roman Republic will fall; to prevent this, they assassinate him. They announce to the people that they did it for the good of Rome. Unfortunately, the Roman people are persuaded by Mark Antony that Caesar was virtuous and that the conspirators are traitors, leading to another civil war between the triumvirs – Antony, Octavian and Lepidus – and the conspirators. Brutus and Cassius lose this war and the Republic dies with them. The Roman crowd plays an important role, as their support is necessary for the success of each side. Both factions attempt to manipulate them, but the triumvirs are victorious because they appeal to the fundamental nature of the crowd instead of trying to reason with them. This scathing view of the nature of man raises a larger question: If people are so base, can they be trusted to govern themselves? Is democracy doomed to failure middle of paper...... A brief history. " JohnKeane.net, 2013. Web. November 13, 2013. .2. Leithart, Peter J. "History: Julius Caesar" Brightest Heaven of Invention: A Christian Guide to Six Shakespeare Plays. Moscow, Id.: Canon, 1996. N pag. Print.3. “REPUBLIC vs. DEMOCRACY.” Republic vs. Democracy. November 13, 2013. .4. Shakespeare. , RC “Augustine: Doctor of Grace”. World Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway, 2000. N. pag. Christopher W. “Elizabethan Government”, nd Web... 2013. .