Casticus
Casticus | |
|---|---|
| nobleman of the Sequani of eastern Gaul | |
| Born | 1st century BC |
| Died | 1st century BC |
| Father | Catamantaloedes |
Casticus was a nobleman of the Sequani of eastern Gaul. His father, Catamantaloedes, had previously been the ruler of the tribe and had been recognized as a "friend" by the Roman Senate.
Social position
[edit]According to Julius Caesar, Casticus was a Sequanian whose father Catamantaloedes had been king for many years. It is believed that he was chosen by Orgetorix to join his conspiracy because he was one of the "two most prominent chieftains within his reach."[1]
Conspiracy
[edit]In 60 B.C. he entered into a conspiracy with Orgetorix of the Helvetii and Dumnorix of the Aedui. Each individual gave a pledge and swore an oath to one another in the hope that when they seized the sovereignty that they would be the three most powerful and valiant nations.[2] This plan however fell apart when the conspiracy was made known to the Helvetii by an informer.
Some historians have found links between the Conspiracy of Orgetorix the Helvetian, Dumnorix the Aeduan, and Casticus as an allusion to the First Triumvirate.[3] William Henry Altman expands on Yves Gerhard's views of this by presenting six parallels between what he calls "The Gallic Triumvirate" and the First Triumvirate.
Parallels between "The Gallic Triumvirate" and the First Triumvirate
[edit]- Secret character of alliance
- Chronological simultaneity of two triads
- Common goal of two conspiracies
- Use of marriage for political goal
- Common appeal to people against aristocracy
- Eventual defeat of coalitions
Death
[edit]The cause of Casticus’ death is not detailed in the accounts given by Caesar. However, according to Rene Van Royen, it can be inferred that Casticus was either put to death swiftly upon the discovery of the conspiracy by the Helvetii or that he faced a fate similar to the one that Orgetorix faced (burning) when he was brought forward for trial by the Helvetii.[4]
Since the account of his death is missing, it is not known exactly what fate awaited Casticus. All that is known thus far is inferred from what is known of the people and the times.
In drama
[edit]Casticus appears as a minor character in two World War I-era plays written in Latin for students. The Conspiracy of Orgetorix, A Dramatization was written as a project for the author's Latin class to perform as a complement to reading Caesar's text. Published in 1917, the play depicts Orgetorix planning and persuading others to join in his conspiracy. Casticus appears in Act III, when Orgetorix persuades him and Dumnorix to join the conspiracy in the hopes of gaining control of Gaul. The final act of the play is the trial of Orgetorix after the conspiracy has been revealed. Students were encouraged to discuss parallels with the war of their own time.[5]
Dumnorix, A Play Fabula Braccata (1918) also dramatizes the formation of the conspiracy. It was written by the scholar Max Radin during his time teaching at Newton High School in New York City.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ Dunn, Frederic Stanley (April 17, 1909). "The Helvetian Quartet". The Classical Weekly. 2 (23): 178–181.
- ^ Caesar, Julius. Commentaries on the Gallic War
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- ^ Altman, William Henry Furness (2015). "Self-Revelation and Concealment in Caesar's DE BELLO GALLICO: CICERO, Orgetorix, and the Belgae". Revista Classica. 28 (1): 16–176.
- ^ Van Royen, Rene (November 2004). Rethymon (ed.). Slavery and Conquest. Besancon: Presses Universitaires de Franche-Comte. pp. 39–54. ISBN 9782848671697.
- ^ Horner, Brita L. (1917). "The Conspiracy of Orgetorix, A Dramatization". The Classical Journal. 13 (1): 61–65.
- ^ Radin, Max (1918). "Dumnorix, A Play Fabula Braccata". The Classical Journal. 13 (5): 314–342. JSTOR 3288427.