Lucius Cassius Longinus Ravilla

Lucius Cassius Longinus Ravilla was a Roman senator of origin pébléienne which played an important political role at the end of the II E. It was famous for its severity.

In -137, it is Tribun of the plebs and makes pass the Lex Cassia Tabellaria , law which extends the secret vote to the legal comices, making it possible each one to vote in all independence. This vote is carried out thanks to shelves from where its name of law tabellaire.

In -127, it is Consul.

In -125, it is Censeur with Cnaeus Servilius Caepio and launches the building work of the Aqueduc Tepula. It was illustrated by its severity while making appear consular the Marcus Aemilius Lepidus Porcina and by inflicting a note of infamy to him because it lived in Rome a house of an exorbitant rent. One sometimes considering however in this action a share of personal revenge because Porcina had wanted to be opposed to the law tabellaire.

In -113, Ravilla was appointed special judge to slice in the business of the Vestales which defrayed the chronicle then. Three virgins vestals were accused of failure owe them of chastity. For the Romans, it was about a very serious crime, qualified inceste, constituting a sacrilege engaging all the destiny of Rome and which can attract catastrophes on the city. The punishment consisted in burying alive the vestal. In December 114, the large Pontiff, Lucius Caecilius Metellus Dalmaticus, initially charged to inform the business had been lenient, condemning only one vestal, Aemilia. A powerful orator of the plebs then showed it to have thus protected the young girls Patricien: the vestals were indeed recruited in the highest families. The lawsuit was thus entrusted to Ravilla which condemned to dead the two other vestals, Marcia and Licinia as well as other implied people.

Its reputation of severity had been thus put at contribution in the strong political struggles which opposed Optimates and Populares a few years after the death of the Gracques.

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