v59_0320 - CASSIUS Denier

CASSIUS

(+42 BC)

Caius Cassius Longinus had been part of the army of Crassus which was crushed at Carrhae (May 53 BC. -VS. ). He succeeded in escaping a disastrous fate, gathered together the remnants of the army and organized the defense of Syria where he ensured the charge of prosecutor. Supporter of Pompey, he was pardoned by Caesar after Pharsalus in 48 BC. -VS. which did not prevent him from being involved in the plot where the Dictator lost his life on the Ides of March (March 15, 44 BC).. -VS. ). After the death of Caesar and the attitude of Marc Antoine, he left Italy and took refuge in Syria. In 43 BC. -VS. , he received with Brutus, another assassin of Caesar an "Imperium" over the whole of the East. This power being only nominal Caius Cassius ensured it by despoiling the rich Jews of Antioch to pay his troops and make himself popular. The legitimate governor, Dollabella, tried to dislodge him from Antioch but Caius Cassius, in retaliation, attacked Laodicea and pushed Dollabella to suicide then occupied Tarsus and Rhodes. On Octavian's injunction, Cassius and Brutus were declared public enemies by the "lex Pedia" in the fall of the same year. Cassius and Brutus joined forces in Greece in September 42 BC. -VS. The final meeting took place at Philippi in Macedonia in October 42. During the first fight, Cassius seeing himself lost, preferred to commit suicide.