Gaius Aelius Gallus was a Roman prefect of Egypt from 26 to 24 BC. He is primarily known for a disastrous expedition he undertook to Arabia Felix (modern-day Yemen) under the orders of Augustus.
Life of Aelius Gallus
Aelius Gallus was the 2nd praefect of Roman Egypt (Aegyptus) in the reign of Augustus during the years 26–24 BC. He replaced Cornelius Gallus, with whom he has often been confused.
Aelius Gallus was also known as an intimate friend of the Greek geographer Strabo and has been identified with the Aelius Gallus, frequently quoted by Galen. Their remedies are said to have been successfully used in his Arabian expedition.
The expedition to Arabia Felix, an account given by his friend Strabo, Cassius Dio, and Pliny, the Elder, was a complete failure. In this expedition, Strabo mentioned Ilasaros as the controller of Hadhramaut at that time.
Gallus undertook the expedition from Egypt by the command of Augustus, partly intending to explore the country and its inhabitants and partially 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.
An extended account of this expedition through the desert is given by Strabo—who derived most of his information about Arabia from his friend Aelius Gallus. When Aelius Gallus set out with his army, he trusted the guidance of a Nabataean called Syllaeus, who deceived and misled him.
The burning heat of the sun, the bad water, and the want of everything necessary to support life produced a disease among the soldiers that was altogether unknown to the Romans and destroyed the more significant 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 because of his treacherous guide. At the same time, he affected his retreat in sixty days, obliged to return to Alexandria, having lost the more significant part of his force. The campaign is the subject of a 1951 novel, The Eagle and the Sun, by Lord Belhaven, who had done military and civilian service in the region.
Augustus recalled Aelius Gallus for failure to alleviate the Kushites and was succeeded as praefect by Gaius Petronius, a military commander and close friend of Augustus.
