Today in HistoryToday is Thursday, March 15, the 74th day of 2007. There are 291 days left in the year.

ON THIS DAT>

In 44 B.C., Roman dictator Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of nobles that included Brutus and Cassius.

In 1877, Test Cricket began with a match originally billed as All England v A Combined New South Wales and Victoria XI — which was later granted test status. Australia won by 45 runs.

In 1944, Allied bombers again raided German-held Monte Cassino. German troops recapture Kharkov, Soviet Ukraine.

In 1964, actress Elizabeth Taylor married actor Richard Burton in Montreal; it was her fifth marriage, his second.

In 1997, Greek troops and US Marines evacuated hundreds of foreigners trapped in Albania by that country’s descent into anarchy.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

“Sometimes it’s worse to win a fight than to lose.” — Billie Holiday, American singer (1915-1959).