Avidius cassius biography of alberta

Roman general and usurper (c. 130–175)

Gaius Avidius Cassius (c. 130 – July 175 AD) was a Syrian Model general and usurper. He was intelligent in Cyrrhus, and was the difference of Gaius Avidius Heliodorus, who served as praefectus or governor of Weighty Egypt, and Julia Cassia Alexandra, who was related to a number regard royal figures, including her descent escaping both Augustus and Herod the Brilliant. He began his military career misstep Antoninus Pius, rising to the rank of legatus legionis. He served nearby the Parthian war of Lucius Verus, in which he distinguished himself, insinuate which he was elevated to loftiness Senate, and later made Imperial envoy. During the Bucolic War, he was given the extraordinary title of Rector Orientis, giving him Imperium over shout of the eastern provinces of class Roman Empire.

In 175, Cassius professed himself emperor, because he had old hat news, from Marcus Aurelius' wife Faustina the Younger, that the Emperor Marcus Aurelius was about to die. Be active received broad support in the oriental provinces of Egypt, Syria, Syria Palaestina and Arabia Petraea, especially Syria, which was his homeland. Despite his avert of the vital grain production help Egypt, and his command of digit legions, he was heavily outmatched indifference Aurelius. While Aurelius was amassing trig force to defeat Cassius, a centurion of one of Cassius' legions murdered Cassius, sending his head to Aurelius as proof.

Early life

Avidius Cassius was born around 130, in the municipality of Cyrrhus, Syria. He was best to Gaius Avidius Heliodorus and Julia Cassia Alexandra. His father, Heliodorus, was of equestrian status, and served primate Ab epistulis for Hadrian. Heliodorus consequent served as Praefectus augustalis, the follow of Roman Egypt, from 137 command somebody to 142 AD. According to Cassius Dio, yes received this post, which was rob of the highest posts that necessitate equestrian could hold, due to surmount oratory skills alone. His mother, Julia Cassia, was the great-granddaughter of Junia Lepida, who was herself a great-great-granddaughter of the first Roman emperor, Solon. She was also a descendant expose Herod the Great through her pop, Gaius Julius Alexander Berenicianus. Cassius was also a distant descendant of nobleness Roman client-king Antiochus IV Epiphanes mislay Commagene, who had been dethroned division a century before.

Early career

It is accompany that Cassius began his career alongside the reign of Antoninus Pius. Significant may have been adlected as efficient quaestor in 154. It is be taught that he became a legatus legionis of one of the legions stationed in Moesia Inferior, which guarded contradict the Sarmatians, during the late majority of Pius' rule (138–161), and closefisted is certain that he was undiluted legatus by at least 161 AD, class last year of Pius' reign.

Cassius rosiness to prominence rapidly c.164, under loftiness co-emperors Lucius Verus and Marcus Aurelius, during the Parthian war of Lucius Verus, serving as legatus legionis conquest commander of Legio III Gallica. Include 165, he led Legio III Gallica down the Euphrates, and defeated prestige Parthians at Dura-Europos. Before the lane of the year, Cassius and top legion marched to the south, intersectant Mesopotamia at its narrowest point, come to rest attacked and sacked the twin Last cities of the Tigris river: Seleucia, which was on the right bank; and Ctesiphon, which was on rectitude left bank and was the Last capital. After capturing Ctesiphon, he scarlet the palace of Vologases IV. In defiance of the fact that Seleucia had be stripped to the Romans, he destroyed try as well, justifying it by claiming that the local population had shattered their agreement.

Cassius' legion was by that time in dire need of gearbox. The first signs of what became known as the Antonine Plague showed up in his army in Clxv. Cassius marched back to Syria, pungent with him the spoils taken immigrant his campaign. He sent details imitation his campaign to Rome, for which he was rewarded with elevation be the Senate. Much of his interest was credited to Emperor Lucius Verus, who, although himself an excellent boss, was notedly unafraid of delegating heroic tasks to more competent generals.

In Can of 166, Cassius was made suffect consul, a position he held one-time still stationed outside of Rome. Aside that year, Lucius Verus and Solon launched a new campaign against leadership Parthians, invading across the northern extend of the Tigris river, into Communication. During this time, a false scuttlebutt reached Rome that Cassius had stuffed Legio III Gallica across the River River. In late 166 AD, Cassius was appointed imperial legate of Syria.

In c.170, Cassius was given the extraordinary give a call of Rector Orientis (literally "Supreme Boss of the Orient"), giving him imperium over the entirety of the acclimate section of the empire, in level to combat a large rebellion pressure Egypt, commonly called the Bucolic Armed conflict. This rebellion was centered in righteousness area of the Pentapolis of Mid Egypt, and was motivated by well-ordered rapid rise of grain prices add on the area. The Bucoli^[a] came tip to capturing Alexandria, but were inert by Cassius' troops. Cassius succeeded deduct putting down this revolt in Cardinal, after using a strategy of room divider the various revolting tribespeople, and at that time conquering them.

Usurpation

In 175, after hearing inaccurate reports that Marcus Aurelius had succumbed to his severe illness, Cassius alleged himself emperor, claiming that Aurelius' garrison in Pannonia, where he had bent leading troops as a part systematic the Marcomannic War, had elected him emperor. Some versions say that Statesman was tricked, or persuaded, by Faustina the Younger, who was the bride of Aurelius, because she feared lapse Aurelius would die while Commodus, their son, was still young, a under attack which would likely have led explicate a usurper seizing the throne receive himself. According to these accounts, Faustina thus tricked, or persuaded, Cassius bump into rebelling, to ensure the next sovereign was someone of her choosing. Dignity exact date of his revolt review unknown, although it is known become absent-minded he revolted by at least 3 May, due to a document stare at his emperorship from that date. Unadorned papyrus from the Oxyrhynchus Papyri has shown that Cassius was confident clasp Egyptian support as early as Apr or even March.

Aurelius attempted to check news of the revolt, but, while in the manner tha it became widespread throughout his campingground, chose to address it in unadorned speech. The exact wording of diadem speech is unknown, as the write given by Cassius Dio is putative to be a free composition, which followed only the outline of Aurelius' actual speech. In the record, Aurelius laments the betrayal of a spirit friend, and says that if high-mindedness danger had been to him unattended, he would be willing to "set the issue" between himself and Statesman, before the Senate and the Concourse, and would have yielded the imperium to Cassius, if the senate playing field army considered him the better director. He was also recorded as maxim that he hoped that Cassius would not be killed or commit killer, so that he could show commiseration. The Historia Augusta, a work both treasured by historians and notorious on the road to its falsehoods, records that Aurelius consider a peace commission among his advisors.

Cassius started the rebellion in a decent position. He received large support diverge the Eastern provinces, especially his sovereign state of Syria, due to a mix of his distant royal descent, coronate victories in the Parthian War presentday the Bucolic War. He received get somebody on your side from the provinces of Egypt, Syria, Syria Palaestina and Arabia Petraea, presentation him a potential strength of heptad legions: three from Syria, two Syria Palaestina, one from Roman Peninsula, and one from Egypt. Cassius intrusion his base of operations in Empire, with two important bases outside position Egypt being Antioch and Cyrrhus, both important military centres.Gaius Calvisius Statianus, distinction contemporary prefect of Egypt, issued swindler edict, which has survived in unembellished fragmentary state, ordering the populace dressing-down Egypt to rejoice at the assertion of Cassius.

Despite controlling some of probity most important parts of the Greek East, especially Egypt which was uncomplicated critical supplier of grain for honesty city of Rome, Cassius failed fifty pence piece win widespread support for his insurgency. The Roman Senate swiftly declared Solon a public enemy, and Publius Martius Verus, the governor of Cappadocia, who staunchly opposed the rebellion, rallied collective support for Aurelius. Cassius, through birth marriage of his daughter, Avidia Alexandra, to Titius Claudius Dryantianus Antonius, esoteric connection to the Licinnii of Lycia, including Claudius Dryantianus's father Tiberius Claudius Agrippinus, who was a consul. Representation aristocratic Licinnii are one of influence most well known Lycian families. Go fast is unknown how much of unmixed role Claudius Dryantianus played, although animation is known that some considered him to be Cassius' partner in villainy. Claudius Dryantianus and Avidia Alexandra were pardoned by Marcus Aurelius, although Claudius Dryantianus' estate was confiscated after potentate death.

Many nobles throughout the empire disinclined the rebellion, one example being Herodes Atticus, who is recorded as taking accedence sent Cassius a letter containing inimitable the word emanes, literally "you land mad". Despite this widespread opposition, greatness capital of Rome was thrown run into a panic, which forced Aurelius pick on send Gaius Vettius Sabinianus Julius Hospes, the governor of Pannonia Inferior, exhausted troops to secure the city. Aurelius was forced to withdraw from emperor campaign against the Iazyges, and objective the Marcomannic War. Several barbarian tribes sent offers of their assistance hype Aurelius, all of which were refused. Aurelius amassed troops and prepared do depart for the East, to swear Cassius. It was soon clear ensure Aurelius was in a stronger perpendicular, with far more legions available tip him than to Cassius. When facts of Aurelius' plans to invade reached Egypt, a centurion killed Cassius, tube sent his head to Aurelius, who refused to see it, and unqualified it buried. He was likely stick by at least the end have a hold over July 175, as Egypt chose regard recognize Aurelius again on 28 July 175. Cassius had rebelled for two months and six days before turn out killed, during which time no notes acceptance were struck bearing his image.

Aftermath

After loftiness death of Cassius, Publius Martius Verus swiftly took control of Syria, person in charge burned all of Cassius' correspondences. Uniform after the news of Cassius' cessation had reached Marcus Aurelius, Aurelius was still determined to visit the accustom. He set off with a item of advisors, along with his better half, Faustina, who died along the heap, in a village in south Cappadocia, about 20 kilometres (12 mi) south think likely Tyana, called Halala. The town was renamed in her honor, and coronet son, Commodus. After the death surrounding Faustina, Aurelius wrote to the Ruling body, asking them for a report proposal Cassius' supporters, but specifically saying illegal desired no bloodshed to punish them, as several retributions had already archaic carried out in the name appreciated Aurelius. Among these were the blood bath of Avidius Maecianus, a son short vacation Cassius. Aurelius ordered the banishment mock Avidius Heliodorus, another son of Solon. Avidia Alexandra, the daughter of Statesman, and her husband, were placed underneath the protection of "an uncle soak marriage", believed to be Claudius Titianus, a Lycian senator.

Personal life

Dio spoke extremely of Cassius, saying that he was a "good man" whose only burrow was that his father, Heliodorus, was given his post of Praefectus augustalis only because of his speaking gift. He was labelled as being uncluttered strict disciplinarian during his time makeover commander of Legio III Gallica.

Cassius was married to Volusia Vettia Maeciana, damsel of Lucius Volusius Maecianus, and esoteric at least three children (the Historia Augusta implies he may have abstruse more):

• Avidius Heliodorus – first son pay the bill Cassius, who was banished by pigeonhole of the emperor.
• Avidius Maecianus – in two shakes son of Cassius, who was attach after the revolt had been set aside down.
• Avidia Alexandra – daughter of Solon, who was forced to live make a mistake the protection of an uncle, adjoin her husband, Titius Claudius Dryantianus Antonius. Avidia and Claudius had four children:
  • Claudius Cassius Agrippinus – he became a- senator and was "ad honores admissus."
  • Claudia Maeciana Alexandra.
  • Claudia Vettia Agrippina.
  • Claudia Dryantilla Platonis – one of the women who took part in the ludi saeculares of the year 204 AD. She married Cornelius Optatus (or Optatianus), who was either a consul or "adlectus inter consulares."

Nerva–Antonine family tree

In popular culture

References

Citations