Curtius Rufus

Curtius Rufus
Mosaic from the 2nd half of the 2nd century showing mythological figure at Roman Adrumetum, today's Sousse, where Curtius Rufus saw the vision of a preter-normal women predicting he would be proconsul of Africa and die there.
Sectator Quaestoris
Quaestor
Praetor
Duumvir of Valence
Consul Suffectus of the Roman Empire
In office October - December 43 AD
Preceded by	A. Gabinius Secundus
Succeeded by	Gaius Sallustius Crispus Passienus, Titus Statilius Taurus
Proconsul of Lower Germany
Proconsul of Africa
Personal details
Born	1st century, reign of Augustus, possibly 1 AD Perhaps Provence
Died	1st century, reign of Claudius Province of Africa
Residence	Rome and pertinent provinces
Occupation	Career magistrate
Religion	Ancient Roman religion
Military service
Allegiance	Roman Empire
Service/branch	Overall
Rank	Only as consular commander
Commands	Consul of Roman Empire, Governor of Lower Germany, Governor of Africa

Curtius Rufus (/ˈkɜːrʃiəs ˈruːfəs/) was a Roman professional magistrate of senatorial rank mentioned by Tacitus and Pliny the Younger for life events occurring during the reigns of the emperors Tiberius and Claudius. In all probability he is to be equated with the first-century Roman historian Quintus Curtius Rufus.

Knowledge of Curtius Rufus’ life is a collection of isolated sources. No continuous history of the type written by Plutarch and other biographers exists. The author of a continuous history of Alexander has none of his own. Much can be inferred from the incidental sources that do exist.

Curtius Rufus is a curtailed name formed according to the Roman naming conventions. The Romans had a 3-name system, but for ordinary use they curtailed it to one or two elements. The three names must not be thought to apply to any but free Roman citizens. Due to the almost continuous expansion of the territory of Rome from the early Republic, the non-free and freedman populations were mainly of foreign extraction. One name sufficed for them, although freedmen might take the name of their patrons. In this category were gladiators, men originally sentenced to death, but allowed to win a stay or a pardon by being victorious in the arena. There were but few living losers.

Curtius Rufus omits the praenomen, or first name. If the magistrate is to be identified with the historian, it must be Quintus, under the Republic spelled Quinctus, “the Fifth.” As the Romans used the same name in different generations, it may originally have had a numerical significance, but after dozens of Quinti it was perhaps just a name, abbreviated to an ignored Q. The indispensable portion of the name was the nomen, “name,” the name of the gens, “clan.” All males of the gens Curtia were named Curtius, and all females Curtia. This convention presented somewhat of a problem in distinguishing multiple Curtii, but the third name, the cognomen, offered a solution. It might have nothing to do with any convention. It could be trivial. Rufus means “red.” Over several hundred years of this system the cognomen often became an extension of the nomen for distinguishing lines within the gens. An important man would name the line, such as the Curtii Rufi.