Titus Flavius Postumius Varus (fl. 3rd century) was a

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

senator who was appointed suffect consul around AD 250.

Biography

While Postumius Varus was a third-century member of the ''gens

Postumii The gens Postumia was a noble patrician family at ancient Rome. Throughout the history of the Republic, the Postumii frequently occupied the chief magistracies of the Roman state, beginning with Publius Postumius Tubertus, consul in 505 BC, the ...

'', he was not descended from the Republican family of the same name. According to Anthony Birley, he was the great-grandson of the orator Marcus Postumius Festus, a friend of the orator Fronto as a well as a fellow African; however Postumius Festus' descendants appear to have made Italy their home. Birley notes Postumius Varus had a brother or cousin, Titus Flavius Postumius Titianus (consul ''ordinarius'' 301), whose name implies a link with the family of the emperor

Pertinax Publius Helvius Pertinax (; 1 August 126 – 28 March 193) was Roman emperor for the first three months of 193. He succeeded Commodus to become the first emperor during the tumultuous Year of the Five Emperors. Born the son of a freed slav ...

's wife, Flavia Titiana, although Birley admits "these names were common." Postumius Varus' first recorded posting was during the 240s as ''

Legatus legionis A ''legatus'' (; anglicised as legate) was a high-ranking Roman military officer in the Roman Army, equivalent to a modern high-ranking general officer. Initially used to delegate power, the term became formalised under Augustus as the office ...

'' of the

Legio II Augusta Legio II Augusta ( Second Legion "Augustus'") was a legion of the Imperial Roman army that was founded during the late Roman republic. Its emblems were the Capricornus, Pegasus, and Mars. It may have taken the name "''Augusta''" from a victory ...

, which was stationed in Britannia Inferior. During his time there, he restored a temple of Diana at

Isca Augusta Isca, variously specified as Isca Augusta or Isca Silurum, was the site of a Roman legionary fortress and settlement or ''vicus'', the remains of which lie beneath parts of the present-day suburban village of Caerleon in the north of the city of ...

. This was followed by his appointment as suffect consul around AD 250. In 271 the

Emperor An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...

Aurelian appointed Postumius Varus to the post of ''

Praefectus urbi The ''praefectus urbanus'', also called ''praefectus urbi'' or urban prefect in English, was prefect of the city of Rome, and later also of Constantinople. The office originated under the Roman kings, continued during the Republic and Empire, an ...

'' of

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

. He was put under pressure when riots erupted in the city, and had to rally the urban cohorts to defend Aurelian's rule while the emperor was campaigning against the

Iuthungi The Juthungi (Greek: ''Iouthungoi'', Latin: ''Iuthungi'') were a Germanic tribe in the region north of the rivers Danube and Altmühl in what is now the modern German state of Bavaria. The tribe was mentioned by the Roman historians Publius Here ...

. His handling of the riots may have led to his dismissal from the post. During his career, Postumius Varus held two priesthoods, the Augurship and membership in the ''

Quindecimviri sacris faciundis In ancient Rome, the were the fifteen () members of a college (''collegium'') with priestly duties. They guarded the Sibylline Books, scriptures which they consulted and interpreted at the request of the Senate. This ''collegium'' also oversaw ...

''. He was also noted as an orator.Martindale & Jones, p. 947

Sources

* Martindale, J. R.; Jones, A. H. M, ''The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire'', Vol. I AD 260–395, Cambridge University Press (1971) * Mennen, Inge, ''Power and Status in the Roman Empire, AD 193-284'' (2011)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Postumius Varus, Titus Flavius 3rd-century Roman consuls Flavii Flavius Postumius Urban prefects of Rome Augurs of the Roman Empire Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown