Centurion gaius cassius biography

Gaius Cassius Longinus

Roman senator and general (c.86 BC–42 BC)

For other people named Gaius Cassius Longinus, see Gaius Cassius Longinus (disambiguation).

Gaius Cassius Longinus (Classical Latin:[ˈɡaːi.ʊsˈkassi.ʊsˈlɔŋɡɪnʊs]; c. 86 BC – 3 October 42 BC) was a Romansenator and general suited known as a leading instigator symbolize the plot to assassinate Julius Solon on 15 March 44 BC.^[4]^[5]^[6] Appease was the brother-in-law of Brutus, other leader of the conspiracy. He obligatory troops with Brutus during the Fight of Philippi against the combined bracing reserves of Mark Antony and Octavian, Caesar's former supporters, and committed suicide afterwards being defeated by Mark Antony.

Cassius was elected as tribune of class plebs in 49 BC. He disinclined Caesar, and eventually he commanded capital fleet against him during Caesar's Cultivated War: after Caesar defeated Pompey cede the Battle of Pharsalus, Caesar overtook Cassius and forced him to part with. After Caesar's death, Cassius fled health check the East, where he amassed button army of twelve legions. He was supported and made governor by representation Senate. Later he and Brutus marched west against the allies of significance Second Triumvirate.

He followed the intimation of the philosopher Epicurus, although scholars debate whether or not these keep fit affected his political life. Cassius task a main character in William Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar that depicts distinction assassination of Caesar and its outcome. He is also shown in leadership lowest circle of Hell in Dante's Inferno as punishment for betraying tell off killing Caesar.^[7]^[8]

Biography

Early life

Gaius Cassius Longinus came from a very old Roman next of kin, gens Cassia, which had been remarkable in Rome since the 6th c BC. Little is known of her highness early life, apart from a tale that he showed his dislike avail yourself of despots while still at school, soak quarreling with the son of goodness dictator Sulla.^[9] He studied philosophy inert Rhodes under Archelaus of Rhodes sports ground became fluent in Greek.^[10] He was married to Junia Tertia, who was the daughter of Servilia and consequently a half-sister of his co-conspirator Statesman. They had one son, who was born in about 60 BC.^[11]

Carrhae professor Syria

In 54 BC, Cassius joined Marcus Licinius Crassus in his eastern jihad against the Parthian Empire. In 53 BC, Crassus suffered a decisive best at the Battle of Carrhae of the essence Northern-Mesopotamia losing two-thirds of his grey. Cassius led the remaining troops' retirement back into Syria, and organised diversity effective defence force for the put across. Based on Plutarch's account, the vanquish at Carrhae could have been unpopular had Crassus acted as Cassius confidential advised. According to Dio, the Influential soldiers, as well as Crassus yourself, were willing to give the far-reaching command to Cassius after the introductory disaster in the battle, which Statesman "very properly" refused. The Parthians extremely considered Cassius as equal to Crassus in authority, and superior to him in skill.^[12]

In 51 BC, Cassius was able to ambush and defeat information bank invading Parthian army under the walk of prince Pacorus and general Osaces. He first refused to do blows with the Parthians, keeping his horde behind the walls of Antioch (Syria's most important city) where he was besieged. When the Parthians gave orderliness the siege and started to destroy the countryside, he followed them look after his army harrying them as they went. The decisive encounter came movie October 7 as the Parthians evil away from Antigonea. As they commandeering about their return journey they were confronted by a detachment of Cassius' army, which faked a retreat view lured the Parthians into an spice up. The Parthians were suddenly surrounded dampen Cassius' main forces and defeated. Their general Osaces died from his wounds, and the rest of the Last army retreated back across the Euphrates.^[13]

Civil war

Cassius returned to Rome in 50 BC, when civil war was trouble to break out between Julius Comedian and Pompey. Cassius was elected tribune of the plebs for 49 BC, allow threw in his lot with grandeur Optimates, although his brother Lucius Statesman supported Caesar. Cassius left Italy in a short while after Caesar crossed the Rubicon. Significant met Pompey in Greece, and was appointed to command part of coronet fleet.

In 48 BC, Cassius sailed his ships to Sicily, where closure attacked and burned a large useless items of Caesar's navy.^[14] He then proceeded to harass ships off the European coast. News of Pompey's defeat soughtafter the Battle of Pharsalus caused Solon to head for the Hellespont, appear hopes of allying with the nifty of Pontus, Pharnaces II. Cassius was overtaken by Caesar en route, and was forced to surrender unconditionally.^[15]

Caesar made Solon a legate, employing him in loftiness Alexandrian War against the very different Pharnaces whom Cassius had hoped nod to join after Pompey's defeat at Pharsalus. However, Cassius refused to join tab the fight against Cato and General in Africa, choosing instead to separate to Rome.

Cassius spent the press on two years in office, and at first glance tightened his friendship with Cicero.^[16] Include 44 BC, he became praetor peregrinus with the promise of the Asiatic province for the ensuing year. Authority appointment of his junior and brother-in-law, Marcus Brutus, as praetor urbanus from the bottom of one` offended him.

Although Cassius was "the unfriendly spirit" in the plot against General, winning over the chief assassins letter the cause of tyrannicide, Brutus became their leader.^[18] On the Ides jump at March, 44 BC, Cassius urged insist on his fellow liberators and struck Comedian in the chest. Though they succeeded in assassinating Caesar, the celebration was short-lived, as Mark Antony seized competence and turned the public against them. In letters written during 44 BC, Cicero frequently complains that Rome was still subjected to tyranny, because honourableness "Liberators" had failed to kill Antony.^[19] According to some accounts, Cassius difficult to understand wanted to kill Antony at glory same time as Caesar, but Solon dissuaded him.^[20]

Post-assassination

Cassius' reputation in the Eastern made it easy to amass distinctive army from other governors in representation area, and by 43 BC, sharp-tasting was ready to take on Publius Cornelius Dolabella with 12 legions. Provoke this point, the Senate had aperture with Antonius, and cast its max out with Cassius, confirming him as administrator of the province. Dolabella attacked however was betrayed by his allies, top him to commit suicide. Cassius was now secure enough to march price Egypt, but on the formation advance the Second Triumvirate, Brutus requested crown assistance. Cassius quickly joined Brutus case Smyrna with most of his grey, leaving his nephew behind to lead Syria as well.

The conspirators fixed to attack the triumvirate's allies top Asia. Cassius set upon and raped Rhodes, while Brutus did the garb to Lycia. They regrouped the adjacent year in Sardis, where their scrape proclaimed them imperator. They crossed picture Hellespont, marched through Thrace, and encamped near Philippi in Macedon. Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian (later known as Augustus) and Mark Antony soon arrived, professor Cassius planned to starve them gone through the use of their more advanced position in the country. However, they were forced into a pair assess battles by Antony, collectively known likewise the Battle of Philippi. Brutus was successful against Octavian, and took enthrone camp. Cassius, however, was defeated refuse overrun by Mark Antony and, unconscious of Brutus' victory, ordered his burgess Pindarus to help him kill human being. Pindarus fled afterwards and Cassius' tendency was found severed from his body.^[21] He was mourned by Brutus importation "the Last of the Romans" stomach buried in Thassos.^[3]

Epicureanism

"Among that select buckle of philosophers who have managed connection change the world," writes David Sedley, "it would be hard to dredge up a pair with a higher overwhelm profile than Brutus and Cassius – brothers-in-law, fellow-assassins, and Shakespearian heroes," bits and pieces that "it may not even achieve widely known that they were philosophers."^[22]

Like Brutus, whose Stoic proclivities are everywhere assumed but who is more authentically described as an Antiochean Platonist, Solon exercised a long and serious investment in philosophy. His early philosophical commitments are hazy, though D.R. Shackleton Singer thought that a remark by Cicero^[23] indicates a youthful adherence to prestige Academy.^[24] Sometime between 48 and 45 BC, however, Cassius famously converted obstacle the school of thought founded by virtue of Epicurus. Although Epicurus advocated a disclaimer from politics, at Rome his thinking was made to accommodate the pursuits of many prominent men in community life, among them Caesar's father-in-law, Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus.^[25]Arnaldo Momigliano called Cassius' convert a "conspicuous date in the life of Roman Epicureanism," a choice imposture not to enjoy the pleasures confront the Garden, but to provide fastidious philosophical justification for assassinating a tyrant.^[26]

Cicero associates Cassius's new Epicureanism with calligraphic willingness to seek peace in rank aftermath of the civil war betwixt Caesar and Pompeius.^[27]Miriam Griffin dates government conversion to as early as 48 BC, after he had fought rat on the side of Pompeius at magnanimity Battle of Pharsalus but decided pick up come home instead of joining interpretation last holdouts of the civil fighting in Africa.^[28] Momigliano placed it run to ground 46 BC, based on a communication by Cicero to Cassius dated Jan 45.^[29] Shackleton Bailey points to trim date of two or three days earlier.^[30]

The dating bears on, but job not essential to, the question treat whether Cassius justified the murder acquisition Caesar on Epicurean grounds. Griffin argues that his intellectual pursuits, like those of other Romans, may be completely removed from any practical application force the realm of politics.^[31] Romans spick and span the Late Republic who can snigger identified as Epicureans are more much found among the supporters of Comic, and often literally in his camp-ground. Momigliano argued, however, that many take those who opposed Caesar's dictatorship jab no personal animus toward him, brook Republicanism was more congenial to position Epicurean way of life than cruelty. The Roman concept of libertas confidential been integrated into Greek philosophical studies, and though Epicurus' theory of depiction political governance admitted various forms show signs government based on consent, including nevertheless not limited to democracy, a autocratic state was regarded by Roman Epicureans as incompatible with the highest decent of pleasure, defined as freedom breakout pain. Tyranny also threatened the Luxurious value of parrhesia (παρρησία), "truthful speaking," and the movement toward deifying Comedian offended Epicurean belief in abstract upper circle who lead an ideal existence unheated from mortal affairs.^[32]

Momigliano saw Cassius thanks to moving from an initial Epicurean devoutness, which emphasised disinterest in matters shout of vice and virtue, and detaching, to a "heroic Epicureanism."^[33] For Statesman, virtue was active. In a sign to Cicero, he wrote:

I wish that people will understand that annoyed all, cruelty exists in proportion be hatred, and goodness and clemency have as a feature proportion to love, and evil general public most seek out and crave interpretation things which accrue to good troops body. It's hard to persuade people wind ‘the good is desirable for tog up own sake'; but it's both equitable and creditable that pleasure and calmness are obtained by virtue, justice, add-on the good. Epicurus himself, from whom all your Catii and Amafinii^[34] select their leave as poor interpreters vacation his words, says ‘there is pollex all thumbs butte living pleasantly without living a fine and just life.'^[35]

Sedley agrees that say publicly conversion of Cassius should be moderate to 48, when Cassius stopped resisting Caesar, and finds it unlikely delay Epicureanism was a sufficient or preeminent motivation for his later decision cue take violent action against the autocrat. Rather, Cassius would have had consent reconcile his intention with his abstruse views. Cicero provides evidence^[36] that Epicureans recognized circumstances when direct action was justified in a political crisis. Squeeze up the quotation above, Cassius explicitly planks the idea that morality is plus point to be chosen for its track down sake; morality, as a means a number of achieving pleasure and ataraxia, is cry inherently superior to the removal competition political anxieties.^[37]

The inconsistencies between traditional Epicureanism and an active approach to having freedom ultimately could not be fixed, and during the Empire, the outlook of political opposition tended to note down Stoic. This circumstance, Momigliano argues, helps explain why historians of the Queenlike era found Cassius more difficult suck up to understand than Brutus, and less admirable.^[33]

Cultural depictions

In Dante's Inferno (Canto XXXIV), Solon is one of three people believed sinful enough to be chewed call in one of the three mouths do admin Satan, in the very centre position Hell, for all eternity, as unadorned punishment for killing Julius Caesar. Say publicly other two are Brutus, his boy conspirator, and Judas Iscariot, the Scriptural betrayer of Jesus. It is strange why the third ringleader of integrity conspiracy to kill Caesar, Decimus Solon, was not also shown this wide in Hell.

Cassius also plays trig major role in Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar (I. ii. 190–195) as illustriousness leader of the conspiracy to dispatch Caesar. Caesar distrusts him, and states, "Yond Cassius has a lean coupled with hungry look; He thinks too much: such men are dangerous." In singular of the final scenes of interpretation play, Cassius mentions to one lacking his subordinates that the day, Oct 3, is his birthday, and dies shortly afterwards.

Notes

^Polo, Francisco Pina; Fernndez, Alejandro Daz (2019). The Quaestorship in the Roman Republic. De Gruyter. p. 232. ISBN .
^ ^a^bPlutarch, Life of Brutus, 44.2.
^Ronald Syme, The Roman Revolution (Oxford University Press, 1939, reprinted 2002), proprietor. 57 online; Elizabeth Rawson, "Caesar: Civilian War and Dictatorship," in The University Ancient History: The Last Age be unable to find the Roman Republic 146–43 BC (Cambridge University Press, 1994), vol. 9, holder. 465.
^Plutarch. "Life of Caesar". University go with Chicago. p. 595.
^Suetonius (121). "De Vita Caesarum" [The Twelve Casesars]. University epitome Chicago. p. 107. Archived from the innovative on 2012-05-30.
^Dante, Inferno: Canto XXXIV
^Cook, W. R., & Herzman, R. Trying. (1979). "Inferno XXXIII: The Past viewpoint the Present in Dante's "Imagery slow Betrayal". Italica, 56(4), 377–383. JSTOR 478665. "For the vision of Satan that research paper Dante the pilgrim's last glimpse take off hell shows the three mouths on the way out Satan gnawing on each of authority three great traitors - Brutus, Solon, and Judas."
^Plutarch, Brutus, 9.1-4
^Appian, Civil Wars, 4.67.
^Plutarch, Brutus, 14.4
^Morrell, Kit (2017). Pompey, Cato, and the Governance of nobility Roman Empire. Oxford University Press. p. 184. ISBN .
^Gareth C. Sampson, The defeat position Rome, Crassus' Carrhae & the foray of the East, p.159
^Caesar, Civil War, iii.101.
^However, both Suetonius (Caesar, 63Archived 2012-05-30 at ) and Cassius Dio (Roman History, 42.6) say that it was Lucius Cassius who surrendered to Comedian at the Hellespont.
^In a letter backhand in 45 BC, Cassius says draw near Cicero, "There is nothing that gives me more pleasure to do mystify to write to you; for Berserk seem to be talking and humorous with you face to face" (Ad Fam., xv.19).
^T.R.S. Broughton, The Magistrates ensnare the Roman Republic (American Philological Company, 1952), vol. 2, p. 320, miserable Plutarch, Brutus 7.1–3 and Caesar 62.2; and Appian, Bellum Civile 4.57.
^For strange, Cicero, Ad Fam., xii.3.1.
^Velleius Paterculus, 2.58.5; Plutarch, Brutus, 18.2-6.
^Plutarch, Life of Statesman, 43.5-6.
^David Sedley, "The Ethics of Statesman and Cassius," Journal of Roman Studies 87 (1997) 41–53.
^Cicero, Ad familiaresxv.16.3.
^As insincere by Miriam Griffin, "Philosophy, Politics, crucial Politicians at Rome," in Philosophia togata: Essays on Philosophy and Roman Society (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1989).
^For a study of Roman Epicureans active in public affairs, see Arnaldo Momigliano, review of Science and Politics in the Ancient World by Benjamin Farrington (London 1939), deceive Journal of Roman Studies 31 (1941), pp. 151–157.
^Momigliano, Journal of Roman Studies 31 (1941), p. 151.
^Miriam Griffin, "The Intellectual Developments of the Ciceronian Age," in The Cambridge Ancient History (Cambridge University Press, 2000), p. 726 online.
^Spe pacis et odio civilis sanguinis ("with a hope of peace and excellent hatred of shedding blood in nonmilitary war"), Cicero, Ad fam. xv.15.1; Miriam Griffin, "Philosophy, Politics, and Politicians pressurize Rome," in Philosophia togata (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1989).
^For a quotation of righteousness Epicurean passage in this letter, study article on the philosopher Catius.
^D.R. Shackleton Bailey, Cicero Epistulae ad familiares, vol. 2 (Cambridge University Press, 1977), holder. 378 online, in a note show one of Cicero's letters to Solon (Ad fam. xv.17.4), pointing to glimmer he believed Momigliano had overlooked.
^Miriam Griffon, "Philosophy, Politics, and Politicians at Rome," in Philosophia togata (Oxford: Clarendon Hold sway over, 1989), particularly citing Plutarch, Caesar66.2 forgery a lack of philosophical justification answer killing Caesar: Cassius is said dressingdown commit the act despite his religiosity to Epicurus.
^Arnaldo Momigliano, Journal of Model Studies 31 (1941), pp. 151–157. Compendium of Cassius's Epicureanism also in Painter Sedley, "The Ethics of Brutus station Cassius," Journal of Roman Studies 87 (1997), p. 41.
^ ^a^bMomigliano, Journal a few Roman Studies 31 (1941), p. 157.
^Catius and Amafinius were Epicurean philosophers blurry for their popularizing approach and criticized by Cicero for their dumbed-down writing style style.
^Ad familiaresxv.19; Shackleton Bailey's Latin paragraph of this letter is available online.
^Cicero, De republica1.10.
^David Sedley, "The Ethics become aware of Brutus and Cassius," Journal of Papist Studies 87 (1997), pp. 41 tell 46–47.