C. Cassius Longinus, 43-42 BC. Aureus (Gold, 20 mm, 8.09 g, 6 h), with P. Cornelius Lentulus Spinther, legate. Military mint moving with the army of Brutus and Cassius (Smyrna?), spring 42. C•CASSI•IMP - LEIBERTAS Diademed head of Libertas to right, wearing earring and pearl necklace. Rev. LENTVLVS / SPINT Capis and lituus. Babelon (Cassia) 15. Bahrfeldt 58. Calicó 65. Crawford 500/2. RBW -. Sydenham 1306. Very rare. An excellent example struck on a very broad flan and with a fine pedigree. Light scratch on the reverse and with some traces of mounting and a slightly bent flan, otherwise, about extremely fine.


Together with his brother-in-law Brutus, C. Cassius Longinus was the leading mind in the plot that lead to the assassination of Julius Caesar on the Ides of March in 44 BC. He escaped from the turmoil in Italy to Syria, from where he joined Brutus in 42 to fight the united armies of Octavian and Mark Antony. However, the Republican cause was lost with their defeat at the Battle(s) of Philippi and Cassius subsequently committed suicide, allegedly by killing himself with the very same dagger he had used to stab Caesar two years before.