CHAIR: Ayushmaan Kher

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The assassination of Julius Caesar has plunged the Roman Senate into a period of deep uncertainty regarding the structure and future of the Republic. As Caesar concentrated immense power into his hands during his rise, many senators viewed his leadership as a threat to Republican values, while others saw it as a necessary stabilization of a decaying system. With his death, the Senate must now confront critical questions: Should Rome return to its traditional Republican institutions, or should new reforms be introduced to adapt to the changing realities of governance, public unrest, and military influence? Delegates will be tasked with navigating the balance between liberty and stability, tradition and transformation, to define the political foundations of Rome moving forward. They must also consider the influence of public oration, religious symbolism, and social memory in shaping Rome’s political future. Should the Senate embrace Caesar’s legacy or distance itself from it? And how can authority be maintained without alienating the people upon whom it depends?