Publius Quintilius Varus

Varus, Publius Quintilius

 

Born circa 53 B.C.; died A.D. 9. Roman political leader and general.

Varus was a consul in 13 B.C. and legate to Syria from 7 to 6 B.C. Beginning in A.D. 5 he was governor of the province of Germany and in A.D. 9, because of his extortions and the policy of forced Romanization that he was carrying out, he caused a revolt against Rome of the German tribes led by Arminius. The rebels lured Varus’ army into the Teutoburg Forest and utterly defeated it. Varus committed suicide.