Fate of the Conspirators

We all know the fate of Julius Caesar – 23 stab wounds, bleeding out on the floor of the Curia Pompeia on the Ides of March 44BC.

But what of the men who conspired and then carried out Caesar’s assassination? It is thought that there were at least 60 senators involved in the conspiracy; however, most of their names are lost to history – only 21 names are known, several of whom are really only names, with little or nothing else known about them.

Marcus Junius Brutus, committed suicide after defeat in Second Battle of Philippi, 23 October 42BC

Gaius Cassius Longinus, ordered his freedman Pindarus to kill him when he erroneously thought the First Battle of Philippi lost, 3 October 42BC

Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus, while attempting to flee east to Brutus and Cassius, he was executed by a Gallic chieftain loyal to Mark Antony, September 43BC

Lucius Tillius Cimber, disappears from the record shortly before the Battles of Philippi, so it assumed he died during that campaign, October(?) 42BC

Publius Servilius Casca Longus, possibly suicide in the aftermath of the Battles of Philippi, October(?) 42BC

Servius Sulpicius Galba, murdered during the initial wave of proscriptions by the Second Triumvirate, late 43BC

Quintus Ligarius, murdered during the initial wave of proscriptions by the Second Triumvirate, late 43BC

• Gaius Trebonius, tried for treason, tortured and executed by Publius Cornelius Dolabella, January 43BC

• Servilius Casca, brother of Publius Servilius Casca, but his fate is unrecorded

• Pontius Aquila, died during the fighting at the Battle of Mutina against Antony, April 43BC

• Lucius Minucius Basilus, murdered by his own slaves after mutilating some of them, 43BC

• Gaius Cassius Parmensis, recognised as the last surviving conspirator, having survived Philippi, Sextus Pompeius’ defeat and the Battle of Actium, before being murdered in Athens by Octavian’s commander, Lucius Varus, 30BC

• Pacuvius Labeo, committed suicide after defeat in Second Battle of Philippi, 23 October 42BC

• Caecilius, fate unknown

• Bucilianus, brother of Caecilius, fate unknown

• Rubrius Ruga, either to be connected to the senator, Lucius Rubrius, or Cato’s friend Marcus Rubrius, fate unknown

• Marcus Spurius, fate unknown

• Publius Sextius Naso, fate unknown

• Petronius, fate unknown

• Publius Turullius, executed on Octavian’s order on the island of Cos, late 31BC/early 30BC

Bibliography

Epstein, D.F. ‘Caesar's Personal Enemies on the Ides of March,’ Latomus 46 (1987) 566-570

Smith, R.E. ‘The Conspiracy and the Conspirators’, Greece & Rome 4 (1957) 58-57

Stothard, P. The Last Assassin: The Hunt for the Killers of Julius Caesar. London (2020).