Casca is a series of historical fantasy novels created by American author Barry Sadler in 1979. The series follows Casca Rufio Longinus, a Roman legionary who pierces the side of Jesus during the Crucifixion and is cursed with immortality, condemned to wander through history as a soldier until the Second Coming. The character draws upon traditions associated with Longinus and the Wandering Jew.
Sadler wrote the original novels in the series until his death in 1989, with The Mongol published posthumously in 1990. Following Sadler's death, the series was continued under his estate through other writers. Paul Dengelegi wrote The Liberator (1999) and The Defiant (2001), and Tony Roberts became the principal writer beginning with Halls of Montezuma (2006). In 2026, John L. Thompson joined Roberts as a co-writer, beginning with The Guardian, the 64th entry in the series, followed by The Seeker. Thompson has also served as the graphic designer for the series' book covers since 2015.
Reception Barry Sadler era The Eternal Mercenary, the first novel in the series, achieved strong initial sales following its release in 1979. In August of that year, Radio & Records reported that the novel had reached sales of 100,000 copies after approximately one month in bookstores, while Sadler was making promotional appearances at bookstores in Nashville.
The novel subsequently received attention from science-fiction publications. In a 1981 review for Science Fiction Review, Mark Willard described The Eternal Mercenary as a reworking of the Wandering Jew legend and characterized it as a fast-paced historical war novel. The review also noted the novel's use of the Vietnam War as a modern-day framing narrative for Casca's account of his life following the Crucifixion. Although critical of the novel's limited ambitions, Willard found aspects of Casca's immortality intriguing and described Sadler's writing as competent.
Tony Roberts era Several of Tony Roberts' later Casca novels have been reviewed by the military history website History of War. The Conqueror was described as "one of the better entries in the series", with the reviewer praising its focused plot and use of the historical setting. The site's review of The Anzac similarly praised Roberts' depiction of the Gallipoli campaign and noted the series' ability to connect widely separated historical periods through the same central character.
Characters
Casca Rufio Longinus
Casca Rufio Longinus is a Roman soldier who, according to the series chronology, was born around AD 2 in the village of Falerno in the Tuscan hills. After his family dies during a pestilence, he enlists in the 7th Legion at Livorno around AD 21. He later serves with the 10th Legion and, by AD 33, is stationed in Jerusalem, where he is assigned to the execution of Jesus of Nazareth.
At Golgotha, Casca pierces Jesus with his spear in an attempt to end his suffering. Jesus condemns Casca to remain as he is until they meet again, leaving Casca unable to die or permanently age. This event establishes the central premise of the series, with Casca condemned to wander through history as an immortal soldier.
Some time later, Casca discovers the nature of his immortality after being stabbed during an altercation with a superior officer. Although he continues to experience pain and can be wounded and scarred, his injuries heal and he does not age. He is eventually expelled from the legion and condemned to slavery in the mines.
After years in the mines, Casca is sold as a gladiator. Concealing his ability to recover from otherwise serious wounds, he rises through the gladiatorial ranks and eventually gains his freedom. His subsequent adventures carry him through successive periods of history, with Casca repeatedly serving as a soldier or mercenary while attempting to conceal his immortality.
Throughout the series, Casca's immortality allows him to participate in wars and other historical events spanning nearly two thousand years. His adventures place him in conflicts ranging from the ancient and medieval worlds to the American Revolution, World War I, World War II and the Vietnam War. A 2023 feature published by Arizona State University noted the series' use of historical settings and figures, including Casca's encounters with Genghis Khan and Attila the Hun.
Throughout his travels, Casca encounters numerous other historical figures, including Marco Polo, Hernán Cortés, Blackbeard, George Washington, Robert E. Lee and Adolf Hitler. These encounters form a recurring element of the series, placing the fictional immortal soldier within historical events across successive periods of history.
Julius Goldman
Julius Goldman is a United States Army surgeon who serves with the rank of major at the 8th Field Hospital in Nha Trang during the Vietnam War. In The Eternal Mercenary, Goldman treats a severely wounded American soldier known as Casey Romain, whose otherwise fatal injuries begin healing at an extraordinary rate. Goldman eventually discovers that Romain is Casca Rufio Longinus and becomes one of the few people in the modern era to know the truth of Casca's immortality.
Goldman subsequently becomes Casca's confidant and chronicler, recording the stories Casca relates about his experiences throughout history. Later novels periodically return to Goldman as a framing device through which Casca's past adventures are introduced. In The Persian, Goldman and his former Army colleague Robert Landries recall treating Casca in Vietnam, and Goldman shares another manuscript recounting Casca's past with Landries.
As Goldman grows older, the role of chronicling Casca's experiences begins to pass to a younger generation. Danny Landries, the son of Goldman's former Army colleague Robert Landries, is introduced to Casca in Devil's Horseman and subsequently assumes a similar role as a confidant and chronicler.
The Brotherhood of the Lamb
The Brotherhood of the Lamb is a recurring militant religious sect and one of Casca's principal enemies throughout the series. The organization is led by an Elder and an Inner Circle consisting of the Elder and twelve chosen members. The Brotherhood possesses the Spear of Longinus, the weapon Casca used at the Crucifixion, which it regards as its holiest relic. The Brotherhood's importance to the series was also noted in a 2012 announcement for a proposed television adaptation of Casca, which described the centuries-long conflict between Casca and the organization as a central element of the story.
According to the series, the Brotherhood was founded by Izram, who calls himself the Thirteenth Disciple after witnessing Casca pierce Jesus during the Crucifixion. Izram acquires Casca's spear and concludes that because Jesus told Casca they would meet again, Casca must remain alive until the Second Coming. The Brotherhood therefore follows Casca throughout history, regarding him as an enemy for his role in the Crucifixion while also believing that he must survive until Christ returns.
The Brotherhood periodically reenacts the Crucifixion as part of its religious rituals, using the Spear of Longinus. Its encounters with Casca frequently become violent. In The Warlord, Elder Dacort severs Casca's hand after Casca touches the spear; in The Persian, the acolyte Rasheed attempts to have Casca burned at the stake; and in The Sentinel, Elder Gregory murders Casca's adopted son Demos and his companion Ireina. Casca is also held prisoner by the Brotherhood in Panzer Soldier and The Cursed.
Leadership of the Brotherhood changes throughout the centuries, allowing the organization to recur in widely separated historical periods. Known Elders depicted in the series include Dacort, Imhept, Gregory, Father Mulcahy, Thassus and Janus. The series also depicts the historical figure Heinrich Himmler as an Elder of the Brotherhood in Panzer Soldier.
Publication history
The Casca novels are not published in the chronological order of Casca's life. The stories move between widely separated historical periods, with later novels sometimes serving as sequels or prequels to earlier entries.