It just so happens that many of the historical events not only settle in the works, chronicles and chronicles, but also firmly fixed in a live speech, and use them may even people who have not heard about the real background of phraseologism.As it happens, and the famous Caesar's passage through the legendary river.The commander decided to cross the Rubicon, idiom was in speech descendants.
This river is now called Fiumicino, it flows into the Adriatic and flows between the two Italian cities of Rimini and Cesena.Its name was born from the «rubeus» (ie, "red" in Latin, because its water flow in clay soils).Now it is a small river, almost dries up, because its waters for centuries used for irrigation.But in the time of Caesar's precisely reddish creek took the then border between the Italian mainland and one of the Roman land - Cisalpine Gaul.Julius, who was then the deputy, commander of the 13th legion, and Dual-had to stop at the river: because proconsul could command only soldiers in the provinces and could not lead the legions in the lands of Italy itself.This would be a direct violation of the law and the powers of the Senate, a state crime and therefore punishable by death.But the other choice, alas, remained.
Then Caesar fought for power with the Senate of Rome, from the Office of the province of Gaul.The famous military leader did not immediately decided on military action could go to various agreements, only bloodshed would not have happened, and even in every way delay the negotiations, postponing the start of the actual hostilities.However, his efforts did not lead to success, much too many wanted war.His opponent was Pompey, located a huge Roman army.The position of Caesar was not particularly rosy: the bulk of his army was beyond the Alps.We needed quick and decisive moves of options on what to wait for reinforcements, the time was not.Therefore, in January, 49 BC Julius ordered his commanders to cross the Rubicon and take Armin town that lies south of the river mouth.This demarche called him not only to cross the Rubicon, the significance of this was a huge step.
brilliant military leader could break strength of the Senate and become a sovereign and sole ruler of Rome, because opponents panicked and fled as soon heard of Caesar's demarche.For him, this transition was also a momentous event.If you believe the story of the historian Suetonius, decided to cross the Rubicon, the commander even remarked: "The die is cast."After the victory of Gaius Julius Caesar was able to win not only the love of the people, but also created a powerful state, which existed another fifty years.
Since then, the term "cross the Rubicon" has become a catch phrase, which means committing a decisive action, the adoption of the fateful decision.That is, it is a significant step, forever dividing the event into "before" and "after" radically changes the situation.Turning back after such a decision anymore.The term is quite old, common in many languages.
