- Gaius Antonius
Gaius
Antonius (died 42 BC) was the second son ofMarcus Antonius Creticus andJulia Antonia , and thus, younger brother ofMark Antony ,triumvir and enemy ofCaesar Augustus .Life
Early life
Like his brother, Gaius started his life free from paternal guidance, in the midst of scandals, parties and gambling.
Caesar's civil war During the civil war, Gaius was a legate of
Julius Caesar (49 BC) and entrusted, withPublius Cornelius Dolabella , with the defence ofIllyricum against the Pompeians. While Dolabella's fleet was destroyed, Antonius was shut up in the island of Curicta and forced to surrender. However, following Caesar's victories, he was releasedCaesar's dictatorship
With all the members of the
Antonius family, he was then promoted to high offices of the "cursus honorum ". In 44 BC, Gaius wasurban praetor , while his brothers Mark Antony andLucius Antonius were consul and tribune respectively.Caesar's assassination and afterwards
After the
assassination of Caesar, Gaius (as a Caesarean) was appointed governor to theRoman province of Macedonia.Marcus Junius Brutus and the other assassins, however, chose Macedonia as refuge from Octavian and - on opposition from Gaius - dispossessed him of his governorship. Brutus at first seemed to treat him generously, but ultimately ordered his death.References
* Plutarch, "Brutus", 28
* Dio Cassius xlvii. 21-24
*
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