Carles Puigdemont vs Julius Caesar

Puigdemont was elected as the 130th President of the Government of Catalonia, succeeding Artur Mas. He led a pro-independence coalition government and pledged to continue the process toward a referendum on Catalan independence.

Puigdemont's government held a unilateral independence referendum on October 1, 2017, despite a Spanish constitutional court ban and police crackdown. The referendum resulted in a 'Yes' vote but was not recognized internationally and led to a political crisis.

On October 10, 2017, Puigdemont declared independence from Spain but immediately suspended its implementation to allow for negotiations. This ambiguous move was rejected by the Spanish government and deepened the political standoff.

After the Spanish government invoked Article 155 to impose direct rule on Catalonia and dismissed his government, Puigdemont fled to Belgium to avoid prosecution for rebellion and sedition. He remained in self-imposed exile, leading the independence movement from abroad.

Puigdemont was arrested in Germany while traveling from Finland, based on a European Arrest Warrant issued by Spain for rebellion. A German court refused extradition on the rebellion charge but allowed it for misuse of public funds. He was later released on bail.

Puigdemont was elected as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the Junts party. His election provided him with parliamentary immunity, though it was later challenged by Spanish authorities, leading to legal battles in the European Court of Justice.

Caesar, as proconsul of Gaul, launched a series of campaigns that conquered all of Gaul (modern France, Belgium, and parts of Switzerland). He fought numerous battles, including against the Helvetii, the Belgae, and the Gallic chieftain Vercingetorix. The wars brought immense wealth and a loyal army to Caesar.

Caesar led Legio XIII across the Rubicon River into Italy, defying the Roman Senate's order to disband his army. This act triggered a civil war against Pompey and the Optimates, ultimately leading to Caesar's dictatorship and the end of the Roman Republic.

Caesar's outnumbered army defeated the larger forces of Pompey the Great at Pharsalus in Greece. Caesar's tactical use of a reserve line to counter Pompey's cavalry charge proved decisive. Pompey fled to Egypt, where he was assassinated, leaving Caesar as the undisputed master of the Roman world.

The Roman Senate appointed Caesar dictator perpetuo (dictator for life), granting him unprecedented personal power. This move concentrated military, legislative, and judicial authority in one person, effectively ending the Roman Republic's traditional system of checks and balances and alarming many senators.

A group of Roman senators, led by Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus, stabbed Caesar to death at a meeting of the Senate in the Theatre of Pompey. The assassination was intended to restore the Republic, but instead triggered another civil war that led to the rise of the Roman Empire.