Marcus Junius Brutus was born 85 BC in Macedonia. Brutus was raised by an uncle, Cato the Younger, in the principles of Stoicism. Following Caesar's self-appointment to perpetual dictator, Brutus joined with Cassius to assassinate Caesar on March 15, 44 BC. Brutus would be driven out and killed himself following a loss in the battle in Philippi.
(born probably 85 —died 42 , near Philippi, Macedonia [now northwestern Greece]) Roman politician, one of the leaders in the conspiracy that assassinated Julius Caesar in 44 . Brutus was the son of Marcus Junius Brutus (who was treacherously killed by Pompey the Great in 77) and Servilia (who later became Caesar's lover). After his adoption by an uncle, Quintus Servilius Caepio, he was commonly called Quintus Caepio Brutus.
Brutus was brought up by another uncle, Cato the Younger, who imbued him with the principles of Stoicism. In the 50s he opposed Pompey's increasing power, but, upon Caesar's invasion of Italy in 49, Brutus was reconciled with Pompey and served under him in Greece. When Caesar defeated Pompey at the battle of Pharsalus in 48, Brutus was captured. He was soon pardoned by Caesar, probably as a result of his mother's influence. Brutus became a member of the senior priesthood of the pontifices and from 47 to 45 governed Cisalpine Gaul (now northern Italy) for Caesar. Caesar appointed him city praetor (a high-ranking magistrate) in 44 with Gaius Cassius Longinus, and he named Brutus and Cassius in advance as consuls for 41. Brutus married Cato's daughter Porcia after Cato's death in 46.
Read Full Article »