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When was Varus appointed Governor of Gaul? - Printable Version

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When was Varus appointed Governor of Gaul? - rustydoornob - 05-22-2009

I'm confused about Gaul and Germania. I know he was appointed Gov. of Germania in 7AD, but I'm hearing that he was governor of Gaul? Is that considered a part of Germania and therefore be the same year?

-Elyssa


Re: When was Varus appointed Governor of Gaul? - Tiberius Clodius Corvinus - 05-22-2009

There wasn't a province Germania at this time but two (semi-autonomous) military districts (Germania inferior and Germania superior) which became provinces later under Domitian at the end of the 1st century. Until that both districts were under the *formal* governorship of the governor of the province Gallia Belgica.
So technically Varus *should* actually have been governor of Gallia Belgica since 7 CE. But I'm not sure here, because Varus had the title legatus Augusti pro praetore germaniae, which implies he was meant to be the governor of a future province Germania magna.
So inspite of this possibly planned change in administration of the territory he may well have not been governor of Gallia Belgica, but somebody else.


Re: When was Varus appointed Governor of Gaul? - Gaius Julius Caesar - 05-23-2009

I did get the impression that part of the cause of the disaster was his belief that he was going to be setting up a provincial Gov't
in an already pacified Germania......so his guard was down to quite some extent...


Re: When was Varus appointed Governor of Gaul? - D B Campbell - 05-26-2009

We'll just have to wait for Jasper's Varus Special for all the answers! :wink: