Cornelius Gallus, poet, orator, politician and first Roman prefect of Egypt
Gaius Cornelius Gallus (c. 30 – 26 BCE) was a Roman poet, orator and politician who supported Octavian and was appointed prefect of Egypt after Octavian defeated Antony and Cleopatra VII. While in Egypt, he led a campaign to subdue a revolt in Thebes then, perhaps, went too far and erected a monument in Philae to glorify his accomplishments. Octavian recalled him and appointed a new prefect, Aelius Gallus, who was the one who led the disastrous campaign in Arabia Felix (modern day Yemen). Cassius Dio reports Cornelius Gallus committed suicide upon returning to Rome. Gallus enjoyed a high reputation among his contemporaries as a man of intellect, and Ovid considered him the first of the elegiac poets of Rome. He wrote four books of elegies chiefly on his mistress, Lycoris, (a poetical name for Cytheris, a notorious actress), in which he took for his model Euphorion of Chalcis. He also translated some of this author's works into Latin. He is often thought of ...