Quintus Laberius Durus

Quintus Laberius Durus (d. August 54 BC) was a Roman tribune who died during Julius Caesar's second expedition to Britain. Caesar describes how soon after landing in Kent, the Romans were attacked whilst building a camp by the native Britons. Before re-inforcements could arrive, Laberius was killed. [Julius Caesar, "Commentarii de Bello Gallico" [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Caes.+Gal.+5.15 5.15] ] His burial site is traditionally the earthworks of Julliberrie's Grave near Chilham.

Orosius, in his "Seven Books of History Against the Pagans", calls him Labienus, [Orosius, "Seven Books of History Against the Pagans" [http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/orosius6.html#9 6.9] ] confusing him with Caesar's legate Titus Labienus, who lived to fight against Caesar in the Civil War. The error was perpetuated by Bede [Bede, "Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum" ] and Geoffrey of Monmouth, [Geoffrey of Monmouth, "Historia Regum Britanniae" ] both of whom refer to a tribune called Labienus being killed in Britain.

Despite his status as a footnote in history, a long modern poem by American poet Gabriel Gudding is dedicated to Laberius ("For Quintus Laberius Durus, Who, Because of a Javelin in His Lungs, Died Near Kent, in Early August, 54 B.C") and appears in his book, "A Defense of Poetry" (University of Pittsburgh Press, 2002). An historical novel, "Caesar" (Harper, 1999), by Australian writer Colleen McCullough, also involves him.

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