Today in History: The Rubicon

On this day (January 10) in 49 BCE, Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon starting the last civil war of the Roman Republic. The Rubicon was the boundary between Cisalpine Gaul and Italy. Generals were forbidden to lead their legions across the Rubicon to prevent them from attempting to use the legions to take over the government. By 45 BCE, Julius Caesar did just that, taking over the government of the Roman Republic despite the fact that he had attacked with a vastly inferior numerical force.