Quintus Arrius (Ben-Hur)

Quintus Arrius is a fictional character from Lew Wallace's 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. He is a Roman warship commander whom Judah Ben-Hur saves from drowning. After they are rescued, Arrius is informed that his fleet won the battle, and is lauded for his victory. Arrius subsequently adopts Judah as his son, making him a freedman, a Roman citizen, and Arrius’s heir.

Adaptations

In the 1925 film Arrius was portrayed by Frank Currier.

In the 1959 film Arrius was played by Jack Hawkins.

In the 2016 film Arrius was played by James Cosmo. Arrius has a much smaller role in this adaptation. He shows little regard for Judah in the galley, and is killed in the naval battle.