Gaius Avidius Cassius (Greek: Γάϊος Αουίδιος Κάσσιος; 130 – July 175 AD) was a Syrian Roman general and usurper. He was born in Cyrrhus, and was the son of Gaius Avidius Heliodorus, who served as praefectus or governor of Roman Egypt, and Julia Cassia Alexandra, who was related to a number of royal figures, including her descent from both Augustus and Herod the Great. He began his military career under Antoninus Pius, rising to the status of legatus legionis. He served during the Parthian war of Lucius Verus, in which he distinguished himself, for which he was elevated to the Senate, and later made Imperial legate. During the Bucolic War, he was given the extraordinary title of Rector Orientis, giving him Imperium over all of the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire.
In 175, Cassius declared himself emperor, because he had received news, from Marcus Aurelius' wife Faustina the Younger, that the Emperor Marcus Aurelius was about to die. He received broad support in the eastern provinces of Egypt, Syria, Syria Palaestina and Arabia Petraea, especially Syria, which was his homeland. Despite his control of the vital grain production of Egypt, and his command of seven legions, he was heavily outmatched by Aurelius. While Aurelius was amassing a 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 town of Cyrrhus, Syria. He was born to Gaius Avidius Heliodorus and Julia Cassia Alexandra. His father, Heliodorus, was of equestrian status, and served as Ab epistulis for Hadrian. Heliodorus later served as Praefectus augustalis, the prefect of Roman Egypt, from 137 to 142AD. According to Cassius Dio, he received this post, which was one of the highest posts that an equestrian could hold, due to his 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, Augustus. She was also a descendant of Herod the Great, Ptolemy VI Philometor and Antiochus VIII Gryphus through her father, Gaius Julius Alexander Berenicianus. Cassius was also a distant descendant of the Roman client-king Antiochus IV Epiphanes of Commagene, who had been dethroned half a century before.
Early career
It is thought that Cassius began his career during the reign of Antoninus Pius. He may have been adlected as a quaestor in 154. It is thought that he became a legatus legionis of one of the legions stationed in Moesia Inferior, which guarded against the Sarmatians, during the late years of Pius' rule (138–161), and it is certain that he was a legatus by at least 161AD, the last year of Pius' reign.
Cassius rose to prominence rapidly 164, under the co-emperors Lucius Verus and Marcus Aurelius, during the Parthian war of Lucius Verus, serving as legatus legionis or commander of Legio III Gallica. In 165, he led Legio III Gallica down the Euphrates, and defeated the Parthians at Dura-Europos. Before the end of the year, Cassius and his legion marched to the south, crossed Mesopotamia at its narrowest point, and attacked and sacked the twin Parthian cities of the Tigris river: Seleucia, which was on the right bank; and Ctesiphon, which was on the left bank and was the Parthian capital. After capturing Ctesiphon, he burnt the palace of Vologases IV. Despite the fact that Seleucia had surrendered to the Romans, he destroyed it as well, justifying it by claiming that the local population had broken their agreement.
Cassius' legion was by this time in dire need of supplies. The first signs of what became known as the Antonine Plague showed up in his army in 165. Cassius marched back to Syria, carrying with him the spoils taken from his campaign. He sent details of his campaign to Rome, for which he was rewarded with elevation to the Senate. Much of his success was credited to Emperor Lucius Verus, who, although himself an excellent commander, was notedly unafraid of delegating military tasks to more competent generals.
In May of 166, Cassius was made suffect consul, a position he held while still stationed outside of Rome. During that year, Lucius Verus and Cassius launched a new campaign against the Parthians, invading across the northern stretch of the Tigris river, into Media. During this time, a false rumor reached Rome that Cassius had led Legio III Gallica across the Indus River. In late 166AD, Cassius was appointed imperial legate of Syria.