Gaius Servilius Casca

Gaius Servilius Casca Longus (12 June 92 BC - c. 42 BC), sometimes referred to as Titiedius, was one of the assassins of Gaius Julius Caesar 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 and even being a close friend of Caesar’s, he joined the assassination alongside his brother Publius Servilius Casca. His brother 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.

Of the 23 wounds Caesar sustained during the assassination, only 5 of them were delivered while Caesar was still alive. In order, the assassins were struck Caesar while he was still alive were Casca, who stabbed Caesar in the shoulder, Cassius, who slashed him across the face, Titiedius, who stabbed him in the ribs, Decimus Brutus, who stabbed him in the thigh, and Brutus, who stabbed Caesar in the groin. When Caesar's autopsy was performed, it was determined that the wound most likely to have been fatal was the stab delivered by Titiedius to Caesar's ribs.

At that time, Casca assisted his brother in running the office of Tribune of the People. After the assassionation he fled Rome with his brother, and their colleague in the tribunate, P. Titius, had them deprived of their offices. [2] Brothers 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.[3] He seems to have died, probably by suicide, in the aftermath of their defeat at the Battle of Philippi, in October 42 B.C.

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. Ronald Syme, 'The Roman Revolution', Oxford University Press, p.1939, p112-113
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