The Second Battle of Philippi

 The Second Battle of Philippi

 

      Today is the anniversary of the Second Battle of Philippi (42 b.c.), the final battle in the civil war between forces loyal to Brutus and Cassius, leaders of the assassins of Julius Caesar, and those of Marc Antony and Octavian. It was by any measure a significant engagement; the opposing armies may have totaled 200,000 troops.

 

      There were actually two battles of Philippi some three weeks apart, the first being on October 3.  In the first battle, the forces under the command of Cassius faltered, and Cassius in turn committed suicide (actually he had one of his servants kill him).  At that same battle, however, forces of the command of Brutus were able to push back those of Octavian, actually capturing his camp.  At the second battle, fought on October 23, Brutus’ forces were routed and his camp was captured by forces under Octavian.  Brutus, with remnants of his forces, retreated, but he would ultimately commit suicide.

 

      For those familiar with the HBO series Rome, in that presentation the two Battles of Philippi were condensed into a single engagement.  In addition, it portrayed Cassius as having fallen in battle and Brutus having commit suicide by wading into the battle after stripping off his armor.  While certainly a heroic suggestion, that is not what happened.

 

            Now in clear control of the Roman Empire, the Second Triumvirate of Octavian (Caesar’s heir), Marc Antony and Lepidus would jointly rule until they would eventually fall on one another, with Octavian emerging victorious as the first Roman Emperor.