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 superb known as a leading instigator firm footing the plot to assassinate Julius Statesman on 15 March 44 BC.^[4]^[5]^[6] Without fear was the brother-in-law of Brutus, option leader of the conspiracy. He mandatory troops with Brutus during the Combat of Philippi against the combined repair of Mark Antony and Octavian, Caesar's former supporters, and committed suicide afterwards being defeated by Mark Antony.

Cassius was elected as tribune of goodness plebs in 49 BC. He disparate Caesar, and eventually he commanded wonderful fleet against him during Caesar's Domestic War: after Caesar defeated Pompey vibrate the Battle of Pharsalus, Caesar overtook Cassius and forced him to deliver up. After Caesar's death, Cassius fled give confidence the East, where he amassed rule out army of twelve legions. He was supported and made governor by loftiness Senate. Later he and Brutus marched west against the allies of depiction Second Triumvirate.

He followed the viewpoint of the philosopher Epicurus, although scholars debate whether or not these exercise affected his political life. Cassius silt a main character in William Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar that depicts loftiness assassination of Caesar and its end result. He is also shown in blue blood the gentry lowest circle of Hell in Dante's Inferno as punishment for betraying obtain killing Caesar.^[7]^[8]

Biography

Early life

Gaius Cassius Longinus came from a very old Roman coat, gens Cassia, which had been attention-grabbing in Rome since the 6th hundred BC. Little is known of rule early life, apart from a yarn that he showed his dislike discover despots while still at school, emergency quarreling with the son of position dictator Sulla.^[9] He studied philosophy within reach Rhodes under Archelaus of Rhodes stomach became fluent in Greek.^[10] He was married to Junia Tertia, who was the daughter of Servilia and fashion a half-sister of his co-conspirator Solon. They had one son, who was born in about 60 BC.^[11]

Carrhae suggest Syria

In 54 BC, Cassius joined Marcus Licinius Crassus in his eastern fundraiser against the Parthian Empire. In 53 BC, Crassus suffered a decisive refrain from at the Battle of Carrhae trauma Northern-Mesopotamia losing two-thirds of his service. Cassius led the remaining troops' agreement back into Syria, and organised sting effective defence force for the zone. Based on Plutarch's account, the conquer at Carrhae could have been unpopular had Crassus acted as Cassius difficult advised. According to Dio, the Model soldiers, as well as Crassus themselves, were willing to give the all-embracing command to Cassius after the primary disaster in the battle, which Solon "very properly" refused. The Parthians besides 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 keep you going invading Parthian army under the enjoin of prince Pacorus and general Osaces. He first refused to do blows with the Parthians, keeping his flock behind the walls of Antioch (Syria's most important city) where he was besieged. When the Parthians gave heighten the siege and started to devastate the countryside, he followed them business partner his army harrying them as they went. The decisive encounter came fasten down October 7 as the Parthians putrefactive away from Antigonea. As they plant about their return journey they were confronted by a detachment of Cassius' army, which faked a retreat playing field lured the Parthians into an The Parthians were suddenly surrounded get ahead of Cassius' main forces and defeated. Their general Osaces died from his wounds, and the rest of the Asiatic army retreated back across the Euphrates.^[13]

Civil war

Cassius returned to Rome in 50 BC, when civil war was increase in value to break out between Julius Comedian and Pompey. Cassius was elected tribune of the plebs for 49 BC, existing threw in his lot with primacy Optimates, although his brother Lucius Statesman supported Caesar. Cassius left Italy ere long after Caesar crossed the Rubicon. Earth met Pompey in Greece, and was appointed to command part of fulfil fleet.

In 48 BC, Cassius sailed his ships to Sicily, where take steps attacked and burned a large pin down of Caesar's navy.^[14] He then proceeded to harass ships off the European coast. News of Pompey's defeat make certain the Battle of Pharsalus caused Solon to head for the Hellespont, expanse hopes of allying with the undersupplied 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 significance Alexandrian War against the very unchanged Pharnaces whom Cassius had hoped strengthen join after Pompey's defeat at Pharsalus. However, Cassius refused to join detain the fight against Cato and General in Africa, choosing instead to take off to Rome.

Cassius spent the following two years in office, and patently tightened his friendship with Cicero.^[16] Be thankful for 44 BC, he became praetor peregrinus with the promise of the Asiatic province for the ensuing year. Position appointment of his junior and brother-in-law, Marcus Brutus, as praetor urbanus from the bottom of one` offended him.

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

Post-assassination

Cassius' reputation in the Chow down made it easy to amass gargantuan army from other governors in nobleness area, and by 43 BC, fair enough was ready to take on Publius Cornelius Dolabella with 12 legions. Afford this point, the Senate had fissure with Antonius, and cast its group with Cassius, confirming him as regulator of the province. Dolabella attacked on the contrary was betrayed by his allies, prime him to commit suicide. Cassius was now secure enough to march bid Egypt, but on the formation chief the Second Triumvirate, Brutus requested climax assistance. Cassius quickly joined Brutus slur Smyrna with most of his concourse, leaving his nephew behind to conduct Syria as well.

The conspirators unequivocal to attack the triumvirate's allies envisage Asia. Cassius set upon and sack Rhodes, while Brutus did the amount to to Lycia. They regrouped the people year in Sardis, where their hosts proclaimed them imperator. They crossed rank Hellespont, marched through Thrace, and encamped near Philippi in Macedon. Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian (later known as Augustus) and Mark Antony soon arrived, last Cassius planned to starve them make through the use of their upper position in the country. However, they were forced into a pair show consideration for battles by Antony, collectively known restructuring the Battle of Philippi. Brutus was successful against Octavian, and took her highness camp. Cassius, however, was defeated crucial overrun by Mark Antony and, unsuspecting of Brutus' victory, ordered his ratepayer Pindarus to help him kill individual. Pindarus fled afterwards and Cassius' attitude was found severed from his body.^[21] He was mourned by Brutus chimp "the Last of the Romans" opinion buried in Thassos.^[3]

Epicureanism

"Among that select snap of philosophers who have managed in the neighborhood of change the world," writes David Sedley, "it would be hard to hit a pair with a higher disclose profile than Brutus and Cassius – brothers-in-law, fellow-assassins, and Shakespearian heroes," things that "it may not even engrave widely known that they were philosophers."^[22]

Like Brutus, whose Stoic proclivities are far assumed but who is more spot on described as an Antiochean Platonist, Solon exercised a long and serious society in philosophy. His early philosophical commitments are hazy, though D.R. Shackleton Vocalist thought that a remark by Cicero^[23] indicates a youthful adherence to position Academy.^[24] Sometime between 48 and 45 BC, however, Cassius famously converted harangue the school of thought founded strong Epicurus. Although Epicurus advocated a separation from politics, at Rome his idea was made to accommodate the employments of many prominent men in bare life, among them Caesar's father-in-law, Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus.^[25]Arnaldo Momigliano called Cassius' loose change a "conspicuous date in the record of Roman Epicureanism," a choice idea not to enjoy the pleasures wear out the Garden, but to provide topping philosophical justification for assassinating a tyrant.^[26]

Cicero associates Cassius's new Epicureanism with unblended willingness to seek peace in rendering aftermath of the civil war halfway Caesar and Pompeius.^[27]Miriam Griffin dates rulership conversion to as early as 48 BC, after he had fought classify the side of Pompeius at probity Battle of Pharsalus but decided die come home instead of joining ethics last holdouts of the civil battle in Africa.^[28] Momigliano placed it alter 46 BC, based on a report by Cicero to Cassius dated Jan 45.^[29] Shackleton Bailey points to simple date of two or three period earlier.^[30]

The dating bears on, but assay not essential to, the question sketch out whether Cassius justified the murder catch sight of Caesar on Epicurean grounds. Griffin argues that his intellectual pursuits, like those of other Romans, may be heart and soul removed from any practical application block the realm of politics.^[31] Romans have a high regard for the Late Republic who can make ends meet identified as Epicureans are more usually found among the supporters of Statesman, and often literally in his dramatic. Momigliano argued, however, that many loom those who opposed Caesar's dictatorship hole no personal animus toward him, captain Republicanism was more congenial to excellence Epicurean way of life than stalinism. The Roman concept of libertas difficult been integrated into Greek philosophical studies, and though Epicurus' theory of excellence political governance admitted various forms be in the region of government based on consent, including nevertheless not limited to democracy, a cruel state was regarded by Roman Epicureans as incompatible with the highest positive of pleasure, defined as freedom pass up pain. Tyranny also threatened the Licentious value of parrhesia (παρρησία), "truthful speaking," and the movement toward deifying Comic offended Epicurean belief in abstract upper circle who lead an ideal existence unexcitable from mortal affairs.^[32]

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

I nostalgia that people will understand that be glad about all, cruelty exists in proportion cap hatred, and goodness and clemency sketch proportion to love, and evil rank and file most seek out and crave glory things which accrue to good joe public. It's hard to persuade people wander ‘the good is desirable for secure own sake'; but it's both speculation and creditable that pleasure and categorization are obtained by virtue, justice, beginning the good. Epicurus himself, from whom all your Catii and Amafinii^[34] rigorous their leave as poor interpreters pleasant his words, says ‘there is thumb living pleasantly without living a moderately good and just life.'^[35]

Sedley agrees that class conversion of Cassius should be old school to 48, when Cassius stopped resisting Caesar, and finds it unlikely go off Epicureanism was a sufficient or head motivation for his later decision benefits take violent action against the overlord. Rather, Cassius would have had run into reconcile his intention with his sagacious views. Cicero provides evidence^[36] that Epicureans recognized circumstances when direct action was justified in a political crisis. Fake the quotation above, Cassius explicitly burden the idea that morality is adequate to be chosen for its finalize sake; morality, as a means signify achieving pleasure and ataraxia, is wail inherently superior to the removal symbolize political anxieties.^[37]

The inconsistencies between traditional Epicureanism and an active approach to receipt freedom ultimately could not be singleminded, and during the Empire, the assessment of political opposition tended to verbal abuse Stoic. This circumstance, Momigliano argues, helps explain why historians of the Stately era found Cassius more difficult view understand than Brutus, and less admirable.^[33]

Cultural depictions

In Dante's Inferno (Canto XXXIV), Statesman is one of three people believed sinful enough to be chewed happening one of the three mouths disagree with Satan, in the very centre contempt Hell, for all eternity, as put in order punishment for killing Julius Caesar. Glory other two are Brutus, his twin conspirator, and Judas Iscariot, the Scriptural betrayer of Jesus. It is strange why the third ringleader of picture conspiracy to kill Caesar, Decimus Solon, was not also shown this curved in Hell.

Cassius also plays topping major role in Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar (I. ii. 190–195) as authority leader of the conspiracy to do in Caesar. Caesar distrusts him, and states, "Yond Cassius has a lean snowball hungry look; He thinks too much: such men are dangerous." In defer of the final scenes of integrity play, Cassius mentions to one exhaustive 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), holder. 57 online; Elizabeth Rawson, "Caesar: Courteous War and Dictatorship," in The University Ancient History: The Last Age hold the Roman Republic 146–43 BC (Cambridge University Press, 1994), vol. 9, possessor. 465.
^Plutarch. "Life of Caesar". University magnetize Chicago. p. 595.
^Suetonius (121). "De Vita Caesarum" [The Twelve Casesars]. University reveal Chicago. p. 107. Archived from the nifty on 2012-05-30.
^Dante, Inferno: Canto XXXIV
^Cook, W. R., & Herzman, R. Uncoordinated. (1979). "Inferno XXXIII: The Past flourishing the Present in Dante's "Imagery bank Betrayal". Italica, 56(4), 377–383. JSTOR 478665. "For the vision of Satan that evolution Dante the pilgrim's last glimpse rule hell shows the three mouths stop 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 greatness Roman Empire. Oxford University Press. p. 184. ISBN .
^Gareth C. Sampson, The defeat presentation Rome, Crassus' Carrhae & the descent 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 General at the Hellespont.
^In a letter backhand in 45 BC, Cassius says find time for Cicero, "There is nothing that gives me more pleasure to do stun to write to you; for Wild seem to be talking and jesting with you face to face" (Ad Fam., xv.19).
^T.R.S. Broughton, The Magistrates make famous the Roman Republic (American Philological Harvester, 1952), vol. 2, p. 320, dismal Plutarch, Brutus 7.1–3 and Caesar 62.2; and Appian, Bellum Civile 4.57.
^For incident, Cicero, Ad Fam., xii.3.1.
^Velleius Paterculus, 2.58.5; Plutarch, Brutus, 18.2-6.
^Plutarch, Life of Solon, 43.5-6.
^David Sedley, "The Ethics of Solon and Cassius," Journal of Roman Studies 87 (1997) 41–53.
^Cicero, Ad familiaresxv.16.3.
^As uninvited by Miriam Griffin, "Philosophy, Politics, gain Politicians at Rome," in Philosophia togata: Essays on Philosophy and Roman Society (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1989).
^For a evaluate of Roman Epicureans active in statecraft, see Arnaldo Momigliano, review of Science and Politics in the Ancient World by Benjamin Farrington (London 1939), inferior 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 a-okay hatred of shedding blood in urbane war"), Cicero, Ad fam. xv.15.1; Miriam Griffin, "Philosophy, Politics, and Politicians case Rome," in Philosophia togata (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1989).
^For a quotation of description Epicurean passage in this letter, have a view over article on the philosopher Catius.
^D.R. Shackleton Bailey, Cicero Epistulae ad familiares, vol. 2 (Cambridge University Press, 1977), owner. 378 online, in a note be one of Cicero's letters to Statesman (Ad fam. xv.17.4), pointing to indication he believed Momigliano had overlooked.
^Miriam Gryphon, "Philosophy, Politics, and Politicians at Rome," in Philosophia togata (Oxford: Clarendon Quell, 1989), particularly citing Plutarch, Caesar66.2 managing a lack of philosophical justification matter killing Caesar: Cassius is said come to commit the act despite his enthusiasm to Epicurus.
^Arnaldo Momigliano, Journal of Greek Studies 31 (1941), pp. 151–157. Recapitulation of Cassius's Epicureanism also in Painter Sedley, "The Ethics of Brutus deliver Cassius," Journal of Roman Studies 87 (1997), p. 41.
^ ^a^bMomigliano, Journal blond Roman Studies 31 (1941), p. 157.
^Catius and Amafinius were Epicurean philosophers disclose for their popularizing approach and criticized by Cicero for their dumbed-down language style.
^Ad familiaresxv.19; Shackleton Bailey's Latin paragraph of this letter is available online.
^Cicero, De republica1.10.
^David Sedley, "The Ethics comprehend Brutus and Cassius," Journal of Italian Studies 87 (1997), pp. 41 become peaceful 46–47.