Publius Attius Varus (d. March 17, 45 BC) was the Roman governor of Africa during the Civil War that broke out after Gaius Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon. He declared war against Caesar, and initially fought and defeated Gaius Scribonius Curio, who was sent against him in 49 BC. is the 76th day of the year (77th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Centuries: 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century Decades: 90s BC 80s BC 70s BC 60s BC 50s BC - 40s BC - 30s BC 20s BC 10s BC 0s BC 0s Years: 50 BC 49 BC 48 BC 47 BC 46 BC 45 BC 44 BC 43 BC 42 BC... Presumed course of the Rubicon For other uses, see Rubicon (disambiguation). ... Gaius Scribonius Curio was the name of a father and son who lived in the late Roman Republic. ... Consuls: Lucius Cornelius Lentulus Crus, Gaius Claudius Marcellus Maior. ...

On the breaking out of the civil war, Varus, an adherent of the optimates, was stationed in Picenum at the head of a considerable force. Upon the approach of Julius Caesar he was forced to evacuate the area and he and his levies joined Pompey in Apulia. When Pompey left Italy for Greece, Varus crossed over into Africa, and took possession of the province. As he had served as propraetor of Africa a few years previously, Varus was well known with the province and its people, and was thus able to raise two legions. Combatants Julius Caesar and supporters, the Populares faction, Roman senate, the Optimates faction, Commanders Julius Caesar Mark Antony Pompey†, Titus Labienus†, Metellus Scipio†, Cato the younger†, Gnaeus Pompeius† Sextus Pompeius The Roman civil war of 49 BC, sometimes called Caesars Civil War, is one of the last conflicts within... Optimates (Good Men) were the aristocratic faction of the later Roman Republic. ... Regio V - Picenum Picenum was a region of ancient Roman Italy. ... Gaius Julius Caesar [1] (Latin pronunciation ; English pronunciation ; July 12 or July 13, 100 BC or 102 BC – March 15, 44 BC), was a Roman military and political leader and one of the most influential men of World history. ... Pompey, Pompey the Great or Pompey the Triumvir [1] (Classical Latin abbreviation: CN·POMPEIVS·CN·F·SEX·N·MAGNVS[2], Gnaeus or Cnaeus Pompeius Magnus) (September 29, 106 BC–September 29, 48 BC), was a distinguished military and political leader of the late Roman republic. ... This article is about the Italian region. ...

Caesar then sent Gaius Scribonius Curio to Africa with the purpose of taking it away from the republicans. Curio was given command as a means of rewarding him for his political support, but he had only limited military experience, and none at high command. He took over legions initially recruited by Pompeians that had switched allegiance at the surrender to Caesar at Corfinium. Curio landed successfully near Utica, surprising Varus' army. Varus' brother, Sextus Attius Varus, had been at Corfinium and appealed to Curio's legions to desert and return to their original loyalty. However, the troops refused and, after a success in a cavalry skirmish, Curio led them in a bold, uphill attack which swiftly routed Varus' army. Encouraged by this success, Curio acted on what proved to be faulty intelligence, and attacked what he believed to be a detachment of Juba's army. In fact, the bulk of the king's forces were there and, after an initial success, Curio's forces were ambushed and virtually annihilated. Curio was surrounded with the remnants of his troops on a hilltop and died in the fighting. Only a small fraction of his army, including the historian Asinius Pollio and the later consul Gaius Caninius Rebilus, escaped to Sicily. Roman North Africa The Roman Empire ca. ... Corfinium (Greek: ) was a city in Ancient Italy, on the eastern side of the Apennines, due east of Rome, the site of which is now occupied by the small hamlet of San Pelino, Avezzano commune, LAquila province, Abruzzo region. ... Utica was a Phoenician colony, on the African coast, near Carthage. ... Sextus Attius Varus was the brother of Publius Attius Varus. ... Juba (or Iuba) was a Roman cognomen, originally used by kings of Numidia. ... Gaius Asinius Pollio ( 76/75 BC-AD 5) was a Roman orator, poet and historian. ... Gaius Caninius Rebilus, a member of the plebeian gens Caninia, was a Roman general and politician. ... Sicily (Sicilia in Italian and Sicilian) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,708 km² (9,926 sq. ...

After the battle of Pharsalus, the remaining Republicans fled to Africa to continue the struggle and Varus was forced to resign the supreme command to the more senior Metellus Scipio. In the following campaign Varus commanded the republican fleet and after the Republicans' defeat at Thapsus, Varus fled to Spain. There he was defeated off Carteia in a naval battle by Didius, one of Caesar's commanders, and forced to join the army on shore. He fell at the battle of Munda, and his head, together with that of Titus Labienus, was presented to Caesar. Combatants Populares Optimates Commanders Gaius Julius Caesar Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus Strength Approximately 22,000 legionaries, 5,000-10,000 Auxiliaries and Allies, and Allied Cavalry of 1800 Approximately 60,000 legionaries, 4,200 Auxiliaries and Allies, and Allied Cavalry of 5,000-8,000 Casualties 1,200 6,000 The... The Caecilii Metellii was one of the most important and wealthiest families in the Roman Republic. ... Combatants Populares Optimates Commanders Julius Caesar Metellus Scipio †, Cato the younger † Strength Unknown (at least 10 legions) Unknown (at least 10 legions), 2,500 cavalry Jubas allied troops with 60 elephants Casualties 1,000 30,000 The Battle of Thapsus took place on February 6, 46 BC near Thapsus... Combatants Populares Optimates Commanders Julius Caesar Titus Labienus †, Gnaeus Pompeius; Strength 8 legions, 8,000 cavalry total: circa 40,000 men 13 legions, cavalry and auxiliaries total: circa 70,000 men Casualties 1,000 30,000 The Battle of Munda took place on March 17, 45 BC in the plains... Titus Labienus (ca. ...

References

• Cic. ad Att. viii. 13, b, 15, 20 ;
• Caes. B. C. i. 12, 13, 31; ii. 23—44 ;
• Cic. pro Ligar. I;
• Dion Cass. xli. 41, 42; xlii. 57, xliii. 30, 31;
• Appian, B. C. ii. 44—46; ii. 105;
• Lucan, iv. 713, foil.;
• Hirt. B. Afr. 62, 63;