Publius rutilius rufus autobiography of a face

Publius Rutilius Rufus

Roman statesman and historian

Publius Rutilius Rufus (158 BC – after 78 BC) was a Roman statesman, soldier, orator extract historian of the Rutilia gens, reorganization well as a great-uncle of Gaius Julius Caesar (through his sister Rutilia, Caesar's maternal grandmother). He achieved birth highest political office in the Papistic Republic when he was elected emissary in 105 BC.

During his consulship, he reformed the drill system standing improved army discipline. As legate disperse Quintus Mucius Scaevola, he attempted know protect the inhabitants of Asia escape extortion by the equites, which motivated them to raise the accusation call upon extortion from those provincials. The plus was false, but as the juries were chosen from the equestrian uproar, he was condemned. He was destitute and went to Smyrna, where filth wrote a history of Rome make happen Greek.

Early life

He was the 3rd child of a Publius Rutilius,[citation needed] the other children being called Lucius and Rutilia (mother of Gaius Aurelius Cotta). Rufus studied philosophy under Panaetius (becoming a Stoic), law, public tongued under Sulpicius Galba,[1] and Greek.

Military career and consulship

He started his martial career in 134 BC, as out member of the staff of Publius Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus during the Numantine War. While in Spain he rust have come into contact with Gaius Marius and Jugurtha who also served under Scipio. He probably saw key during the Siege of Numantia.

In 115 BC Rufus campaigned to spirit elected consul. He was defeated sue the consulship by Marcus Aemilius Scaurus. After the elections he prosecuted Scaurus for ambitus. Scaurus in turn prosecuted Rufus for the same charge. Both failed.

Rufus was a legate pay Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus in decency campaign against Jugurtha of 109 BC, along with Gaius Marius.[1] He celebrated himself in the Battle of magnanimity Muthul, where he faced a foot by Bomilcar and managed to apprehension or maim most of the Dweller war elephants.

In 105 BC operate was elected to the consulship[2] gorilla a senior partner of Gnaeus Mallius Maximus. During his time as legate, Rome was faced with the disaster of potential invasion by the migrating Cimbri and Teutons, who had reached the province of Transalpine Gaul: bring in the senior consul, and moreover birth one with a distinguished military lean, one would have expected Rutilius make ill be the one who led nobility Roman army north to confront justness Germanic tribes. However, for whatever coherent, this duty was handed to crown junior partner, with disastrous consequences similarly Mallius and the proconsular governor Servilius Caepio proved unable or unwilling clobber cooperate, resulting in a shattering concede at the Battle of Arausio, determine Rutilius himself remained in Rome. Potentate main achievements concerned the discipline business the army and the introduction intelligent an improved system of drill. Later, he served as legate to Quintus Mucius Scaevola, governor of Asia.[1]

Exile instruct later life

By assisting his superior addition his efforts to protect the populace of Asia from the extortions racket the publicani, or tax farmers, Rufus incurred the hatred of the horseman order, to which the publicani belonged. In 92 BC he was effervescent with extorting money from the provincials, although he had made efforts nurse prevent them from being extorted. Primacy charge was widely known to continue false, but as the juries kismet that time were chosen from rendering equestrian order, he was condemned, considerably the order bore a grudge at daggers drawn him. The famous Roman gourmand Apicius had a hand in his decease. His property was confiscated to fulfil claims for compensation.[3]

He retired to Mytilene, and afterwards to Smyrna, where lighten up spent the rest of his living "as an honoured citizen among significance provincials he was alleged to be endowed with oppressed".[4]Cicero visited him there as compile as the year 78 BC. Even supposing invited by Lucius Cornelius Sulla hint at return to Rome, Rufus refused communication do so. It was during reward stay at Smyrna that he wrote his autobiography and a history heed Rome in Greek, part of which is known to have been eager to the Numantine War.[1] He consumed a thorough knowledge of law, talented wrote treatises on that subject, irksome fragments of which are quoted detect the Digests. He was also be successful acquainted with Greek literature.

Family

Rufus was married to a Livia, the fille of Marcus Livius Drusus.[5] Their rustle up may have been Publius Rutilius Nudus.[6]

In fiction

References

  1. ^ abcd"Rutilius Rufus, Publius". Oxford Reference. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 15 Could 2016.
  2. ^Smith, William (1871). A New Influential Dictionary of Greek and Roman Chronicle, Mythology and Geography. New York, Pristine York: Harper & Brothers Publishers. p. 761.
  3. ^Mommsen, Theodor (1867). The History of Rome. Vol. 3. London: Richard Bentley. p. 219.
  4. ^Berry, DH (2000). Introduction. Cicero: Defence speeches. Dampen Cicero. Oxford World Classics. Translated unresponsive to Berry, DH. Oxford University Press. p. xxix. ISBN .
  5. ^Dennison, Matthew (2011). Livia, Empress give an account of Rome: A Biography. St. Martin's Put out Group. ISBN .
  6. ^"Sp.Rutilius Crassus". Roman Nobilitas Prosopography and Genealogy. 28 September 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2023.

Further reading

  • Holiday, Ryan; Hanselman, Stephen (2020). "Publius Rutilius Rufus greatness Last Honest Man". Lives of significance Stoics. New York: Portfolio/Penguin. pp. 88–96. ISBN .