Publius Quinctilius Varus

Publius Quinctilius Varus lost three legions in the Teutoburg Forest and fixed the Roman frontier at the Rhine for four centuries. Born around 46 BC into an old patrician family that had backed the losing side repeatedly — his father killed himself after Philippi — he married into Augustus's circle twice and rose on that connection. He governed Africa and then Syria, where a Jewish revolt after Herod's death in 4 BC was suppressed with two thousand crucifixions. A Roman writer said he entered a rich province a poor man and left a rich man from a poor province. He was sent to Germania around AD 7 to convert a region under military occupation into a taxpaying province — assessing tribute and holding assizes among people who had submitted but had not been governed. His adviser was Arminius, a Cheruscan noble who had commanded auxiliaries in Roman service, held citizenship and equestrian rank, and had spent years in Rome. In September AD 9 Arminius reported a rising in an outlying district and led the army off its road to deal with it. Another Cheruscan noble, Segestes, told Varus he was being betrayed and was ignored. The column, some 15,000 men strung out for miles with baggage and camp followers, was ambushed over three or four days in wooded, boggy country in heavy rain, and destroyed. Varus fell on his sword. Augustus is said to have beaten his head against a door calling for his legions back. The numbers XVII, XVIII and XIX were never used again.

• Lived: 46 BCE – 9 CE
• Nationality: Roman
• Roles: general