Publius Rutilius Rufus

Publius Rutilius Rufus
Consul of the Roman Republic
In office 105 BC – 105 BC Serving with Gnaeus Mallius Maximus
Personal details
Born	158 BC
Died	after 78 BC Smyrna
Nationality	Ancient Roman

Publius Rutilius Rufus (158 BC – after 78 BC) was a Roman statesman, consul, orator and historian of the Rutilius family, as well as great-uncle of Gaius Julius Caesar.

During his consulship, he reformed the drill system and improved army discipline. As legate to Quintus Mucius Scaevola, he attempted to protect the inhabitants of Asia from extortion by the equites, which led to him being falsely accused of extorting those provincials. The charge was false, but as the juries were chosen from the equestrian order, he was condemned. He was exiled, and went to Smyrna, where he wrote a history of Rome in Greek.

He was the third child of a Publius Rutilius, the other children being called Lucius and Rutilia (mother of Caius Cotta). Rufus studied philosophy under Panaetius (becoming a Stoic), law, public speaking under Sulpicius Galba and Greek.

He started his military career in 134 BC, as a member of the staff of Scipio Africanus Minor during the Numantine War. Later on, Rufus was a legate of Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus in the campaign against Jugurtha of Numidia of 109 BC, along with Gaius Marius. He distinguished himself in the Battle of the Muthul, where he faced a charge by the foe Bomilcar and managed to capture or maim most of the Numidian war elephants.

In 115 BC Rufus was defeated for the consulship by Aemilius Scaurus and prosecuted him for ambitus. Scaurus in turn prosecuted Rufus for the same charge. Both charges failed. In 105 BC he was elected to the consulship as a senior partner of Gnaeus Mallius Maximus. His main achievements concerned the discipline of the army and the introduction of an improved system of drill. Subsequently, he served as legate to Quintus Mucius Scaevola, governor of Asia.

...
Wikipedia