a Roman statesman and orator. He was a military tribune under Scipio in the Numantine war, was praetor B. C. 111, was consul B. C. 105, having been defeated when he first stood for the office in B. C. 107, and in B. C. 95 was legatus under Q. Mucius Scaevola, proconsul of Asia. While acting in this capacity he displayed so much honesty and firmness in repressing the extortions of the publicani, that he became an object of fear and hatred to the whole body. Accordingly, on his return to Rome, he was impeached, by a certain Apicius, of malversation (de repetundis), found guilty, and compelled to withdraw into banishment B. C. 92. Cicero (Cic. Font. 13, Brut. 30), Livy (Epit. lib. lxx.), Velleius (2.13), and Valerius Maximus (2.10.5), agree in asserting that Rutilius was a man of the most spotless integrity, and in representing his condemnation as the result of a foul and unprincipled conspiracy on the part of the equestrian order, who not only farmed the public revenues, but at that period enjoyed also the exclusive privilege of acting as judices upon criminal trials. He retired first to Mytilene, and from thence to Smyrna, where he fixed his abode, and passed the remainder of his days in tranquillity, having refused to return to Rome, although recalled by Sulla. (Senec. de Benef. 6.37; comp. Cic. Brat. 22, pro Balb. 11; Ov. ex Ponto, 1.3. 63; Sueton. de Ill. Gramm. 6; Oros. 5.17.)
The orations of Rutilius were of a stern, harsh caste (tristi ac severo genere), containing much valuable matter upon civil law, but dry and meagre (jejunae) in form, and imbued with the keen but cold character of the Stoical philosophy, in which their author was deeply versed. He is classed in the Brutus (100.29) along with Scaurus, both being described as men of much industry, extensive practice, and good abilities, but destitute of ora torical talent of a high order. They were twice fairly pitted against each other, for Rutilius, when defeated in his suit for the consulship, impeached Scaurus, his successful competitor, of bribery, and Scaurus, being acquitted, in turn charged his accuser with the same offence. We are acquainted with the titles of seven speeches by Rutilius, but of these scarcely a word has been preserved.