The Ides and the Aftermath (44–)

After Caesar’s murder, Servilia had to act to help Brutus and Cassius. From now on, our sources improve. She was, on and off, with the assassins at a villa, involved in deliberations and negotiations. On 5 June 44 a meeting of the Senate was to authorize Brutus and Cassius to leave their duties as praetors and go abroad on a grain-commission. They took this as an insult. A family council at Antium in early June decided that they would leave. Servilia promised to get the grain-commission dropped from the decree. Planning for the games (ludi Apollinares) to be held in Brutus’s absence involved Atticus and Servilia. The games were a qualified success. Servilia led the family in protecting both Brutus and Cassius in their absence and Lepidus’s children. She continued to lead after Philippi. We do not know when she died, but it may have been many years later.