Quintus Cassius Longinus facts for kids

Front side: young Jupiter (or maybe Bonus Eventus or Genius Populi Romani), with a scepter behind him	Back side: an eagle on a thunderbolt, with a lituus (a curved staff) on the left and a jug on the right Q·CASSIVS
Silver denarius coin made by Quintus Cassius Longinus in Rome in 55 BC. ref.: Cassia 7; sear5 #391; Syd 916, Cr428/3.

Quintus Cassius Longinus was an important Roman official. He was either the brother or cousin of Cassius, who was involved in the death of Julius Caesar. Quintus Cassius Longinus served as a governor in Hispania (which is now modern Spain and Portugal) for Julius Caesar.

Early Career and Public Service

Quintus Cassius Longinus started his career in the Roman government. In 55 BC, he was one of the tresviri monetales, which means he was in charge of making coins for Rome.

A few years later, in 54 BC, he worked as a quaestor for Pompey. A quaestor was a Roman official who managed public money. He served in a part of Hispania called Hispania Ulterior.

Supporting Julius Caesar

In 49 BC, Quintus Cassius Longinus became a tribune of the people. A tribune was an official who protected the rights of ordinary Roman citizens. In this role, he strongly supported Julius Caesar. Because of his loyalty, Caesar made him the governor of Hispania Ulterior.

Governor of Hispania

As governor, Quintus Cassius Longinus was known for treating the local people very harshly. In 48 BC, he was given the task of fighting against Juba I of Numidia, a king in North Africa. This gave him more reasons to treat the people unfairly.

Rebellion in Corduba

His harsh rule led to an uprising in the city of Corduba. However, this rebellion was not successful. Cassius punished the leaders of the uprising very severely. This made life even harder for the people living in the province.

Troops Revolt and His Downfall

Eventually, some of his own soldiers rebelled against him. Their leader was a quaestor named Marcellus, who was then declared the new governor. Marcellus surrounded Cassius in a place called Ulia.

Cassius asked for help from Bogud, the king of Mauretania, and Marcus Lepidus, another Roman governor. They helped arrange a deal with Marcellus. This deal allowed Cassius to leave freely with the legions (groups of soldiers) who were still loyal to him.

Cassius sent his soldiers to their winter camps. He then quickly boarded a ship at Malaca with all the wealth he had gained unfairly. However, his ship was caught in a big storm at the mouth of the Iberus (Ebro) river. He died in the shipwreck. His unfair and cruel way of governing Hispania caused a lot of problems for Julius Caesar's cause.

See also

In Spanish: Quinto Casio Longino para niños