Gaius Antonius

Gaius Antonius (died 42 BC) was the second son of Marcus Antonius Creticus and Julia Antonia, and thus, younger brother of Marcus Antonius, triumvir and enemy of Caesar Augustus. Like his brother, Gaius started his life free from paternal guidance, in the midst of scandals, parties and gambling. During the civil war, Gaius was a legate of Julius Caesar and entrusted, with Publius Cornelius Dolabella, with the defence of Illyricum 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 released and, with all the members of the Antonius family, promoted to high offices of the cursus honorum. In 44 BC, Gaius was urban praetor, while his brothers Marcus and Lucius Antonius were consul and tribune respectively. After the assassination of Caesar, Gaius was appointed governor to the Roman province of Macedonia. These would be the place that Marcus Junius Brutus and the other assassins chose to hide from Caesar Augustus' power. As a clear partisan of Caesar, Gaius Antonius did not received them well and for that was disposessed of his governorship. Brutus at first seemed to treated him generously, but ultimately ordered his death.

For other members of this Roman family see Antonius.

This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica.