Marcus Plancius Varus

Who is Marcus Plancius Varus?

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.

Between the years of 56-69, Varus served as a Praetor during the reign of the Roman Emperor Nero. He entered the Roman Senate as a praetor and through this entry, became a Roman Senator. After his service as a praetor, Varus implied treasonable behavior by a Roman called Dolabella. A Roman woman called Triaria terrified the City Prefect Titus Flavius Sabinus warning Sabinus not to seek a reputation for clemency by endangering Nero.

During the reign of Roman Emperor Vespasian 69-79, Varus served as a Proconsul of Bithynia and later in Pontus. During his time in Nicaea, the capital of the Roman province of Bithynia, Varus had struck coinage honoring the Roman State and of himself. At unknown date Varus married the Herodian Princess Julia, the daughter of King Tigranes VI of Armenia and sister of prince Gaius Julius Alexander.