Cassian was born around 360, most likely in the region of Scythia Minor (now Dobruja, a historical region shared today by Romania and Bulgaria),[4][5] [6][7][8][9] although some scholars assume a Gallic origin.[10][11][12] The son of wealthy parents, he received a good education: his writings show the influence of Cicero and Persius.[13] He was bilingual in Latin and Greek.[14]