Marcus Porcius Cato (c. 73-42 BC), son of

Cato the Younger Marcus Porcius Cato "Uticensis" ("of Utica"; ; 95 BC – April 46 BC), also known as Cato the Younger ( la, Cato Minor), was an influential conservative Roman senator during the late Republic. His conservative principles were focused on the pr ...

by his first marriage to

Atilia Atilia (sometimes spelt Attilia) was the first wife of Marcus Porcius Cato Uticensis and mother of his two eldest children. Biography Early life It is not known for certain who Atilia's father was, but he was from the Atilii Serrani. He may have b ...

, was a Roman soldier and in his earlier years spent some time in politics with his father. Although he never achieved greatness, he was admired by close friends and relatives, and also served his father most loyally and shared his ideals. Marcus was renowned for being a man of gallantry and warm temperament.

Biography

He was the brother of

Porcia Catonis The gens Porcia, rarely written Portia, was a plebeian family at Ancient Rome. Its members first appear in history during the third century BC. The first of the gens to achieve the consulship was Marcus Porcius Cato in 195 BC, and from then un ...

, who was first married to

Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus (c. 102 – 48 BC) was a politician of the Roman Republic. He was a plodding conservative and upholder of the established social order who served in several magisterial positions alongside Julius Caesar and conceived a ...

(co-consul with Caesar in 59 BC); she later married their half-cousin (on the maternal side)

Marcus Junius Brutus Marcus Junius Brutus (; ; 85 BC – 23 October 42 BC), often referred to simply as Brutus, was a Roman politician, orator, and the most famous of the assassins of Julius Caesar. After being adopted by a relative, he used the name Quintus Serv ...

. Marcus fought in the

Battle of Thapsus A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and for ...

, and after being defeated by Caesar's forces his father Cato committed suicide in 46 BC.

Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, and ...

pardoned young Cato and allowed him to keep his father's property. In spite of being pardoned by Caesar and allowed to return home, Marcus joined his brother-in-law Brutus and his ally

Gaius Cassius Longinus Gaius Cassius Longinus (c. 86 BC – 3 October 42 BC) was a Roman senator and general best known as a leading instigator of the plot to assassinate Julius Caesar on 15 March 44 BC. He was the brother-in-law of Brutus, another leader of the cons ...

, who both assassinated Julius Caesar on March 15, 44 BC. Afterwards they fled Rome headed for Greece, where Marcus Cato fought in both of the battles of Philippi. He was killed in the second battle of Philippi in 42 BC (at the age of 31). According to

Plutarch Plutarch (; grc-gre, Πλούταρχος, ''Ploútarchos''; ; – after AD 119) was a Greek Middle Platonist philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist, and priest at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi. He is known primarily for his ''P ...

, as the army of the Liberators routed, Marcus refused to retreat and instead charged into the enemy ranks, allegedly without helmet or armor, to meet his death.

Family

References

73 BC births 42 BC deaths Marcus Porcius Cato (III) 1st-century BC Romans Assassins of Julius Caesar Ancient Romans killed in action Cato the Younger {{AncientRome-bio-stub