Lusius Quietus

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Lusius Quietus was a Roman general and governor of Iudaea in 117.

Originally a Moorish (Berber) prince, his military ability won him the favor of Trajan, who even designated him as his successor. During the emperor's Parthian campaign the numerous Jewish inhabitants of Babylonia revolted, and were relentlessly suppressed by Quietus, who was rewarded by being appointed governor of Iudaea, also shocked by revolts.

In consequence of this war, the Rabbis forbade the garlanding of brides on their wedding-day and the study of Greek literature (the latter prohibition probably being intended to cause a rupture with the Jews of the diaspora in Cyprus, Cyrene, and Egypt, with whom the rebellion had really originated). The confused Talmudic accounts imply that a cruel persecution took place under Quietus which exposed Jewish virgins to dishonor, while the "Hegemon" with whom R. Gamaliel came into official relations was the governor of Judea himself. Talmudic tradition relates further that the Roman general who caused the Jews such misery at this time was suddenly executed. The sources, indeed, appear to indicate Marcius Turbo as this general, but they more probably refer to Quietus, and the tradition contains a reminiscence of the fact that Lusius Quietus was recalled by Hadrian and executed shortly afterward as a possible rival. An inscription found in Palestine seems originally to have contained the name Quietus, which was perhaps later erased at the command of Hadrian.

1 African Connection
2 Bibliography
3 See also
4 References

[edit] African Connection

Quietus has been cited in various literatures as being one of a handful of notable "black Romans" which history has recorded. While some modern accounts describe Quietus as a dark-skinned man similar in appearance to Sub-Saharan Africans, his Berber heritage more likely suggests a "mediterranean" complexion similar to the Berbers and inhabitants of North Africa today. Similar arguments have been made for the black-ness of Septimus Severus, Macrinus, and even Hannibal Barca. While all of these men probably were decidedly "non-white" by modern Western standards, they most likely were not black according to modern sensibilities. Indeed, the best record of a "real" black Roman appears to be St. Maurice, a Roman centurion in the late empire, who is historically depicted as being a dark-skinned African.