Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of Roman senators because they feared he aimed to become a monarch and destroy the Roman Republic. The conspirators were worried about Caesar's accumulation of power, especially after he was declared "dictator in perpetuity," which suggested a lifetime dictatorship. The official reasons for his assassination included Caesar's disregard for senatorial etiquette, his actions against the tribunes, and symbolic events that implied he sought king-like power. The senators, led by Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus, believed killing Caesar was necessary to preserve the Republic and prevent the rise of a monarchy. Caesar was stabbed about 23 times on the Ides of March (March 15) 44 BCE during a Senate meeting, leading to his death.