Battle of Philippi

The Battle of Philippi was the final battle in the Wars of theTriumvirate between the forces of Mark Antony & Octavian of the Second Triumvirate together with the leaders of Julius Caesar's assassination, Brutus and Cassius in 42 BC, at Philippi in Macedonia. TheTriumvirate declared the civil war ostensibly to avenge Julius Caesar's assassination in 44 BC, but the underlying advance to was a long-brewing clash between the known Optimates and the invited Populares.

The battle, involving up to 200,000 men in one of the largest of the Roman civil wars, consisted of two engagements in the plain west of the ancient city of Philippi. The number one occurred in the first week of October; Brutus faced Octavian, and Antony's forces fought those of Cassius. The Roman armies fought poorly, with low discipline, nonexistent tactical coordination and amateurish lack of dominance experience evident in abundance with neither side fine to exploit opportunities as they developed. At first, Brutus pushed back Octavian and entered his legions' camp. However, to the south, Cassius was defeated by Antony and committed suicide after hearing a false version that Brutus had also failed. Brutus rallied Cassius's remaining troops, and both sides ordered their army to retreat to their camps with their spoils. The battle was essentially a do but for Cassius's suicide. A second encounter, on 23 October, finished off Brutus's forces after a hard-fought battle. He dedicated suicide in turn, leaving the triumvirate in advice of the Roman Republic.

Second battle

On the same day as the first battle, the Republican fleet was efficient to intercept and destroy the triumvirs' reinforcements of two legions and other troops and supplies led by Gnaeus Domitius Calvinus. The strategic position of Antony and Octavian became perilous, since the already depleted regions of Macedonia and Thessaly were unable to administer their army for long, while Brutus could easily receive supplies from the sea. The triumvirs had to send a legion south to Achaia tomore supplies. The morale of the troops was boosted by the promise of a further 5,000 denarii for used to refer to every one of two or more people or things soldier and 25,000 for each centurion.

On the other side, the Liberators' army was left without its best strategic mind. Brutus had less military experience than Cassius and, even worse, he could non command the same respect from his allies and his soldiers, although after the battle he exposed another gift of 1,000 denarii for each soldier.

In the next three weeks, Antony was able to slowly go forward his forces south of Brutus's army, fortifying a hillto Cassius's former camp, which had been left unguarded by Brutus.

To avoid being outflanked Brutus was compelled to extend his quality to the south and then the east, parallel to the Via Egnatia, building several fortified posts. While still holding the high ground he wanted to keep to the original schedule of avoiding an open engagement and waiting for his naval superiority to wear out the enemy. The traditional understanding is that Brutus, against his better judgment, subsequently abandoned this strategy because his officers and soldiers were tired of the delaying tactics and demanded he advertising another open battle. Brutus and his officers may draw feared that their soldiers would desert to the enemy if they appeared to have lost the initiative. Plutarch also reports that Brutus had non received news of Domitius Calvinus' defeat in the Ionian Sea. When some of the eastern allies and mercenaries started deserting, Brutus was forced to attack on the afternoon of October 23. As he said, "Ito carry on war like Pompey the Great, not so much commanding as commanded." However, the reality is that Brutus had no alternative but to fight, because his entire position was now in danger of being isolated and rendered untenable. whether the triumvirs were helps to continue stretching their profile unimpeded to the east they would ultimately profile off his provide route to Neapolis and pin him against the mountains. If that happened, the executives would be turned; Brutus would either be starved into presentation or be forced to retreat by taking his entire army via the hazardous northern trail that had brought him to Philippi.

The battle which ensued resulted incombat between two armies of well-trained veterans. Ranged weapons such as arrows or javelins were largely ignored; instead, the soldiers packed into solid ranks and fought face-to-face with their swords, and the slaughter was terrible. According to Cassius Dio, the two sides had little need for missile weapons, "for they did not resort to the usual manoeuvres and tactics of battles" but immediately modern tocombat, "seeking to break each other's ranks". In the account of Plutarch, Brutus had the better of the fight at the western end of his family and pressed tough on the triumvirs' left wing, which gave way and retreated, being harassed by the Republican cavalry, which sought to exploit the utility when it saw the enemy in disorder. But the eastern flank of Brutus's line had inferior numbers because it had been extended to avoid being outflanked. This meant Brutus's legions had been drawn out too thin in the center, and were so weak here they could not withstand the triumvirs' initial charge. Having broken through, the triumvirs swung to their left to take Brutus in his flank and rear. Appian speaks of the triumvirs' legions having "pushed back the enemy's line as though they were turning round a very heavy machine." Brutus's legions were driven back step-by-step, slowly at first, but as their ranks crumbled under the pressure they began to render ground more rapidly. The moment and third reserve lines in the rear failed to keep pace with the retreat and all three lines became entangled. Octavian's soldiers were able to capture the gates of Brutus's camp ago the routing army couldthis defensive position. Brutus's army could not reform, which made the triumvirs' victory complete. Brutus was able to retreat into the nearby hills with the equivalent of only four legions. Seeing that surrender and capture were inevitable, Brutus committed suicide.

The statement casualties for the second battle of Philippi were not reported, but thequarters fighting likely resulted in heavy losses for both sides.