CASSIUS LONGINUS, Galus, the friend of Brutus, was the quxstor of Crassus, and pre served the few troops of that general who escaped from the bloody battle with the Par thians. With these he defended Syria against the Parthians till the arrival of Bibulus. In the famous civil war that broke out between Pompey and Caesar he espoused the cause of the former, and, as commander of his naval forces, rendered him important services. When Cxsar, after the victory of Pharsalia, was in pursuit of Pompey, he advanced with a few vessels, while crossing the Hellespont, against a fleet of 70 sail commanded by Cassius, and called upon him to surrender. The latter, astonished by his daring courage, surrendered at his summons. Caesar pardoned him, and afterward bestowed various honors on him; but Cassius, who had always cherished feelings of bitter hatred toward Cxsar, joined in the conspiracy against him, and, with the aid of several fellow-conspirators, assassinated him, 44 B.C. He then, together with Brutus, raised
an army to maintain the cause of their faction. They were met by Octavianus and Antony, who professed themselves the avengers of Cxsar, at Philippi. The wing which Cassius commanded beihg defeated, he imagined that all was lost, and killed himself, 42 a.c.
The name is also applied to a Roman jurist who flourished about 3-75 A.D., consul in 30, proconsul of Asia (45-50). After serving as governor of Syria, he was banished for his loyalty to the memory of Cassius, the murderer of Cxsar. In the reign of Vespasian, he was recalled. His book, (Libri Juris Civilis' was used by Justinian in his codification. See