History Focus
September 28

Murdered on September 28, 0048 B. C.

The Roman general Pompey the Great was assassinated as he landed in Egypt. He was stabbed to death on the orders of the 15 year old, Egyptian king, Ptolemy XIII. Pompey had sided with the Roman senate against Julius Caesar, who was campaigning in Gaul, but Caesar marched on Rome, forcing Pompey to retreat to Greece with his army. Caesar followed him and defeated Pompey at Pharsalus in August of 0048 BC. Pompey then fled to Egypt where Ptolemy granted him refuge – and then had him killed.

Ptolemy hoped to curry favor with Caesar. Caesar, however, was furious at the ignoble end of his adversary Pompey. Ptolemy, already in the middle of a civil war with his 21 year old sister, Cleopatra, was then facing an invasion by Caesar.

Sources: On This Day)