Julius Caesar is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare in 1599. It revolves around the plot assassination and aftermath of the Roman dictator of that time. It is one of several Roman plays based on real events in Roman history featuring characters such as Coriolanus Antony and Cleopatra. Despite being named Julius Caesar the play's main character is not Caesar himself; he only appears in three scenes and is already deceased at the beginning of Act III. The true protagonist of the play is Marcus Brutus with his conflicting and complex personality and his struggle.