Pseudo-Marius

Pseudo-Marius (also referred to as Amatius, Herophilus, Chamates, or the false Marius; died 13 April 44 BC) was a man who claimed to be the son of Gaius Marius the Younger, and therefore the grandson of the famous Roman general Gaius Marius. He was murdered on the orders of Mark Antony following the assassination of Julius Caesar. Biography Pseudo-Marius, calling himself Gaius Marius, first appeared in Rome in 45 BC, where he presented himself as the patron of the towns founded by Marius's grandfather and populated by the descendants of the legionary veterans who were established there. Taking advantage of the Roman Dictator Julius Caesar's absence in Spain, he cultivated the support of the various plebeian collegia, and became enormously popular in the process. He was apparently wealthy enough to open up his gardens in order to entertain the people of Rome. Around the time Caesar returned to Rome in May 45 BC, Pseudo-Marius contacted the former Roman consul Cicero, asking for his help as a defender, presumably concerning a legal case. Cicero, writing to Titus Pomponius Atticus on 20 May 45 BC, says he refused, citing Marius' close familial links with Julius Caesar as the reason (Marius' supposed grandmother Julia was an aunt of Julius Caesar). It is uncertain whether the two events were linked, but in the autumn of 45 BC, Caesar expelled Pseudo-Marius from the city. With Julius Caesar's assassination on 15 March 44 BC, Pseudo-Marius returned from exile and attempted to set himself up as leader of the city's plebeian masses. Assuming the role of Caesar's avenger, in early April 44 BC he erected an altar to Caesar on the spot where the dictator's body had been burnt. Once again his popularity skyrocketed, causing the consul Mark Antony some concern, as he was expecting the plebs or Rome to rally around him. Hearing news that self-proclaimed Marius had gathered together a street gang and was planning to capture and kill two of Caesar's assassins (Gaius Cassius Longinus and Marcus Junius Brutus), Mark Antony ordered his capture and put him to death without a trial on April 13. Although an illegal act, the Senate approved of it, as they were concerned about Cassius and Brutus' safety. Pseudo-Marius' body was dragged around the city and eventually thrown into the Tiber river.