After Mark Antony's Speech at Julius Caesar's funeral, Mark Antony's popularity grew, and Brutus became very unpopular with the public. So he had to leave Rome for Macedonia, where he raised an army against Mark Antony, and prepared to fight. He and Cassius fought against Mark Antony and Octavian twice at Philippi in Thessaly. In the first Battle, Brutus defeated the Caesarians under Octavian. But in a second encounter, three weeks later, Brutus and his army were defeated. After this defeat, rather than be captured, both Brutus and Cassius separately committed suicide. Brutus ended his life by falling upon a friend's sword in 42 BC, at 43 years of age.
Octavian then cut Brutus' head off and brought it back to Rome. When he got there he threw Brutus' head at the foot of Caesar's statue, to show all of Rome that he had paid for his horrible deed, and to honor Caesar for the great ruler he was.
Brutus and Cassius Kill Caesar
By Ginny W. '02 Germantown Academy