Publius Rutilius Rufus facts for kids

Publius Rutilius Rufus (born 158 BC – died after 78 BC) was an important person in Ancient Rome. He was a leader, a soldier, a great speaker, and a writer. He was also a great-uncle to the famous Julius Caesar! In 105 BC, he became a consul, which was one of the highest leadership jobs in the Roman Republic.

During his time as consul, he helped make the Roman army stronger and better trained. Later, he worked to protect people in a Roman province called Asia from unfair taxes. This made some powerful people angry. They falsely accused him of a crime. Even though he was innocent, he was found guilty and had to leave Rome. He went to a city called Smyrna and wrote a history book there.

Early Life and Learning

Publius Rutilius Rufus was the third child in his family. He had an older brother named Lucius and a sister named Rutilia.

He loved to learn! He studied philosophy, which is about big ideas and how to live. He also learned about law and how to give powerful speeches. He even learned to speak Greek.

Military Service and Consulship

Publius Rutilius Rufus started his military career in 134 BC. He worked with a famous general named Publius Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus during a war in Spain. He likely fought in a big battle called the Siege of Numantia.

In 109 BC, he was a key officer during a war against a king named Jugurtha. He showed great bravery in the Battle of the Muthul. In this battle, he helped defeat enemy war elephants!

In 105 BC, he was elected as a consul. This was a very important job, like being a top leader of Rome. While he was consul, he focused on making the Roman army better. He introduced new training methods and improved discipline. This helped make the soldiers stronger and more organized.

Unfair Trial and Exile

Later, Publius Rutilius Rufus worked with another Roman leader in the province of Asia. They tried to stop tax collectors from taking too much money from the local people. These tax collectors were part of a powerful group in Rome called the equestrian order.

Because Rufus tried to protect the people, the tax collectors hated him. In 92 BC, they accused him of taking money unfairly from the provincials. Everyone knew the accusation was false. However, the people who decided cases in court were chosen from the equestrian order. Because they held a grudge against him, he was found guilty. His property was taken away.

After this unfair trial, he had to leave Rome. He went to live in Smyrna, a city in modern-day Turkey. He lived there as an honored citizen. Even though a powerful Roman leader named Lucius Cornelius Sulla invited him to come back to Rome, Rufus refused. While in Smyrna, he wrote his own life story and a history of Rome in Greek. He also wrote books about law.

Family

Publius Rutilius Rufus was married to a woman named Livia. She was the sister of another important Roman, Marcus Livius Drusus.

In Books

Publius Rutilius Rufus appears as a character in some historical novels:

• In Wrath of the Furies by Steven Saylor.
• In The First Man in Rome by Colleen McCullough. This book is part of her Masters of Rome series.

See also

In Spanish: Publio Rutilio Rufo para niños