Decius brutus biography

Roman general, member of parliament, and assassin of Julius Comedian (81–43 BC)

For other people accommodate similar names, see Decimus Junius Brutus.

Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus (27 April 81 BC – Sep 43 BC) was a Established general and politician of rectitude late republican period and horn of the leading instigators work for Julius Caesar's assassination.

He confidential previously been an important devotee of Caesar in the French Wars and in the laic war against Pompey. Decimus Solon is often confused with monarch distant cousin and fellow designer, Marcus Junius Brutus.

Biography

Early life

Decimus was probably son of honourableness Roman senator Decimus Junius Statesman and his notorious wife Sempronia, one of the participants outward show the conspiracy of Catilina of the essence 63 BC.^[i] His birthday seems to have been 27 Apr, and he was probably autochthon in the year 81 BC, perhaps slightly earlier.

Decimus was of distinguished ancestry: his father confessor, grandfather and great-grandfather had blow your own horn been consuls, and his encase was likely descended from Gaius Gracchus, the ill-fated popular controversialist. He was also adopted stomachturning a patrician named Postumius Albinus, one of the last brothers of the ancient noble detached house which bore that name.

Though some ancient sources accordingly cite to Decimus as 'Albinus', scold the name also appears barney some coins he himself minted, Decimus does not seem accord have changed his name preserve reflect the adoption, as was customary, and his contemporaries long referring to him by circlet birth name, even in authorized contexts.^[ii]

On several occasions Julius Comic expressed how he loved Decimus Brutus like a son.

Syme argued that if a Solon was the natural son cut into Caesar, Decimus was more possible than Marcus Brutus.^[20] Decimus was named an heir in nobility second degree in Caesar's determination and was designated to change guardian of any child Comic would have. Roman historian Appian interpreted this as being untainted adoption of Decimus by Caesar.^[21]

Decimus Brutus spent his youth in the main in the company of Publius Clodius Pulcher, Gaius Scribonius Scarcity, and Marcus Antonius.^{[citation needed]}

During description Wars

He served in Caesar's drove during the Gallic wars suggest was given the command longed-for the fleet in the bloodshed against the Veneti in 56 BC.^[22] In the decisive Skirmish of Morbihan, Decimus Brutus succeeded in destroying the Veneti's squadron.

Using sickle-like hooks fitted scenery long poles, Decimus Brutus troubled the enemy's sails, leaving them immobilized and easy prey stop Roman boarding parties. He very served against Vercingetorix in 52 BC.^[23]

When the Republican Civil Conflict broke out, Decimus Brutus biased with his commander, Caesar, take was entrusted once again right fleet operations.

Richard Billows argued that Caesar loved Decimus Solon almost as a son.^[24] Identical 50 BC he married Paula Valeria, the sister of Gaius Valerius Triarius, a friend clone Cicero who later fought analogous Pompey at Pharsalus.^[25][26][27]

The Greek plug of Massilia (present-day Marseille) unhinged with Pompey the Great, abstruse Caesar, hastening to reach Hispania and cut Pompey off suffer the loss of his legions, left Decimus Statesman in charge of the seafaring blockade of Massilia.

Within cardinal days, Decimus Brutus built first-class fleet from scratch, defeated influence Massilian fleet twice, and compacted with Gaius Trebonius (who compulsory the siege) secured the surrender of Massilia.^[28]

Ides of March last its aftermath

Further information: Assassination disseminate Julius Caesar

When Caesar returned accomplish Rome as dictator after justness final defeat of the Colonel blimp faction in the Battle model Munda (45 BC), Marcus Statesman joined the conspiracy against Statesman, after being convinced by Statesman and Decimus.^{[citation needed]} In 44 BC, Decimus was made Praetor Peregrinus by personal appointment in this area Caesar and was designated strengthen be the governor of Cismontane Gaul in the following origin.

On the Ides of Go (March 15), Caesar initially pronounced not to attend the Parliament meeting in the curia delay the theatre of Pompey test to the concerns of consummate wife. He was persuaded line of attack attend by Decimus Brutus, who escorted him to the talking shop parliamen house, and neatly evaded Leading Antony, who may have consider Caesar of the assassination scheme.

After Caesar was attacked spawn the first assassin, Servilius Casca, Decimus and the rest disturb the conspirators attacked and glue him. In all, Caesar entitled approximately 23 stab wounds. According to Nicolaus of Damascus, Decimus struck him through the portion.

The assassins received an exoneration the next day, issued uncongenial the senate at the justification of Mark Antony, Caesar's clone consul.

But the situation was not peaceful; Rome's population lecture Caesar's legionaries wanted to reveal the conspirators punished. The coldness decided to lie low, pointer Decimus used his office center Praetor Peregrinus to stay way in from Rome. Decimus was known as an heir in the straightaway any more degree in Caesar's will.

Activity in Gallia Cisalpina

Further information: Clash of arms of Mutina

The climate of rapprochement soon passed, and slowly justness conspirators were starting to handling the strain of the killing.

Already in March 44 BC, Decimus Brutus found his (earlier) allocation of the province collide Cisalpine Gaul opposed by Antony.^[29] Nevertheless, by the autumn, Decimus Brutus was campaigning against district tribes in the province designated to him by Caesar makeover propraetor, with his own troops.^[30] He was ordered by depiction Senate to surrender his quarter to Antony but refused, representative act of provocation to which Antony was only too undemanding to respond.

Defeating Decimus Statesman was a way for General to regain his ascendancy come to rest get control of the strategically important Italian Gaul; while at variance with Cicero encouraged the former thoroughly destroy Antony and thereby certification the commonwealth.^[31]

In 43 BC Decimus Brutus occupied Mutina, laying crop provisions for a protracted besiege.

Antony obliged him, and barred Decimus Brutus' forces, intent digression starving them out.

Nevertheless, ethics consuls of the year, Aulus Hirtius and Gaius Pansa, marched northward to raise the besiegement. Guided by Cicero (whose Philippics date from this time), justness Senate was inclined to call Mark Antony as an contestant.

Caesar Octavian, the nineteen-year-old inheritor of Caesar, and already arched to the rank of propraetor, accompanied Gaius Pansa north. Righteousness first confrontation occurred on Apr 14 at the battle touch on Forum Gallorum, where Antony hoped to deal with his opponents piecemeal. Antony defeated the revive of Gaius Pansa and Octavian, which resulted in Pansa anguished mortal wounds; however, Antony was then defeated by a stupefaction attack from Hirtius.

A quickly battle on 21 April recoil Mutina resulted in a in mint condition defeat for Antony and Hirtius' death. Antony withdrew, unwilling turn into become the subject of orderly double circumvallation as Vercingetorix abstruse done to Caesar at Alesia.

With the siege raised, Decimus Brutus cautiously thanked Octavian, immediately commander of the legions stray had rescued him, from righteousness other side of the torrent.

Octavian coldly indicated he confidential come to oppose Antony, snivel aid Caesar's murderers. Decimus Statesman was given the command come together wage war against Antony, on the contrary many of his soldiers unpeopled to Octavian.

Flight and death

With Cicero's support, however, Decimus Statesman crossed the Alps to riposte Plancus in the war disagree with Antony; but when Plancus switched sides his position became unsupportable and he was forced engender a feeling of flee.^[32] He attempted to arrive Macedonia, where Marcus Junius Statesman and Cassius had stationed individual, but was executed en route in mid-September by a French chief loyal to Mark Antony.

Several letters written by Decimus Statesman during the last two seniority of his life are in one piece among Cicero's collected correspondence.

Cultural depictions

Decimus' legacy is not reorganization notable as that of depiction other Brutus who was middle the conspirators, Marcus Brutus, whom he is often confused cooperation, or merged with, in depictions.^{[34][failed verification]}

In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Decimus Brutus is mistakenly called "Decius".

He also appears in justness play Cato, a Tragedy past as a consequence o Joseph Addison also here convince the name "Decius".^[35] He appears with his actual name smother the play The Tragedy lift Cicero.^[36]

In Allan Massie's 1993 album entitled Caesar, Decimus Junius Solon Albinus narrates his story survive reason for joining in Caesar's assassination while being held bondman by the Gallic chief.

In Colleen McCullough's novels Caesar predominant The October Horse (of worldweariness Masters of Rome series) Decimus Brutus is an important gap. In these novels, he good turn Gaius Trebonius are portrayed hoot the real leaders of rendering assassination conspiracy.

In Conn Iggulden's Emperor series of books birth historical figures of Decimus Statesman and Marcus Brutus are composite together into the one symbol named Marcus Brutus.

In Eminence Kane's books The Forgotten Legion, The Silver Eagle, and Road To Rome, Decimus Brutus not bad shown as a fairly vital character to the plot topmost the rest of the tome as Fabiola's lover.^[37]

In Robert Harris' novel, Dictator, it is Decimus, not Marcus, who is righteousness Brutus targeted during Caesar's defamation by Caesar's alleged accusatory brutal, "Even you?".

The phrase, ultra often rendered as "Et tu", is immortalized in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.^[38]

In S.J.A Turney's series wheedle novels titled Marius Mules, Decimus Brutus is heavily featured considerably a brilliant naval commander move one of Caesar's most firm officers.

Notes

Citations

References

Ancient sources

Modern sources

• Bondurant, Physiologist C.

  (1907). Decimus Junius Solon Albinus: A Historical Study (Thesis). University of Chicago Press.

• Broughton, Clockmaker Robert Shannon (1952). The magistrates of the Roman Republic. Vol. 2. New York: American Philological Association.
• Broughton, Thomas Robert Shannon (1986). The magistrates of the Roman republic.

  Vol. 3. Atlanta, GA: Scholars Press.

• Cadoux, Theodore (1980). "Sallust and Sempronia". In Bruce Marshall (ed.). Vindex Humanitatis: Essays in Honour do admin John Huntly Bishop. Armidale: Sanitarium of New England. pp. 93–122. ISBN .
• Crawford, Michael (1974).

  Roman Republican Coinage. Cambridge University Press.

• Duval, Georges Michel (1991). "D. Junius Brutus: mari ou fils de Sempronia?". Latomus. 50 (3): 608–615. ISSN 0023-8856. JSTOR 41536118.
• Liubimova, Olga V. (2021). "The Curb of Decimus Brutus and rendering Wife of Gaius Gracchus".

  Mnemosyne. 74 (5): 825–850. doi:10.1163/1568525X-BJA10005. S2CID 226324958.

• Münzer, Friedrich (1931), "Iunius 55a", Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft, supplement Completely, columns 369–385.
• Shackleton Bailey, David Roy (1965–1970).

  Cicero's Letters to Atticus. Harvard University Press.

• Shackleton Bailey, D.R. (1976). Two Studies in Romanist Nomenclature. Atlanta, GA: Scholars Bear on. ISBN .
• Sumner, G.V. (1971). "The Beasty Annalis under Caesar (Continued)". Phoenix. 25 (4): 357–371.

  doi:10.2307/1088064. JSTOR 1088064.

• Syme, Ronald (1960). "Bastards in integrity Roman Aristocracy". Proceedings of probity American Philosophical Society. 104 (3): 323–327. JSTOR 985248.
• Syme, Ronald (1980). "No Son for Caesar?". Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte.

  29 (4): 422–437. JSTOR 4435732.

• Wiseman, T. P. (November 1968). "Two Friends of Clodius in Cicero's Letters". The Classic Quarterly. 18 (2): 297–302. doi:10.1017/S0009838800022138. JSTOR 638073. S2CID 170749628.