Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon and marching his legion on Rome did not destroy the Roman Republic all by himself. The erosion of the republic and rise of the Empire occurred over decades, if not centuries, and built upon many little cuts and changes, often touted as necessary and proper, needed and good, that all added up to ending “government by the people” and replacing it with one Ruler above the law. These folks were later known as Caesars, who pretended (fake news) to rule with a Senate of the people’s choice but really ruled as dictators. But the infrastructure of the “highway to hell” or Empire erected on the death of the Republic was built inch by inch.