Gaius Cassius Longinus

Lore & Background

Gaius Cassius Longinus came from a very old Roman family, gens Cassia, which had been prominent in Rome since the 6th century BC. Little is known of his early life, apart from a story that he showed his dislike of despots while still at school, by quarreling with the son of the dictator Sulla. He studied philosophy at Rhodes under Archelaus of Rhodes and became fluent in Greek. He was married to Junia Tertia, who was the daughter of Servilia and thus a half-sister of his co-conspirator Brutus. They had one son, who was born in about 60 BC.

In 54 BC, Cassius joined Marcus Licinius Crassus in his eastern campaign against the Parthian Empire as quaestor. In 53 BC, Crassus led the Roman army at the Battle of Carrhae in Northern-Mesopotamia, considered the worst defeat since the disastrous loss at Cannae in 216 BC against Hannibal. Cassius led the remaining troops' retreat back into Syria, and organised an effective defence force for the province. In 51 BC, Cassius was able to ambush and defeat an invading Parthian army under the command of prince Pacorus and general Osaces. Cassius returned to Rome in 50 BC, when civil war was about to break out between Julius Caesar and Pompey. He was elected tribune of the plebs for 49 BC, and threw in his lot with the Optimates. In 48 BC, Cassius sailed his ships to Sicily, where he attacked and burned a large part of Caesar's navy. News of Pompey's defeat at the Battle of Pharsalus caused Cassius to head for the Hellespont, but he was overtaken by Caesar and forced to surrender unconditionally.

After Caesar's death, Cassius fled to the east to Syria, where he amassed an army of twelve legions. He was supported and made governor by the Senate. Later he and Brutus marched west against the allies of the Second Triumvirate. Cassius set upon and sacked Rhodes in 43 BC, while Brutus did the same to Lycia. They regrouped the following year in Sardis, where their armies proclaimed them imperator. They crossed the Hellespont, marched through Thrace, and encamped near Philippi in Macedon. Cassius was defeated and overrun by Mark Antony. Unaware of Brutus's victory, he ordered his freeman Pindarus to help him kill himself. Pindarus fled afterwards and Cassius's head was found severed from his body.

Reader's Guide

Gaius Cassius Longinus is primarily remembered as the driving force behind the conspiracy that ended Julius Caesar's life on the Ides of March, 44 BC. His role as 'the moving spirit' in the plot, winning over the chief assassins, underscores his significance in one of history's most famous political assassinations. Cassius's military career, including his command during the disastrous Battle of Carrhae and his later successful defense of Syria against the Parthians, demonstrates his competence as a general. His philosophical adherence to Epicureanism, though debated in its influence on his political actions, marks him as a figure who engaged with the intellectual currents of his time. The failure of the conspirators to kill Mark Antony alongside Caesar, a move Cassius reportedly favored, led to the rise of the Second Triumvirate and the eventual defeat of the liberators at Philippi. Cassius's suicide after his defeat by Mark Antony, unaware of Brutus's simultaneous victory, adds a tragic dimension to his legacy. His portrayal in William Shakespeare's play 'Julius Caesar' and his appearance in Dante's 'Inferno' in the lowest circle of Hell for betraying and killing Caesar have cemented his place in Western cultural memory as a complex figure of political idealism and violent action.

Did You Know?

• Cassius studied philosophy at Rhodes under Archelaus of Rhodes and became fluent in Greek.
• He led the remaining troops' retreat after the Roman defeat at the Battle of Carrhae in 53 BC.
• Cassius was married to Junia Tertia, who was the half-sister of his co-conspirator Brutus.
• He is shown in the lowest circle of Hell in Dante's Inferno as punishment for betraying and killing Caesar.