January 10: Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon (49 BC)

Gaius Julius Caesar

Gaius Julius Caesar and only one legion crossed the Rubicon river on January 10, 49 BC and ignite the civil war, which was the beginning of accomplishing Caesar vision of the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire. At the time, Caesar was supposed to have quoted the Athenian playwright Menander, "alea icta esto" (let the die be cast), however, more commonly known quote of him at the time was "alea iacta est" (the die has been cast).  After crossing the river, Caesar defeated rivals and became the unrivaled leader of the Roman world. In 44 BC, a group of senators led by Marcus Brutus assassinated Julius Caesar on the Ides of March (March 15, 44 BC) with the hope of restring the government of the Republic. Octavianus, the heir of Caesar, eventually accomplished the vision of Julius Caesar and Octavianus became the first emperor of the Roman Empire. So the crossing of the Rubicon was really the point of no-return.