Cluvius Rufus

Cluvius Rufus was a Roman senator, governor and historian who was mentioned on several occasions by Tacitus, Suetonius, Josephus and Plutarch. During the reign of Caligula, Cluvius Rufus was described by Josephus as a senator of "consular dignity". [Josephus, "Antiquities of the Jews" XIX.1.13] He was involved in the conspiracy to assassinate Caligula, but it is not known to what degree. [Josephus, "Antiquities of the Jews" XIX.1.13] During Nero's early reign, he was an ex-consul who knew many in Nero's inner circle [Suetonius "The Lives of Twelve Caesars" Life of Nero 21] and during Nero's late reign and in the year of the four emperors, Cluvius was the governor of Spain. Tacitus said "Spain was under the government of Cluvius Rufus, an eloquent man, who had all the accomplishments of civil life, but who was without experience in war." [Tacitus, "Histories" I.8] Cluvius is said to have pushed senators to demand more power from the emperor during the reign of Vitellius. [Tacitus, "Histories" IV.43]

Cluvius Rufus was an important historian whose writing and testimony, though now lost, certainly shaped modern understanding of first century Rome. He was a contemporary of Caligula, Claudius and Nero, but little is known of the extent of his work except that it related to events during the reign of these emperors. Cluvius was one the primary sources for Tacitus' "Annals" and "Histories", Suetonius' "The Lives of Twelve Caesars" , Josephus' "Antiquities of the Jews", Plutarch's "Parallel Lives" and probably for other later historians as well.

Cluvius Rufus is mentioned in:Josephus "Antiquities of the Jews" XIX.1.13; Suetonius "The Lives of Twelve Caesars", Life of Nero 21; Pliny the Younger, Epistulae IX.19; Plutarch "The Parallel Lives", Life of Otho 3; Tacitus "Annals", XII.20 and XIV.2; Tacitus "Histories", I.8, II.58, II.65, III.65, IV.39 and IV.43

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