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When was Julius Caesar appointed dictator for life?

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Statue of Julius Caesar in Roman military attire stands in front of a domed building in Rome, Italy, with a clear blue sky in the background. — Julius Caesar Julius Caesar, bronze sculpture in Rome.

Julius Caesar was appointed dictator for life in 44 BCE, shortly before his assassination on the Ides of March that same year.1

While the traditional Roman dictator was a temporary magistrate with a six-month term, Caesar’s appointment represented an extra-constitutional office with virtually unlimited powers. Prior to this, he had been granted dictatorial powers for a 10-year term in 46 BCE. Following his death, the office of dictator was abolished.1