Rubicon

Point of commitment

The Rubicon is a small river in northern Italy that Julius Caesar famously crossed with his army in 49 BCE, defying Roman law and triggering civil war.

The event made the river's name synonymous with irreversible commitment. (Lowercase rubicon means any point of no return.)

historical

Caesar

Roman imperial title

Julius CaesarRoman dictator and general
crossingPoint where paths intersect
Roman RepublicRome before its emperors

civil war · Pompey · triumvirate · dictatorship · legions · Senate · Gaul · Italy · empire · assassination

river

Italy

Boot-shaped European nation

Emilia-RomagnaRegion in northern Italy
AdriaticSea east of Italy
tributaryStream entering larger river

crossing · ford · boundary · province · Cisalpine Gaul · coastal · stream · ancient · border · Rimini

Categories

Greek & RomanAchilles heel, Trojan horse, Pandora's box, Midas touch, Odyssey
Caesar's legacyRoman Empire, Julius Caesar, Augustus, Julian calendar, dictatorship
No turning backpoint of no return, burn bridges, all or nothing, crossed the line, committed
off-roadingoff-road, 4x4s, ATVs, 4WD, four-wheel drive
Caesar relatedRome, toga, laurel wreath, Brutus, Cleopatra
JeepCherokee, Grand Cherokee, Gladiator, Sahara, CJ

Opposites

reversibility

Rubicontrial run

Preliminary test attempt

test drive · pilot program · soft launch · dry run · escape clause

commitment magnitude

Rubiconhalf-measure

Inadequate partial action

hedge · baby step · trial balloon · tweak · small potatoes

decisiveness

Rubiconhesitation

Delay from uncertainty

vacillation · dithering · indecision · fence-sitting · cold feet

Phrases

cross the RubiconCommit to irreversible action
crossed the RubiconMade fateful, irreversible decision
crossing the RubiconPassing beyond reversal
crosses the RubiconActs beyond turning back
the rubiconDecisive boundary once crossed

Familiarity: Top 500,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Rated G