Publius Quinctilius Varus
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Publius Quinctilius Varus was a Roman general and politician. Serving under Augustus, the founder of the Roman Empire, he is generally remembered for having lost three Roman legions in the Battle of t
Varus (left, sitting down), engraving from 1714
As Lugdunum I (RIC 230), countermarked "VAR" (Varus)
Lithograph by Swiss painter Martin Disteli depicting Varus falling on his sword during the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, 1830s
Suicide in antiquity
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Suicide was a widespread occurrence in antiquity across cultures. There were many different methods and reasons for committing suicide, and these vary across place and time. The origins of modern mora
Publius Quinctilius Varus
…and fled towards the Rhine, but were intercepted by Germanic tribesmen and killed. Varus himself, upon seeing all hope was lost, took his own life by falling on his sword. Arminius cut off Varus' head and sent it to Bohemia as a present to Maroboduus of the Marcomanni, the other most important Germanic leader, whom…
Jacques-Louis David, The Death of Socrates, 1787
Pieter Bruegel the Elder, The Death of Saul (detail), 1562