Lucius Vorenus

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This article is about the historical person. For the character in the HBO series Rome, see Lucius Vorenus (Rome character).
Lucius Vorenus

A page 118 of Julius Caesar's Commentarii de Bello Gallico with description of actions of T. Pulfio & L. Varenus
Allegiance Julius Caesar
Rank Centurion
Unit Legio XI Claudia

Lucius Vorenus (given as L. Varenus in some translations) was one of the two soldiers of the 11th Legion (Legio XI Claudia) mentioned in the personal writings of Julius Caesar. The other soldier mentioned was Titus Pullo.

He appears, along with Titus Pullo, in Caesar's Commentarii de Bello Gallico, Book 5, Chapter 44. The episode describes the two as centurions, approaching the first ranks, who shared a bitter personal rivalry. It relates how Pullo charged the enemy (the Nervii) in the heat of battle. Pullo casts his javelin into one of the enemy from a short distance, but his belt is simultaneously pierced by a spear, preventing him from drawing his sword, and he is surrounded by other Nervii. Just then Lucius Vorenus, following Pullo from the fortifications, reached the site of the mêlée and engaged the enemy in hand-to-hand combat. After slaying one of the enemy and driving back the rest, Vorenus lost his footing on the irregular terrain. As the Nervii drew closer to him, Pullo came to his rescue. After slaying many of their opponents, the two retreated to the fortifications amidst roaring applause from their comrades.

Fictional depictions

  • Lucius Vorenus is a principal character in the HBO/BBC/RAI original television series Rome, played by actor Kevin McKidd. The character's name is taken from Julius Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic War and is instead depicted as a centurion in the 13th Legion (Legio XIII Gemina).
  • Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo are also minor characters in Caesar, the fifth book in Colleen McCullough's Masters of Rome series. They are shown as centurions, serving under Quintus Cicero, commander of the Ninth Legion (Legio IX Hispana).
  • Vorenus also appears in the Legion tetralogy of the Videssos Cycle by Harry Turtledove. The novels recount the adventures of several maniples of Caesar's legions in Gaul that are whisked away by druid spells to a land of magic loosely based on the Byzantine Empire. The two companions are fairly faithful to Caesar's portrayal, starting as rival legionaries before rising to centurion rank and becoming fast friends.

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