Publius Quinctilius Varus
Publius Quinctilius Varus was a notable Roman patrician and military leader closely associated with the imperial family during the early Roman Empire. He was married to Vipsania and Claudia Pulchra, both of whom were connected to prominent figures like Emperor Augustus and his colleague Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa. Varus served in several important roles, including proconsul of Asia and legate of Syria, where he played a critical role during the succession crisis following King Herod's death. His most significant appointment came in 6/7 CE when he became the legate of Germany, tasked with the challenging job of stabilizing the newly established province.
Tragically, Varus's military career culminated in disaster during the infamous Battle of the Teutoburg Forest in 9 CE, where his forces were ambushed and annihilated by Germanic tribes. This defeat had significant repercussions for Rome, leading to a reevaluation of its military strategy in the region. Varus's legacy is often framed by Roman historians who criticized him as inept and corrupt, while also reflecting on the broader failings of the imperial leadership under Augustus during this turbulent time. His life and actions remain a poignant example of the complexities of Roman governance and military engagement in foreign territories.
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Publius Quinctilius Varus
Related civilization: Imperial Rome
Major role/position: Provincial governor, army commander
Life
Publius Quinctilius Varus (PUHB-lee-uhs kwihnk-TIHL-ee-uhs VAR-uhs) was a patrician and closely connected to the imperial family. Two of his known wives were Vipsania and Claudia Pulchra, daughters of Augustus’s nieces Marcella Major and Minor. Vipsania’s father was Augustus’s colleague Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa; her half sister Vipsania married Augustus’s stepson and successor Tiberius, with whom Varus was consul in 13 b.c.e. Varus’s fathers-in-law and four nephews were consuls. Remains of an extensive villa overlooking the Anio (now Aniene) Valley near Tivoli at Quintiliolo are traditionally attributed to him.
Varus was proconsul of Asia 7/6 b.c.e., and as legate of Syria in 6-4/3 b.c.e., he intervened decisively at the death of Herod and the division of Judaea among Herod’s sons. Augustus appointed Varus legate of Germany in 6/7 c.e., charging him to regularize the financial administration of a province created in 12 b.c.e. Deceived by ostensibly friendly natives—some of them Roman veterans and citizens—Varus led his army into an ambush in the Teutoburg Forest in 9 c.e. His army was destroyed, and he committed suicide.
Influence
Roman writers depicted Varus as corrupt, naïve, and militarily incompetent—as proved by the crushing defeat at Teutoburg Forest. Augustus’s fault was greater: Distracted by the Pannonian revolt of 6-9 c.e., he overestimated Roman control and popularity in Germany and may have made a poor selection, as Varus had never commanded a large-scale campaign.
Bibliography
Oldfather, William Abbott, and H. V. Canter. The Defeat of Varus and the German Frontier Policy of Augustus. Reprint. New York: Johnson, 1967.
Syme, R. The Augustan Aristocracy. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, 1986.