Lucius Vorenus

Who is Lucius Vorenus?

Lucius Vorenus was one of the two soldiers of the 11th Legion mentioned in the personal writings of Julius Caesar. The other soldier mentioned was Titus Pullo.

He appears, along with Titus Pullo, in Caesar's Commentarii de Bello Gallico, Book 5, Chapter 44. The episode describes the two as centurions, approaching the first ranks, who shared a bitter personal rivalry. It relates how Pullo charged the enemy in the heat of battle. Pullo casts his javelin into one of the enemy from a short distance, but his belt is simultaneously pierced by a spear, preventing him from drawing his sword, and he is surrounded by other Nervii. Just then Lucius Vorenus, following Pullo from the fortifications, reached the site of the mêlée and engaged the enemy in hand-to-hand combat. After slaying one of the enemy and driving back the rest, Vorenus lost his footing on the irregular terrain. As the Nervii drew closer to him, Pullo came to his rescue. After slaying many of their opponents, the two retreated to the fortifications amidst roaring applause from their comrades.