Marcus Junius Brutus was a distinguished Roman. He was born in 85 BC. He was at first an enemy of Pompey, but joined him on the outbreak of civil war until the battle of Pharsalia. He then surrendered to Caesar, who made him in the following year governor of Cisalpine Gaul, and afterwards of Macedonia. He soon, however, joined the conspiracy against Julius Caesar, and by his influence ensured its success. After the assassination he took refuge in the East, made himself master of Greece and Macedonia, and with a powerful army joined Cassius in the subjugation of the Lycians and Rhodians. In the meantime the triumvirs, Octavianus, Antony, and Lepidus, had been successful at Rome, and were prepared to encounter the army of the conspirators, which, crossing the Hellespont, assembled at Philippi in Macedonia. Cassius appears to have been beaten at once by Antony; and Brutus, though temporarily successful against Octavianus, was totally defeated twenty days later. He escaped with a few friends; but, seeing that his cause was hopelessly ruined, fell upon the sword held for him by his confidant Strato, and died in 42 BC. Research Marcus Brutus
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