When was Varus appointed Governor of Gaul?

[rustydoornob]

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

[Tiberius Clodius Corvinus]

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.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

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...

[D B Campbell]

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