Cassius Chaerea

Cassius Chaerea (fl. 1st Century AD) was a centurion in the army of Germanicus, where he encountered the young Caligula; according to Robert Graves, he was also one of the few survivors of the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest. After the death of Tiberius and the execution of Macro, Caligula made him Prefect (commander) of the Praetorian Guard.

Disturbed by the increasingly-disturbed emperor, and angered at his mocking of his voice, Chaera plotted with several senators to assassinate Caligula, and on January 24, 41, they did just that, killing the emperor, his wife, and their infant daughter.

Shortly afterwards, he was sentenced to death by the new emperor, Claudius.

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