▁Media . ▁During ▁this ▁time , ▁a ▁false ▁rum or ▁reached ▁Rome ▁that ▁Cass ius ▁had ▁led ▁Leg io ▁III ▁Gall ica ▁across ▁the ▁Ind us ▁River . ▁In ▁late ▁ 1 6 6 AD , ▁Cass ius ▁was ▁appointed ▁imperial ▁leg ate ▁of ▁Sy ria . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 7 0 AD , ▁Cass ius ▁was ▁given ▁the ▁extraordinary ▁title ▁of ▁R ector ▁Orient is ▁( liter ally ▁" S up reme ▁Commander ▁of ▁the ▁Orient "), ▁giving ▁him ▁imper ium ▁over ▁the ▁entire ty ▁of ▁the ▁eastern ▁section ▁of ▁the ▁emp ire , ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁combat ▁a ▁large ▁re bell ion ▁in ▁Egypt , ▁commonly ▁called ▁the ▁Bu col ic ▁War . ▁This ▁re bell ion ▁was ▁centered ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁of ▁the ▁Pent apolis ▁of ▁Middle ▁Egypt , ▁and ▁was ▁motiv ated ▁by ▁a ▁rapid ▁rise ▁of ▁gra in ▁prices ▁in ▁the ▁area . ▁The ▁Bu coli ▁came ▁close ▁to ▁capt uring ▁Alexand ria , ▁but ▁were ▁halt ed ▁by ▁Cass ius ' ▁troops . ▁Cass ius ▁succeeded ▁in ▁putting ▁down ▁this ▁revol t ▁in ▁ 1 7 5 AD , ▁after ▁using ▁a ▁strategy ▁of ▁div iding ▁the ▁various ▁revol ting ▁tribes people , ▁and ▁then ▁conqu ering ▁them . ▁ ▁U sur p ation ▁In ▁ 1 7 5 ▁AD , ▁after ▁hearing ▁false ▁reports ▁that ▁Marcus ▁A ure lius ▁had ▁succ um bed ▁to ▁his ▁severe ▁ill ness , ▁Cass ius ▁declared ▁himself ▁em peror , ▁claim ing ▁that ▁A ure lius ' ▁troops ▁in