The Varian Disaster (AD 9)

In AD 9 Varus allowed himself to be lured into a forest. Three legions perished together with their commander, legates and auxiliary units (Suetonius, Augustus 23). Augustus did not cut his hair or beard for months and observed the anniversary of the disaster as a day of mourning. Dio writes that he feared the enemy would march on Italy and Rome (56.23). Varus himself took his own life, and Augustus was said to cry out: “Quinctilius Varus, give me back my legions!”