- Blossius
Gaius Blossius (
2nd century BC ) was, according toPlutarch , aphilosopher and student of theStoic philosopherAntipater of Tarsus , from the city ofCumae inCampania ,Italy , who (along with the Greek rhetorician,Diophanes ) instigated Romantribune Tiberius Gracchus to pursue aland reform movement on behalf of theplebs . Tiberius was accused by his political opponents of attempting to provoke a popular uprising, and have himself crowned King. Eventually, he wasassassinated , and his body thrown into the riverTiber .After the death of Tiberius Gracchus, Blossius was interrogated by the
consul s on the matter. Blossius freely admitted that he had done anything Tiberius had asked. The consuls asked "What? What would you do if Tiberius ordered you to burn theCapitol ?" He answered that Tiberius would never have given such an order. Being pressed on the point, though, Blossius eventually stated that Tiberius would only have ordered such a thing, if it were in the true interests of the Roman people. After that, he was released. Blossius went to the province of Asia, where he took part inAristonicus ' popular uprising againstRome , aiding in the organization of theHeliopolis state . When the uprising was ultimately defeated, he killed himself.References
*
Plutarch , "Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans ", "Tiberius Gracchus". ( [http://classics.mit.edu/Plutarch/tiberius.html online version] )
*Maria Jaczynowska, Anna Mączakowa,Witold Tyloch , "Historia Starożytna" (in English, "Ancient History"), Warsaw 1974
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