Mark Junius Brutus - born 85 BC - date of death 42 BC e. Roman politician and military leader from the plebeian dynasty of Junius, known primarily as the assassin of Gaius Julius Caesar.
Most likely, Caesar's killer has nothing to do with the patrician Lucius Junius Brutus, who expelled the kings. As we know, Brutus executed his two sons. Until 366 BC e., when it was allowed to elect plebeians as consuls, there are no names of the Uniev Brutus in the fasts. So the family of the murderer Julius Caesar, most likely, is plebeian, trying to appropriate the fame of the famous namesake.
Brutus knew philosophy well, adored literature, admired the followers of Plato, rather a scientist than a politician or military leader, he diligently imitated Cato the Younger (his uncle), who later became his father-in-law. In turn, Mark Cato the Younger, who committed suicide in Utica, imitated his famous great-grandfather, the censor, all his life. So the shadow of the mastermind of the destruction of Carthage hovered over the most convinced opponents of Caesar.
Mark Brutus and Pompey the Great had a personal feud. Brutus considered Pompey to be guilty of the death of his father, and not only was not friends with him - he did not even speak. But when the hour came to choose with whom he was - with Caesar or with Pompey, Brutus remained on the side of the defender of the Senate. But all his free time, being in the army of the Republicans, Brutus devoted to books.
Even before the great battle, when others were sleeping or thinking about the future, Brutus, in spite of fatigue and heat, wrote until dark, composing extracts from Polybius. In this study of Polybius on the eve of the Battle of Pharsalus, there was a kind of demonstration, an attempt to distance himself from what was happening, an attempt to prove to others and to himself that the main thing for him was books, and in the camp of Pompey Brutus, as it were, not of his own free will, but the will of his convictions.
A champion of justice and morality, Brutus lent money through swindlers-dealers at 48% per annum, which was already a violation of the law, and he also lent money outside Italy - another illegal act - and tried to claim this money from the debtor through Cicero. Cicero refused politely, but firmly: there is a law - let Brutus fulfill it. However, one should not draw far-reaching conclusions from this dubious financial history. She testifies, first of all, that Brutus was not such a hard man as his fans tried to portray him after his death.
He is susceptible to temptations, influenced by the mood of the crowd. Everyone grabs money, breaks the law, and Brutus throws himself into a financial adventure. But Cato the Younger treated him with confidence and considered him a man of absolute honesty. Honest Brutus "cut off", as they say. A fit of avarice will blow, and Brutus will behave perfectly again. Then everyone will scream "Death to Caesar!" And hands themselves will reach for the sword. The supporters of the republic will urgently need money, and Brutus will go to plunder the cities of Asia Minor. "To rob gently," as Plutarch will portray his actions.
And it was not the greed for profit that led him to the conspirators. From the murder of Caesar personally, Brutus only lost. 46 BC e. - Brutus is the governor of Cisalpine Gaul, a just ruler with whom Caesar was pleased, after the city praetor - the most honorable office of all praetors, he should be elected consul in 41 BC. e. Caesar was going to go to Parthia and it is not known when he could return. And would come back at all. Caesar wanted to win over the famous people of Rome.
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He tried to make Cicero his sincere supporter, tried to get Catullus to stop writing epigrams to him. Moreover, the support of people like Brutus was valuable to him. Without this, his power over the capital is not complete power. The involvement of Brutus in the conspiracy came as a shock to Caesar. He did not wait, could not even think that Brutus would take a dagger in his hands - after all, he owed Caesar his life. Was he able to betray him? But for what? For the Republic?.. For the ghost? For an empty word? But there was a rumor that Brutus was the son of Caesar.
After the defeat at Pharsalus, Caesar was so delighted to learn that young Brutus was alive, that he immediately forgave him. Later, Brutus was able to obtain forgiveness for Cassius. Yes, Brutus tried to save the republic. However, personally in relation to Caesar, he committed an abomination. Himself forgiven and asking for another, he personally betrayed Caesar. If he wanted to fight for the republic again, he could flee the capital and take the side of Sextus Pompey - this can be understood and justified. But by killing his benefactor, Brutus committed a betrayal, unforgivable for a Roman. He chose between loyalty to the republic and loyalty to man, in any case he betrayed, his choice is a loss.
The mastermind of the conspiracy was not Brutus, but Cassius, an arrogant and sarcastic proud man who longed for power and power. He hated not tyranny, but personally Caesar, could not tolerate anyone's superiority. In childhood, he fought desperately with the son of the dictator Sulla Favstvo - let him not boast of his father's autocracy. Brutus was neither rude, stubborn, nor energetic. Had it not been for Cassius, most likely, Brutus would have remained in the shadow of Caesar. But Rome was seething, Brutus always found signs: "Are you sleeping, Brutus?", "You are not a real Brutus!" Cassius Brutus was needed as a name, as a symbol of a tyrant-fighter on the one hand, on the other - a reputation of an honest and principled person was needed.
According to Plutarch, Brutus joined the conspiracy shortly before the Ides of March. He was soon forced to join the conspirators by constant appeals, an insulting demonstration with a diadem and a direct challenge to Cassius. In their "duumvirate" Cassius was undoubtedly the leader. Brutus was too gentle a man to impose his opinion. The situation is not so rare. The rogue, pursuing his personal, selfish goals, puts pressure on a person with convictions: “How! And you did not condemn? How, and you did not perform? You should have done it!"
“Should,” the idealist mumbles, and feverishly begins to look for excuses, and cannot find - in words, everything turns out to be correct: he must act, must condemn, must kill.
“What about loyalty to beliefs? Cato is our ideal. Will you betray Cato?"
“He is right. My words!" And he will not even throw in the face of the rogue: "You are doing all this for yourself!"
Beliefs get in the way. Cursed beliefs.
After killing Caesar Brutus and his comrades, bloodied, brandishing daggers and swords, went to the Capitol. Everyone shouted that freedom had returned again. Then Brutus went to the forum and spoke to the crowd - they listened to him in silence. But when another conspirator, Cinna, spoke, he was greeted with shouts and abuse. Caesar's assassins returned to the Capitol and locked themselves in the fortress. The next day, a meeting of the Senate took place, where it was decided to consider the conspirators free from guilt.
The libertine, the reveler and the mot is Mark Antony in private life. A talented commander, brave and successful - in war. After Caesar's assassination, Mark Antony fled and locked himself in his house.
He was never a stubborn avenger - Mark Antony loved Caesar, but thought first of all about himself. In 44 BC. e. Mark Antony was consul along with Caesar, and after the murder of his patron he was left alone. After the death of his partner, the surviving consul, together with Lepidus, negotiated with Caesar's assassins. A compromise was reached: all decisions of Caesar remain in force, the murderers are blamed, but not executed, not expelled.
On the contrary, they are given the governorship of the provinces: Brutus - Macedonia, Cassius - Syria. The fact is that the Senate would gladly declare Caesar a tyrant, but then all decisions of the murdered person would become illegal. But here's the bad luck: most of the senators received appointments from the hands of this tyrant. Senators could not make such a sacrifice for the sake of the republic. There was only one Brutus in all of Rome.
The reconciliation of the assassins and supporters of Caesar was completed with a joint meal: Antony invited Cassius to dinner, Lepidus - Brutus. The rest of the conspirators also received an invitation from their Caesarian friends. What did they discuss at dinner? Perhaps Caesar's upcoming public funeral?
However, at this funeral, Mark Antony put on a whole performance with Caesar's bloody toga, inspired by his speeches and becoming more and more furious. The people were also furious - they brought tables and benches from the shops, made a huge fire, and the body of Caesar was placed on it, after which they began to snatch out burning brands from this fire and run around the City - rob and burn the houses of the conspirators. The poet Cinna, a friend of Caesar, was confused with another Cinna, the conspirator, and killed. The fragile world shattered like an expensive glass goblet that fell during a feast.
Brutus and Cassius left Rome in a hurry. Caesar's veterans flocked to Rome to take revenge on the assassins, hoping that Brutus would return. However, he did not return, although he was able to retain the position of city praetor. Instead, he went to Athens. There he was received favorably, very opportunely managed to intercept ships with money that sailed to Rome from Asia. They also seized a warehouse of weapons that Caesar had prepared for the Parthian campaign. The remnants of Pompey's followers flocked from all directions to Brutus. Meanwhile, the Senate was still trying to find some kind of compromise and avoid a new Civil War.
Mark Antony became the sole ruler of Rome. The rest did not bother him yet. However, as luck would have it, Octavian appeared, who became the son of Julius Caesar by will, and began to demand the deceased's money to distribute, as Caesar promised, to the people. Mark Antony behaved insolently with the "boy" Octavian. He simply appropriated the money, saying that the senators allegedly took it from him, the consul. Octavian sold the lands and houses and from his own funds distributed the money promised by Caesar's will. What he achieved the sympathy of the plebs. His desire to avenge Caesar won him the sympathy of the veterans.
After the defeat near Mutina, Antony fled to Lepidus in Narbonne Gaul.
Cicero had a crazy idea: to reconcile Octavian and Brutus. However, neither Brutus nor Octavian wanted this.
"But it is better not to be than to be with his consent," said Mark Junius Brutus. The idea, as we can see, is popular among Republicans.
Although, the support of Cicero, Octavian did not really need it: the heir of Caesar led 8 legions, excellent cavalry and auxiliary troops to Rome. Thoughts to resist Octavian quickly died. Octavian was elected consul. After which the new Caesar made peace with Lepidus and Mark Antony, and they form the Second Triumvirate. The Triumvirs are led into the City, each with a Praetorian cohort and one legion. A bloodbath has begun in the eternal city.
"The republic is dead, its corpse stinks in the same way as the severed heads displayed at the forum," wrote Lev Osterman. The republic is dead. But the source of the stench is not her remains. This stench comes from tyranny. From her greedy throat, like from a wolf's mouth, it always stinks of rotten meat.
So Rome was pacified, Brutus and Cassius remained.
Having learned about the death of Brutus Albinus and Cicero, Mark Brutus ordered the execution of the captured brother of Mark Anthony Gaius.
Antony and Octavian set out on a friendly campaign against the supporters of the republic. Brutus left Macedonia and joined Cassius in Asia at the city of Smyrna. They had 17 legions and 15 thousand cavalry. Brutus ordered to build a fleet and block the troops of Octavian. To replenish his treasury, Cassius robbed Rhodes: he forced all the inhabitants to give all the gold and silver - in total, he had 8 thousand talents. Plus, he demanded 500 talents from the entire community. Brutus modestly collected 150 talents from the Lycians.
But Brutus could not escape blood. The inhabitants of the Lycian city of Xanthus never wanted to surrender to the Romans and chose to commit suicide and burn their city. In vain Brutus tried to stop them - almost all the inhabitants of Xanthus died. So the next time Brutus had to be more tactful when collecting indemnities from the Lycian cities.
After that, well-fed and with money, the defenders of the republic went to Macedonia. The opponents met at Philippi. The troops of the Triumvirs were commanded by Mark Antony, Octavian was sick as usual.
Brutus proved to be a seer and predicted that Mark Antony, who has now become Octavian's henchman, will quarrel with his ally in the future, and the triumvirs will fight among themselves.
During the first battle of Philippi, Brutus's troops were able to break the flank of Octavian, and even took his camp. Octavian himself fled and could not be found anywhere, Antony was hiding in the swamp. Cassius, seeing that Brutus went on the attack, he himself hesitated too much. But the troops of Anthony drove back the troops of Cassius and captured his camp. Due to the lack of communication and coherence of individual parts of the troops, Cassius considered that the battle was lost, and committed suicide. While the outcome of the battle was uncertain, the losses of the triumvirs were twice that of Brutus and Cassius.
After the battle and suicide, Cassius Brutus with his army locked himself in a camp, which Antony could not take. The triumvirs were running out of food, the soldiers were starving, while Brutus was in no need of anything. Time worked for him. But his soldiers got tired of being locked up and they began to demand a battle. Unfortunately, Brutus did not know that his fleet had defeated the fleet of the Triumvirs, otherwise he would never have left the camp. But Brutus's army was too unreliable to be tested by a long siege. Brutus promised to give, in case of victory, to his soldiers two cities for plunder. A gesture of despair rather than cruelty - Brutus no longer knew how to attract and strengthen the spirit of his followers.
It is unlikely that his soldiers were staunch Republicans. The second scripted battle was similar to the first. Again Brutus went on the attack and again overturned the enemy's flank, but his second flank was stretched more and more, soon the center was broken through, the troops of the Triumvirs struck Brutus in the rear. Cato's son Mark, shouting his name and the name of his father, fought to the last, until he died. Brutus, having lost the battle, fled. Deciding that everything was already lost for sure, Brutus committed suicide by throwing himself on the sword. The surviving soldiers of Brutus surrendered and joined the troops of the Triumvirs. Those whom Octavian and Antony considered dangerous were executed.
Brutus's wife Portia, daughter of Cato the Younger, took her own life after the death of her husband.
A little about proscriptions
“The proscriptions were formulated as follows:“Mark Lepidus, Mark Antony and Octavius Caesar, elected for the organization and putting in order of the state, decree the following … And so, good hour. No one should give shelter, hide, send to another place or allow himself to be bribed with money; anyone who will be convicted that he saved or provided assistance or only knew about it, we, without taking into account any excuses and requests for forgiveness, include in the proscription lists.
Let the heads of the slain be brought to us for a reward of 25,000 Attic drachmas for each, if the bringinger is a freeborn, if the slave, then he will receive freedom, 10,000 Attic drachmas and the civil rights of his master. The same awards are given to informers. None of the recipients of the awards will be included in our records, and his name will remain unknown”(Appian).
M. Alferova