Cassius

Family: Roman · Role: commander · First appears: Book I, Chapter 8

In Book I, Chapter 8, Cassius was an enemy of Pitholaus, whom he slew for supporting Aristobulus’s seditious followers. He also forced Alexander to come to terms and keep quiet, on Antipater’s advice, then returned to Euphrates: “So when Cassius had forced Alexander to come to terms and to be quiet, he returned to Euphrates.”

In Chapter 11, Cassius and Brutus treacherously murdered Caesar, who had held the government for three years and seven months. Cassius then came to Syria, reconciled Bassus and Marcus at Apamia, raised the siege, and assumed command of the army. With Brutus, he opposed Augustus and Antony, raising an army out of Syria; he appointed Herod procurator of Syria, gave him an army, and promised to make him king of Judea after the war. Cassius was also an enemy of Malichus, whom Herod bewailed in letters to him, while Cassius hated Malichus on other grounds.

In Chapter 12, Cassius held tyrannical power over Syria and set Marion over it. In Chapter 14, Herod was associated with a place grievously harassed in the war with Cassius, and near Philippi Augustus and Antony killed Cassius.