Original scientific paper

A note on Quintus Numerius Rufus

Feđa Milivojević orcid.org/0000-0003-0876-1843

Abstract

Repairing the portico of a building on the island of Issa at his own expense helped the legate Quintus Numerius Rufus, the patron of the city, to enter the history of the Eastern Adriatic coast dur­ing Caesar’s administration in the province of Illyricum (58-50 BC). Ascertained by an inscription found on Issa, the presence of Caesar’s legate on the island in that very important historical period drew a great deal of interest among Croatian and foreign researchers long ago, particularly his function, year of arrival and reasons for his presence. However, as there have been no recent papers dealing with the subject even since important B. Gabričević’s paper Issa i njen patron Q. Numerius Rufus, this author has included here a recent analysis of several aspects of the pres­ence of legate Quintus Numerius Rufus in Illyricum. The available arguments supporting the accurate dating of his arrival to Issa are analyzed, mistakes in the earlier hypotheses on Numerius’ function are indicated, and Numerius’ experience as one of the principal reasons for his appointment in Illyricum is underlined.

Keywords

Quintus Numerius Rufus; Issa; Illyricum; legate; Gaius Julius Caesar

Hrčak ID:

237157

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/237157

Publication date:

21.4.2020.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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