Avidio Cassio , i Cassii e i Cassiani *

Abstract

Avidius Cassius, Cassii, and Cassiani

The L. Cassius mentioned by Historia Augusta, vita Avidii Cassii 14, 4 in a spurious letter of Avidius Cassius to his son-in-law can be identified with the famous republican judge of that name; there is thus no erroneous reference to Caesar’s murderer, C. Cassius, as it has been always assumed. The letter closes with a so far unnoticed pun played on the different meanings that the term Cassiani at 14, 8 may acquire.