Marcus Junius Brutus the Elder

Marcus Junius Brutus (died 77 BC) was a plebeian tribune of the Roman Republic in 83 BC and the founder of the colony in Capua. He was an associate of Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, who led a revolt against the senate after the death of Sulla. He was captured by Pompey and treacherously executed. He was the father of a homonymous son, who assassinated Julius Caesar in 44.

Biography

He served as tribune of the plebs in 83 BC. During his year, he passed a bill establishing a colony at Capua. François Hinard, in Les proscriptions de Rome républicaine, argues that this Brutus was proscribed in the Sullan proscriptions but survived through the dictatorship by taking refuge in Gaul.

In 77 BC, Brutus was stationed, probably as a legate, under Lepidus in Cisalpine Gaul. He was allied with Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, who as consul was agitating against Sulla's constitutional settlement, advocating for the victims of the proscriptions, and opposed a state funeral for Sulla. Lepidus turned to violence and raised an army against his consular colleague Quintus Lutatius Catulus when Catulus successfully blocked his proposals. There is no evidence that he held the praetorship.

Lepidus' army was defeated outside of Rome by Catulus' forces. Some sources assert that Pompey or both Catulus and Pompey were responsible, but the most reliable narratives mention Catulus only. Brutus was stationed at Mutina, where he defended the stronghold against Pompey, who had been sent by the senate to dislodge him. He withstood Pompey's attacks for some time, but was eventually surrendered – his troops either turned on him or he surrendered of his own accord – after which he was allowed to go free. Following this, he went to the town of Regium Lepidi, where he was murdered by Pompey's close ally Geminius. The incident would later be used as anti-Pompeian propaganda to brand the general as a "teenaged butcher".

Brutus is quoted by Cicero, who says he was well skilled in public and private law.

Family He was the first husband to Servilia, the elder half-sister of Cato the Younger. His homonymous son by Servilia is the Marcus Junius Brutus who was one of the chief assassins of Julius Caesar. The assassin was adopted by one of his maternal relatives, becoming Quintus Servilius Caepio Brutus; if this Brutus was proscribed, the adoption would have had the effect of lifting any civic disabilities – persons proscribed and their heirs were barred from seeking political office at Rome – that transmitted to his son.