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The Battle of Philippi

Aim - What is the author’s purpose? This is a very informational article, containing critical information needed to truly know the Battle of the Philippi. The author’s point is direct and clear, and he provides a lot of information about the subject. The author illustrates, “ The battle, on an inland plain in eastern Macedonia near the city of Philippi, would involve the largest Roman armies to ever take the field and, as 36 legions clashed, the bloody outcome would decide the future of the Roman Empire and finally bring to an end the 500-year old Roman Republic” (Cartwright 1). The author's word choice helps intrigue the audience, at the same time giving the audience information about the Battle of Philippi. The author’s purpose of this article is to inform the community about this terrible, but remarkable battle. By using detailed and almost accurate information to back up his statements up. Cartwright, Mark. //The Battle of Philippi 42 BCE//. History Encyclopedia, 25 November 2014. Web. 5 January 2016

Audience

The Battle of Philippi occurred in 42 BCE and involved all Romans. The author depicts, “Angry at Antony's lack of decisive action against Caesar's killers, the troops had switched loyalties to Octavian who had offered them greater financial rewards”(Cartwright 1). The audience the reading is directed at is a neutral reader. The author’s tone is informative and unbiased. Rome, although a beloved nation at the time, was segregated due to diverse beliefs and wants. This bloody battle split the people apart from another. A majority of the battle was focussed on the prodigies, Mark Antony and Gaius Octavian.

Cartwright, Mark. //The Battle of Philippi 42 BCE//. History Encyclopedia, 25 November 2014. Web. 5 January 2016

Historical Implications How does the historical events affect the written text? This article was unbiased and contained lots of information. The author explains, “Unable to see Brutus' success, Cassius fell back with his men. Believing that they had both been defeated, he committed suicide”(Hickman). Due to the severity of the battle, Cassius resorted to killing himself, which is an important detail to mention. In Rome, betrayal was unacceptable, and as Dante Alighieri explained, the damned that are guilty of betrayal are in the deepest circle of hell. This may also be a demonstration of the weakness Brutus and Cassius had after betraying Julius Caesar. If the two men did not commit suicide in actuality, the detail that was originally passed down and will be remembered, is that Brutus and Cassius were cowards. The author took the information he was given, and produced this article. Hickman, Kennedy. //Wars of the Second Triumvirate: Battle of Philippi//. About Education, 2015 17 May. Web. 5 January 2016

Cultural Implications The Battle of Philippi approved of avenging one’s death and approved the idea of “an eye for an eye.” Kennedy Hickman, an expert on military history states, “ The Second Triumvirate essentially ended resistance to their rule and succeeded in avenging the death of Julius Caesar” (Hickman 1). Marc Antony was the commander for the Second Triumvirate and was really close to Julius Caesar. This not only makes it a military conquest to ensure the rule of the Triumvirate, but also a personal vendetta against Brutus and Cassius. Because Rome was such a large empire and much of its culture influenced the culture of many countries, the fact that Marc Antony avenged the death of Julius confirms the belief that a life must be taken to avenge the life of someone that was greatly cared about. Following the “eye for an eye” philosophy, the battle of Philippi influenced the culture by allowing deaths to be avenged.

Hickman, Kennedy. //Wars of the Second Triumvirate: Battle of Philippi//. About Education, 2015 17 May. Web. 6 January 2016