Philippus joined in a marriage alliance with Gaius Julius Caesar via his niece Atia. This marriage made him step-father to Octavia Minor and Gaius Octavius Thurinus (future Roman emperor Augustus). Civil war In 49 BC, tensions between Julius Caesar and the senate, led by Pompey, turned to open warfare. He was passed over for command by the anti-Caesarians in early January 49 BC due to his family connection to Caesar. When the Pompeians demanded all senators to vacate Italy and join them across the Adriatic, Philippus sought and received a "special dispensation" from Caesar to settle – possible outside Italy – as a neutral, which was "unlikely to have endeared him to the Pompeians". After the assassination of Julius Caesar on 15 March 44 BC, Philippus' step-son Gaius Octavius returned to Italy and was met with news of his adoption in Caesar's will. Philippus cautiously advised him to reject the inheritance, but Octavius declared his acceptance, ushering him into political life. During the short between the senate, led by Cicero, and Mark Antony, the senate sent a peace embassy of three men, including Philippus, to Antony urging Antony to withdraw from Cisalpine Gaul and accept senatorial mediation under threat of war. Cicero criticised the dithering of the ultimatum in his Seventh Philippic and Antony's counter-demands were rejected, precipitating passage of a senatus consultum ultimum and declaration of a state of emergency. The war ended in senatorial defeat: after the senate's armies (led by the two consuls and Octavian) defeated Antony at the Battle of Mutina, Octavian assumed command in place of both consuls, deceased, and allied with Antony against the senate to establish the Second Triumvirate. Atia died during summer 43 BC; The Philippus that married Atia's sister was in fact his son, the consul suffectus of 38 BC. Family Philippus had a son, Lucius Marcius Philippus, and a daughter, Marcia. His son later married his step-mother's sister Atia and later became suffect consul in 38 BC and then proconsul for Spain; his daughter later married Cato the Younger and Quintus Hortensius. References Citations Sources External links Ronald Syme, The Augustan Aristocracy (preview in Google Books) Roman coinage depicting Philippus 1st-century BC Roman governors of Syria 1st-century BC Roman consuls Senators of the Roman Republic Lucius Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown Family of Augustus