AVIDIUS CASSIUS, GAIUS

born , Syria died July 175 usurping Roman emperor for three months in 175. The son of a high civil servant of the emperor Hadrian (ruled 117138), Avidius directed operations in Rome's war against the Parthians (161165). In 164165 Avidius advanced into Mesopotamia and then sacked Ctesiphon, Parthia's capital, and Seleuciaboth located in present-day central Iraq. Soon he was made commander of all Roman military forces in the Eastern provinces, and in 172 he suppressed an agrarian revolt in Egypt. In April 175 Avidius suddenly proclaimed himself emperor. He had apparently acted after hearing a false rumour of the death of the emperor Marcus Aurelius (ruled 161180), who was campaigning on the Danube. Marcus set out for the East, but before the two rivals could confront each other, Avidius was assassinated by one of his own soldiers.