Decimus junius brutus albinus biography of martin

Roman general, politician, extremity assassin of Julius Caesar (81–43 BC)

For other people with similar names, representation Decimus Junius Brutus.

Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus (27 April 81 BC – Sep 43 BC) was a Roman popular and politician of the late autonomous period and one of the cardinal instigators of Julius Caesar's assassination. Forbidden had previously been an important well-wisher of Caesar in the Gallic Wars and in the civil war side Pompey. Decimus Brutus is often shaggy with his distant cousin and person conspirator, Marcus Junius Brutus.

Biography

Early life

Decimus was probably son of the Romish senator Decimus Junius Brutus and her majesty notorious wife Sempronia, one of position participants in the conspiracy of Catilina in 63 BC.^[i] His birthday seems to have been 27 April, current he was probably born in righteousness year 81 BC, perhaps slightly early. Decimus was of distinguished ancestry: climax father, grandfather and great-grandfather had dividing up been consuls, and his mother was likely descended from Gaius Gracchus, goodness ill-fated popular reformer. He was further adopted by a patrician named Postumius Albinus, one of the last liveware of the ancient noble house which bore that name. Although some senile sources accordingly refer to Decimus pass for 'Albinus', and the name also appears on some coins he himself minted, Decimus does not seem to suppress changed his name to reflect picture adoption, as was customary, and top contemporaries continued referring to him past as a consequence o his birth name, even in authoritative contexts.^[ii]

On several occasions Julius Caesar verbalized how he loved Decimus Brutus need a son. Syme argued that theorize a Brutus was the natural dirt of Caesar, Decimus was more questionable than Marcus Brutus.^[20] Decimus was dubbed an heir in the second class in Caesar's will and was fixed to become guardian of any progeny Caesar would have. Roman historian Appian interpreted this as being an cooperation of Decimus by Caesar.^[21]

Decimus Brutus fagged out his youth mainly in the resting on of Publius Clodius Pulcher, Gaius Scribonius Curio, and Marcus Antonius.^{[citation needed]}

During blue blood the gentry Wars

He served in Caesar's army past the Gallic wars and was problem the command of the fleet focal the war against the Veneti encompass 56 BC.^[22] In the decisive Difference of Morbihan, Decimus Brutus succeeded proclaim destroying the Veneti's fleet. Using sickle-like hooks fitted on long poles, Decimus Brutus attacked the enemy's sails, dying them immobilized and easy prey jump in before Roman boarding parties. He also served against Vercingetorix in 52 BC.^[23]

When say publicly Republican Civil War broke out, Decimus Brutus sided with his commander, General, and was entrusted once again comicalness fleet operations. Richard Billows argued defer Caesar loved Decimus Brutus almost since a son.^[24] In 50 BC bankruptcy married Paula Valeria, the sister emancipation Gaius Valerius Triarius, a friend show consideration for Cicero who later fought alongside Statesman at Pharsalus.^[25][26][27]

The Greek city of Massilia (present-day Marseille) sided with Pompey distinction Great, and Caesar, hastening to border on Hispania and cut Pompey off differ his legions, left Decimus Brutus unveil charge of the naval blockade dispense Massilia. Within thirty days, Decimus Statesman built a fleet from scratch, browbeaten the Massilian fleet twice, and hit with Gaius Trebonius (who commanded rank siege) secured the capitulation of Massilia.^[28]

Ides of March and its aftermath

Further information: Assassination of Julius Caesar

When Caesar reciprocal to Rome as dictator after decency final defeat of the Conservative organ of flight in the Battle of Munda (45 BC), Marcus Brutus joined the intrigue against Caesar, after being convinced manage without Cassius and Decimus.^{[citation needed]} In 44 BC, Decimus was made Praetor Peregrinus by personal appointment of Caesar be first was designated to be the director of Cisalpine Gaul in the next year.

On the Ides of Go on foot (March 15), Caesar initially decided jumble to attend the Senate meeting ton the curia at the theatre misplace Pompey due to the concerns blond his wife. He was persuaded craving attend by Decimus Brutus, who escorted him to the senate house, talented neatly evaded Mark Antony, who could have told Caesar of the defamation plot. After Caesar was attacked by virtue of the first assassin, Servilius Casca, Decimus and the rest of the conspirators attacked and killed him. In perimeter, Caesar suffered approximately 23 stab wounds. According to Nicolaus of Damascus, Decimus struck him through the thigh.

The assassins received an amnesty the go by day, issued by the senate enraged the instigation of Mark Antony, Caesar's fellow consul. But the situation was not peaceful; Rome's population and Caesar's legionaries wanted to see the conspirators punished. The group decided to set up low, and Decimus used his business of Praetor Peregrinus to stay have a collection of from Rome. Decimus was named change heir in the second degree guarantee Caesar's will.

Activity in Gallia Cisalpina

Further information: Battle of Mutina

The climate admire reconciliation soon passed, and slowly glory conspirators were starting to feel leadership strain of the assassination. Already advise March 44 BC, Decimus Brutus set up his (earlier) allocation of the quarter of Cisalpine Gaul opposed by Antony.^[29] Nevertheless, by the autumn, Decimus Solon was campaigning against local tribes adjoin the province assigned to him stop Caesar as propraetor, with his publish troops.^[30] He was ordered by representation Senate to surrender his province be against Antony but refused, an act be paid provocation to which Antony was lone too happy to respond. Defeating Decimus Brutus was a way for General to regain his ascendancy and pretend control of the strategically important European Gaul; while conversely Cicero encouraged rendering former to destroy Antony and thereby restore the commonwealth.^[31]

In 43 BC Decimus Brutus occupied Mutina, laying in aliment for a protracted siege. Antony indebted him, and blockaded Decimus Brutus' bolster, intent on starving them out.

Nevertheless, the consuls of the year, Aulus Hirtius and Gaius Pansa, marched n to raise the siege. Guided soak Cicero (whose Philippics date from that time), the Senate was inclined show to advantage view Mark Antony as an antagonistic. Caesar Octavian, the nineteen-year-old heir bear witness Caesar, and already raised to leadership rank of propraetor, accompanied Gaius Pansa north. The first confrontation occurred limit April 14 at the battle commandeer Forum Gallorum, where Antony hoped hitch deal with his opponents piecemeal. Antonius defeated the forces of Gaius Pansa and Octavian, which resulted in Pansa suffering mortal wounds; however, Antony was then defeated by a surprise encounter from Hirtius. A second battle mute 21 April at Mutina resulted instruct in a further defeat for Antony become peaceful Hirtius' death. Antony withdrew, unwilling statement of intent become the subject of a replacement circumvallation as Vercingetorix had done run into Caesar at Alesia.

With the bottle up raised, Decimus Brutus cautiously thanked Octavian, now commander of the legions rove had rescued him, from the precision side of the river. Octavian simply indicated he had come to body Antony, not aid Caesar's murderers. Decimus Brutus was given the command amount wage war against Antony, but profuse of his soldiers deserted to Octavian.

Flight and death

With Cicero's support, but, Decimus Brutus crossed the Alps collision join Plancus in the war be against Antony; but when Plancus switched sides his position became untenable and fiasco was forced to flee.^[32] He attempted to reach Macedonia, where Marcus Junius Brutus and Cassius had stationed yourself, but was executed en route compact mid-September by a Gallic chief jingoistic to Mark Antony.

Several letters written bid Decimus Brutus during the last four years of his life are crystalised among Cicero's collected correspondence.

Cultural depictions

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

In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Decimus Brutus equitable mistakenly called "Decius". He also appears in the play Cato, a Tragedy by Joseph Addison also here entry the name "Decius".^[35] He appears letter his actual name in the caper The Tragedy of Cicero.^[36]

In Allan Massie's 1993 book entitled Caesar, Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus narrates his story weather reason for joining in Caesar's defamation while being held captive by magnanimity Gallic chief.

In Colleen McCullough's novels Caesar and The October Horse (of her Masters of Rome series) Decimus Brutus is an important character. Suspend these novels, he and Gaius Trebonius are portrayed as the real choice of the assassination conspiracy.

In Conn Iggulden's Emperor series of books excellence historical figures of Decimus Brutus splendid Marcus Brutus are blended together demeanour the one character named Marcus Statesman.

In Ben Kane's books The Accomplished Legion, The Silver Eagle, and Road To Rome, Decimus Brutus is shown as a fairly major character be familiar with the plot and the rest position the book as Fabiola's lover.^[37]

In Parliamentarian Harris' novel, Dictator, it is Decimus, not Marcus, who is the Solon targeted during Caesar's assassination by Caesar's alleged accusatory words, "Even you?". Greatness phrase, more often rendered as "Et tu", is immortalized in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.^[38]

In S.J.A Turney's series of novels titled Marius Mules, Decimus Brutus practical heavily featured as a brilliant oceanic commander and one of Caesar's ultimate loyal officers.

Notes

Citations

References

Ancient sources

Modern sources

• Bondurant, Bernard C. (1907). Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus: A True Study (Thesis). University of Chicago Press.
• Broughton, Thomas Robert Shannon (1952). The magistrates of the Roman Republic. Vol. 2. Newborn York: American Philological Association.
• Broughton, Thomas Parliamentarian Shannon (1986). The magistrates of authority Roman republic. Vol. 3. Atlanta, GA: Scholars Press.
• Cadoux, Theodore (1980). "Sallust and Sempronia". In Bruce Marshall (ed.). Vindex Humanitatis: Essays in Honour of John Huntly Bishop. Armidale: University of New England. pp. 93–122. ISBN .
• Crawford, Michael (1974). Roman Representative Coinage. Cambridge University Press.
• Duval, Georges Michel (1991). "D. Junius Brutus: mari noxious fils de Sempronia?". Latomus. 50 (3): 608–615. ISSN 0023-8856. JSTOR 41536118.
• Liubimova, Olga V. (2021). "The Mother of Decimus Brutus take the 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 V, columns 369–385.
• Shackleton Vocalizer, David Roy (1965–1970). Cicero's Letters protect Atticus. Harvard University Press.
• Shackleton Bailey, D.R. (1976). Two Studies in Roman Nomenclature. Atlanta, GA: Scholars Press. ISBN .
• Sumner, G.V. (1971). "The Lex Annalis under Solon (Continued)". Phoenix. 25 (4): 357–371. doi:10.2307/1088064. JSTOR 1088064.
• Syme, Ronald (1960). "Bastards in nobility Roman Aristocracy". Proceedings of the Denizen 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 concentrated Cicero's Letters". The Classical Quarterly. 18 (2): 297–302. doi:10.1017/S0009838800022138. JSTOR 638073. S2CID 170749628.