A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

A., a Roman jurist, is named by Pomponius (Dig. 1. tit. 2. s. 2.44) Gaius Aulus Ofilius, but the praenomen Gaius appears to be some blunder of a copyist. Otilius was one of the pupils of Servius Sulpicius, and the master of Tubero, Capito and Labeo. He was a friend of Cicero, who, on one occasion, cites his opinion as opposed to that of Trebatius (ad Famr. 7.21, ad Att. 13.37). He was also a friend of the Dictator Caesar. Ofilius belonged to the equestrian order, but he obtained a high reputation for legal knowledge. "He wrote," says Pomponius (Dig. 1. tit. 2. s. 2.44), "many treatises on the Jus Civile," among which De Legibus vicesimae (manumissionum), and De Jurisdictione. The fifth book of his Jus Partitum is cited (Dig. 32. s. 55), and the sixteenth book of a work on actions (33. tit. 9. s. 3. §§ 5, 8). and a treatise addressed to Atticus (50. tit. 16. s. 234.2), who is probably T. Pomponius Atticus. Ofilius is often cited in the Digest. "Ofilius." says Pomponius, "edietum praetoris primus diligenter composuit." which probably means an arrangement of the edictal law, like the later work of Juilan, or it might be a commentary upon it. Caesar had conceived a design of arranging the Jus Civile, to which his connection with Ofilius may have contribnted (Zimmern, Geschichte des Röm. Privatrechts; Puchta Cursus, &c. vol. i. p. 427; Grotius, Vit. Juris cosult.)

[G.L]