Battle of Philippi

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Battle of Philippi
Part of Liberators' civil war
Location of the Battle of Philippi
Date 3 and 23 October 42 BC Location Near Philippi, Macedonia (modern Greece) Result Triumvir victory
Belligerents
Triumvirs Supported by: Ptolemaic Egypt (sent ships but too late to aid in the fighting)[1][2]	Liberators Supported by: Parthian Empire (cavalry force)[3]
Commanders and leaders
Octavian Mark Antony	Brutus  Cassius  Allienus (unknown) Serapion (retreats to Tyre)
Strength
53,000–108,000[4] 40,000–95,000 infantry in 19 legions[4] 13,000 cavalry[4]	60,000–105,000[4] 40,000–85,000 infantry in 17 legions[4] 20,000 cavalry[4]
Casualties and losses
16,000 killed (3 October)	8,000 killed (3 October) Surrender of entire army (23 October)
Total dead: 40,000[5]

The Battle of Philippi was the final battle in the Liberators' civil war between the forces of Mark Antony and Octavian (of the Second Triumvirate) and the leaders of Julius Caesar's assassination, Brutus and Cassius, in 42 BC, at Philippi in Macedonia. The Second Triumvirate declared the civil war ostensibly to avenge Julius Caesar's assassination in 44 BC, but the underlying cause was a long-brewing conflict between the Optimates and the Populares.^{[citation needed]}

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 first 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 command experience evident in abundance with neither side able to exploit opportunities as they developed.^[6][7] At first, Brutus pushed back Octavian and entered his legions' camp. However, to the south, Cassius was defeated by Antony and died by suicide after hearing a false report 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 draw but for Cassius's suicide. A second encounter, on 23 October, finished off Brutus's forces after a hard-fought battle. He took his own life in turn, leaving the triumvirate in control of the Roman Republic.