Cassius Severus

Cassius Severus († 32 AD) was a Roman orator.

Cassius Severus came from a humble background. He was despite - or perhaps because of - his iniquitous behavior and his almost proverbial lack of success as a process orator famous. He was considered very well-read. His negative qualities, however, were that he was partly uncontrolled aggressive and cynical in his speeches and did not shrink even before insults. As a defender, he appeared only in their own right, which he obviously prepared a lot of joy.

He is known today by the judgments, which are narrated by Quintilian, Seneca and Tacitus about his speeches. For both authors, the assessment is mixed out: he is considered talented and witty, but keep it to some critics for passionate and thereby often intemperate and ridiculous. Tacitus does in his dialogue on the speaker one of the interlocutors Cassius Severus the " landmark " between the rhetoric of the Republican period and the Principate explain.

By little cautious statements and diatribes Cassius Severus was finally indicted himself. A first indictment was still suppressed by Augustus. After the second charge, he was first banished by a decree of the senate to Crete, then imprisoned under Tiberius on Seriphos, as he did not remained silent on Crete and other insults wrote. On Seriphos lived and died in misery. His writings were banned. Under Caligula, they were re-released. Although charged by Quintilian required reading, the court speeches are today handed down only in fragments.