# Bassianus — Titus Andronicus character guide

> Bassianus in Titus Andronicus by William Shakespeare.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Bassianus Lavinia, Bassianus Andronicus, poor Bassianus, Prince Bassianus, Bassianus Romans, Lord Titus Bassianus

**First appearance:** 0000-titus-andronicus

## Snapshot

Saturninus's younger brother, who claims Lavinia in the name of freedom and finds that a just claim is no protection in an unjust Rome.

## Who they are

Bassianus enters the play pleading for election by desert rather than birth, and his betrothal to Lavinia sets him against both his brother and Tamora's house. He is generous, outspoken, and dangerously confident that Roman law will shield him. His early death transforms a political rivalry into an intimate blood feud and gives Titus his first unbearable loss.

## Relationships

### [Saturninus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se/characters/saturninus)

_rivalry_

Bassianus competes with his brother Saturninus for the emperorship and for Lavinia, leading to deadly conflict.

### [Saturninus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se/characters/saturninus)

_rivalry_

Bassianus competes with his brother Saturninus for the emperorship and for Lavinia, leading to deadly conflict.

## In the story

### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se/chapters/act-i-scene-i)

Contender for the empire, elopes with Lavinia after Saturninus rejects her.

### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se/chapters/act-ii-scene-i)

Mentioned as Lavinia's husband and the emperor's brother, whose claim is to be circumvented.

### [Scene II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se/chapters/act-ii-scene-ii)

Present with Lavinia, engages her in conversation.

### [Scene III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se/chapters/act-ii-scene-iii)

Confronts Tamora about her affair; is killed by Demetrius and Chiron, his body thrown into the pit.

### [Scene I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se/chapters/act-v-scene-i)

Mentioned as having been murdered by Tamora's sons.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se/characters/bassianus
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/titus_andronicus_se/characters