- Aelius Gallus
Gaius Aelius Gallus was a Roman
prefect of Egypt from 26 -24 BC . He is primarily known for a disastrous expedition he undertook toArabia Felix under orders ofAugustus .Life
Aelius Gallus was the 2rd "
praefect " of Roman Egypt ("Aegyptus") in the reign ofAugustus during the years 26–24 BC . He replacedCornelius Gallus — with whom he has often been confounded.Aelius Gallus was also known to be an intimate friend of the Greek geographer
Strabo and has been identified with the Aelius Gallus frequently quoted by Galen, whose remedies are stated to have been used with success in his Arabian expedition. [Galen, vol. ii, p. 455, ed. Basil.]The expedition to Arabia Felix, of which an account is given by his friend Strabo [Strabo, xvi. p. 780-783.] , as well as by
Cassius Dio [Cassius Dio LIII, 29] andPliny the Elder [Pliny the Elder, "Nat. Hist." vi. 32.] [See alsoCharles Merivale , "History of the Romans under the Empire", ch. 4; H. Krüger, "Der Feidzug des Aelius Gallus nach dem glucklichen Arabien unter Kaiser Augustus", 1862.] unfortunately turned out to be a complete failure. Gallus undertook the expedition from Egypt by the command of Augustus, partly with a view to explore the country and its inhabitants, and partly to conclude treaties of friendship with the people, or to subdue them if they should oppose the Romans, for it was believed at the time that Arabia was full of all kinds of treasures.When Aelius Gallus set out with his army, he trusted to the guidance of a Nabataean called
Syllaeus , who deceived and misled him. A long account of this interesting expedition through the desert is given by Strabo [Strabo, xvi. p. 780–782; xvii. pp. 806, 816, 819.] [Dio Cassius, liii. 29.] —who derived most of his information about Arabia from his friend Aelius Gallus. [Strabo, ii. p. 118.] [Pliny, "Natural History", vi. 32; vii. 28.] [Charles Merivale, "History of the Romans under the Empire", ch. 34, 1864.] [Josephus, "Jewish Antiquities", xv. 9. §3.] The burning heat of the sun, the bad water, and the want of every thing necessary to support life, produced a disease among the soldiers which was altogether unknown to the Romans, and destroyed the greater part of the army; so that the Arabs were not only not subdued, but succeeded in driving the Romans even from those parts of the country which they had possessed before. Aelius Gallus spent six months on his march into the country, on account of his treacherous guide, while he effected his retreat in sixty days, obliged to return toAlexandria , having lost the greater part of his force.Aelius Gallus was recalled by Augustus for failure to pacify the Kushites and was succeeded as praefect by Gaius Petronius, a military genius and close friend of Augustus.
Notes
References
"This entry incorporates public domain text originally from:"
* William Smith (ed.), "Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology", 1870.
* (fr) J. Pirenne, "L'expédition d'Aelius Gallus en Arabie heureuse", in "Le royaume sud-arabe de Qatabānet sa datation",London , 1961.
* (ge) H. von Wissmann, "Die Geschichte des Sabäerreichs und des Feldzug des Aelius Gallus", inAufstieg und Niedergang der römischen Welt , t. 9.1,Berlin -New York , 1976, p. 308-544.
* (fr) A. G. Loudine, "H von Wissmann, Die Geschichte des Sabäerreichs und des Feldzug des Aelius Gallus", (book review ) in Bibliotheca orientalis, t. 37, 1980, p. 363-365.
* (ge) M.-Th. Raepsaet-Charlier, "Aufstieg und Niedergang der römischen Welt , Geschichte und Kultur Roms im Spiegel der neueren Forschung". II. Principat. 9, 2 (book review ), in l'Antiquité Classique, t. 49, 1980, p. 521-522.
* W. L. Westermann, "Aelius Gallus and the Reorganization of theirrigation system ofEgypt underAugustus ", inClassical Philology , t. 12, 1917, p. 237.
* S. Jameson , "Chronology of the campaigns of Aelius Gallus andGaius Petronius ", inJournal of Roman Studies , t. 58, 1968, p. 71-84.
* S. E. Sidebotham, "Aelius Gallus andArabia ", inLatomus , t. 45, 1986, p. 590- 602.
* (ge) K. Buschmann, "Motiv und Ziel des Aelius-Gallus-Zuges", inDie Welt Des Orients , t. 22, 1991, p. 85-93.
* (ge) C. Marek, "Die Expedition des Aelius Gallus nach Arabien im Jahre 25 v.Chr.", in Chiron, t. 23, 1993, p. 121-156.
* P. Mayerson, "Aelius Gallus at Cleopatris (Suez) and on theRed Sea ", inGreek, Roman and Byzantine Studies , t. 36(1), 1995, p. 17-24.
* R. Simon, "Aelius Gallus’ Campaign and the Arab Trade in the Augustan Age", dansActa Orientalia Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae , t. 55 (4), 2002, pp. 309-318.
* (ge) Heinrich Krueger, Der Feldzug des Aelius Gallus nach dem glucklichen Arabien unter Kaiser Augustus, 1862
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