Brutus

This article is about the Roman cognomen. For other uses, see Brutus (disambiguation).

Brutus is a cognomen of the Roman gens Junia, a prominent family of the Roman Republic. The plural of Brutus is Bruti, and the vocative form is Brute, as used in the quotation "Et tu, Brute?" ("and you Brutus?"), from Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar.

Notable ancient Romans with this cognomen include:

• Lucius Junius Brutus – traditional founder of the Republic, whose sons were:
  • Tiberius Junius Brutus
  • Titus Junius Brutus
• Marcus Junius Brutus the Younger – Julius Caesar's friend and most famous assassin
• Marcus Junius Brutus the Elder — father of the aforementioned assassin
• Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus – commander and another one of Caesar's assassins
• Decimus Junius Brutus Callaicus – commander and consul of Hispania Ulterior from 138 BC to 136 BC
• Gaius Iunius Bubulcus Brutus – consul from 317 BC

• Lucius Junius Brutus was also used as a pseudonym of William Cranch

See also

• Junia (gens)
• Brutus by Cicero, a history of Roman oratory by Cicero, named after Caesar's assassin.
• Brutus of Troy, legendary founder of Britain.
• Brutus Greenshield, Brutus II