Servilius Casca

Cimber (centre) holds out the petition and pulls at Caesar's tunic, while Casca behind prepares to strike: painting by Karl von Piloty.

Publius Servilius Casca Longus (84 BC – c. 42 BC) was one of the assassins of Gaius Julius Caesar. He and several other senators conspired to kill him, a plan which they carried out on 15 March, 44 BC. Afterwards, Casca fought with the liberators during the Liberators' civil war. He is believed to have died by suicide after their defeat at the Battle of Philippi in 42 B.C.

Life

Despite his family being loyal to Caesar, with Casca's brother Gaius Servilius Casca even being a close friend of Caesar's, both siblings joined in the assassination. Casca struck the first blow,[1] attacking Caesar from behind and hitting his neck, after Tillius Cimber had distracted the dictator by grabbing his toga. The other assassins then joined in.

At the time Casca held the office of Tribune of the People. After the assassination he fled Rome, and his colleague in the tribunate, P. Titius, had him deprived of his office.[2] Casca joined Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus, the leaders of the assassins, during the Liberators' civil war against the Second Triumvirate, Caesar's former supporters. He seems to have died, probably by suicide, in the aftermath of their defeat at the Battle of Philippi, in October 42 B.C.

Casca is commemorated on a coin along with Brutus, in which a bearded figure is depicted next to his name. However, this appears to be the god Neptune rather than a portrait of Casca.[3]

Dramatic depictions

A coin celebrating Casca and Brutus

See also

References

  1. ↑ John Hazel, Who's Who in Roman World, Routledge, 2002, p.55
  2. ↑ William George Smith, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology: Abaeus-Dysponteus, p.618
  3. ↑ Wayne G. Sayles, Ancient Coin Collecting III: The Roman World-Politics and Propaganda, Krause Publications, 2007, p.16
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