Gaius Plancius Varus

Last updated

Gaius Plancius Varus was a Roman who lived between the 1st century and 2nd century in the Roman Empire. Varus was the son of the Roman Senator and Proconsul Marcus Plancius Varus, and the Herodian Princess Julia. His sister was Plancia Magna; he was therefore the maternal uncle to Gaius Julius Plancius Varus Cornutus. Varus was born and raised in Perga, the capital of the Roman province of Pamphylia.

His maternal grandparents were King Tigranes VI of Armenia and his wife Opgalli, while his maternal uncle was prince Gaius Julius Alexander. Varus was of Roman, Jewish, Nabataean, Edomite, Greek, Armenian and Persian ancestry. Varus’ maternal ancestors were King Archelaus of Cappadocia, King of Judea Herod the Great, and his wife Mariamne. Varus along with his maternal cousins were among the last known descendants of the Herodian Dynasty. He appeared to be an apostate to Judaism. It is unlikely that Varus attempted to exert influence on Judean politics.

Varus served as a Roman Senator and became a consul at an unknown date during the reign of the Roman Emperor Hadrian who ruled the Roman Empire from 117 to 138. It is unknown whether Varus had married or had any children.

In Perga, the city's most magnificent structure was the Hellenistic Gate that was the entrance to the city. Inside in the courtyard of the Hellenistic Gate, there are inscribed bases of statues that bear the names of Varus and his father. From these inscriptions it is understood that Varus with his father were wealthy, influential and generous citizens in Perga. Varus and his father were made benefactors who contributed to the prosperity of Perga. Due to the goodness and generosity of Varus and his father, they were both accepted as the second founders of the city. They were both honored with the title ‘’Ktistes’’ or ’’Founder’‘.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perga</span> Ancient Greek city

Perga or Perge was originally an ancient Lycian settlement that later became a Greek city in Pamphylia. It was the capital of the Roman province of Pamphylia Secunda, now located in Antalya Province on the southwestern Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Today its ruins lie 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) east of Antalya.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Publius Quinctilius Varus</span> Roman general and politician (46 BC – AD 9)

Publius Quinctilius Varus was a Roman general and politician under the first Roman emperor Augustus. Varus is generally remembered for having lost three Roman legions when ambushed by Germanic tribes led by Arminius in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, whereupon he killed himself.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emesene dynasty</span> Roman client kingdom based in the Levant

The Emesenedynasty, also called the Sampsigeramids or the Sampsigerami or the House of Sampsigeramus, were a Roman client dynasty of Syrian priest-kings known to have ruled by 46 BC from Arethusa and later from Emesa, Syria, until between 72 and 78/79, or at the latest the reign of Emperor Antoninus Pius (138–161). Iamblichus, the famous Neoplatonist philosopher of the third century, was one of their descendants, as was empress Julia Domna, matriarch of the Severan dynasty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Artavasdes IV</span> King of Armenia

Artavasdes IV of Armenia; also known as Artavasdes II of Atropatene; Artavasdes II of Media Atropatene and Armenia Major; Artavasdes II, and Artavasdes was an Iranian prince who served as King of Media Atropatene. During his reign of Media Atropatene, Artavasdes also served as a Roman Client King of Armenia Major.

Gaius Julius Alexander was a Herodian Prince who lived in the 1st century and 2nd century in the Roman Empire.

Gaius Julius Agrippa was a Cilician Prince and the first-born son of King Gaius Julius Alexander and Queen Julia Iotapa of Cetis. He had two younger siblings: a brother called Gaius Julius Alexander Berenicianus and a sister called Julia Iotapa.

Gaius Julius Alexander Berenicianus was a Cilician Prince and second-born son to King Gaius Julius Alexander and Queen Julia Iotapa of Cetis. His eldest brother was Gaius Julius Agrippa and his younger sister was Julia Iotapa.

Julia was a Herodian Princess who lived in the 1st century and possibly in the 2nd century in the Roman Empire.

Marcus Plancius Varus was an Anatolian Roman noble who lived in the 1st century in the Roman Empire. His paternal ancestors were originally from Latium in Central Italy. They had immigrated to Anatolia in the time of the late Roman Republic. Varus came from a local, wealthy family who were prominent and they came from an unknown town in Galatia. His family owned large estates in Galatia. Apart from this, not much is known on the family and early life of Varus.

Gaius Julius Plancius Varus Cornutus was a man of Roman Senatorial rank who lived in the Roman Empire in the 2nd century.

Gaius Julius Cornutus Tertullus was a Roman senator who was active during the late 1st and early 2nd centuries. He is best known as the older friend of Pliny the Younger, with whom Cornutus was suffect consul for the nundinium of September to October 100.

Julia Tertulla was a Roman woman who lived in the 1st century and 2nd century in the Roman Empire. Tertulla was the daughter of suffect consul Gaius Julius Cornutus Tertullus and the identity of her mother is unknown. Tertulla was born and raised in Perga, the capital of the Roman province of Pamphylia. She was the paternal aunt to Gaius Julius Plancius Varus Cornutus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plancia Magna</span>

Plancia Magna was a prominent woman of Perga in the Roman province of Lycia et Pamphylia who lived in the 1st and 2nd centuries. During her life she was not only a high priestess, but a member of the decurio and a benefactress to the city, funding the restoration of the main city gates between the years AD 119 and 120.

Lucius Julius Gainius Fabius Agrippa, also known as Lucius Julius Agrippa, was a considerably wealthy man who descended from royalty. He lived in the second half of the 1st century and early part of the 2nd century AD in the Roman Empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aurelia Paulina</span>

Aurelia Paulina was a local prominent noblewoman in Anatolia who lived in the 2nd century and perhaps in the 3rd century in the Roman Empire. She was a contemporary to the rule of Roman Emperor Commodus and the Severan dynasty.

Gaius Julius Alexion was a Syrian Prince and Roman Client Priest King of Emesa. He was the son of Syrian king Sohaemus and Queen Consort Drusilla.

Ariobarzanes II of Atropatene also known as Ariobarzanes of Media; Ariobarzanes of Armenia; Ariobarzanes II; Ariobarzanes II of Media Atropatene and Ariobarzanes was king of Media Atropatene who ruled sometime from 28 BC to 20 BC until 4 and was appointed by the Roman emperor Augustus to serve as a Roman client king of Armenia from 2 AD until 4.

Julia Iotapa or Julia Iotape, daughter of King Antiochus IV of Commagene, was a Queen of Cetis, consort of Gaius Julius Alexander, son of Herodian prince Gaius Julius Tigranes.

Julia Iotapa or Julia Iotape, sometimes known as Julia of Cilicia, was a Cilician princess who lived in the 1st century and 2nd century. Daughter of King Gaius Julius Alexander of Cetis, she married Gaius Julius Quadratus Bassus, Galatian Roman Senator from Anatolia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plancia gens</span> Family in ancient Rome

The gens Plancia was a minor plebeian family of equestrian rank at ancient Rome. Few members of this gens are mentioned in the time of the Republic, but a family of the Plancii rose to prominence from the time of Vespasian, and held a number of important magistracies through the time of Hadrian. Other Plancii are known from inscriptions.

References

[1] [2] [3] [4]

  1. "Ataman Hotel - Plancia Magna". Archived from the original on October 13, 2008. Retrieved November 1, 2008.
  2. Nezihi Ozduzen. "Aspendos, Perge, Side, Turkey". Adiyamanli.org. Retrieved 2016-05-24.
  3. "Serif Yenen - Turkey Travel Specialist : Travel Writer & Publisher". Archived from the original on May 9, 2008. Retrieved November 1, 2008.
  4. "Acsearch.info - the ancient coin search engine". Archived from the original on September 13, 2011. Retrieved April 16, 2011.

Bibliography