Digital Prosopography of the Roman Republic

CORN0658 P. Cornelius (302) Cn. f. P. n. Rufinus

Status

  • Patrician
  • Nobilis Expand

    Vell. 2.17.2 (possibly founder of family's nobilitas)

Life Dates

  • 320?, birth (Develin 1979) Expand

    Develin no. 20.

  • 275, expelled from Senate (RE)

Relationships

son of
P. Cornelius (301) Rufinus (dict. 333) (RE)
father of
P. Cornelius (382) P. f. Sulla (flam. Dial.? after 275?) (RE)
grandfather of
? P. Cornelius (383) Sulla (pr. 212) (DPRR Team)

Career

  • Consul 290 (Broughton MRR I) Expand
    • Vell. 1.14.6; Plin. NH 7.166 (Rufus for Rufinus); Eutrop. 2.9.3; Chr. 354 (Dentato et Rufino); Cassiod.; cf. on Curius, Cic. Sen. 43; on Rufinus, Dion. Hal. 20.13; Val. Max. 2.9.4; Frontin. Str. 3.6.4; Gell. 4.8.7; 17.21.39; Degrassi 112, 428f. Cornelius took part in the final campaign of the Samnite War and celebrated a triumph (Val. Max. 2.9.4; Plin. NH 18.39; 33.142). Curius completed the Samnite war, reduced the Sabines and Praetuttians, and celebrated two triumphs, one over the Samnites and one over the Sabines (Cic. Sen. 55, cf. Pis. 58; Liv. Per. 11; Columell. 1, pref. 14; Val. Max. 4.3.5; Frontin. Str.{184} 1.8.4; Flor. 1.10.2-3; Apul. Apol. 17; Dio fr. 36.33; Eutrop. 2.9.3; Auct. Vir. Ill. 33.1-3; Oros. 3.22.11; Degrassi 544), and an ovation over the Lucanians (Auct. Vir. Ill. 33.4; see 289, Promagistrates). He refused more than the regular assignment of land (Val. Max. 4.3.5; Columell. 1, pref. 14; 1.3.10; Plin. NH 18.18; Frontin. Str. 4.3.12; Plut. Apophth. M'. Curi 1; Flor. 1.10.2-3; Auct. Vir. Ill. 33.5-6 and 10). (Broughton MRR I)
    • The triumph must be dated either in his consulship or his dictatorship (by 285). The end of the Samnite war in 290 (Eutrop. 2.9.3) is the most probable date, Degrassi 544. On the name of Rufinus, see Fast. Cap. 277; on that of Curius, Fast. Cap. and Act. Tr. for 275. (Broughton MRR I)
  • Triumphator 290 (Rich 2014) Expand
    • Triumph de Samnitibus. MRR I.183, Itgenshorst no. 100, Rich no. 100. (Rich 2014)
  • Dictator before 284 (Broughton MRR I) Expand
    • These three dictatorships must be dated after the end of Livy's record in Book 10 in 292, and before 284, when a fragment of Fast. Cap. begins. Mommsen suggested 287 for Claudius after the death of Hortensius, but there is no specific evidence. They are listed above at the latest possible date, 285. (Broughton MRR I)
    • A former Dictator in 275 when expelled from the Senate by the Censor Fabricius (Dion. Hal. 20.13; Val. Max. 2.9.4; Gell. 4.8.7; 17.21.39). (Broughton MRR I)
  • Consul 277 (Broughton MRR I) Expand
    • The taking of Croton is doubted by Beloch, RG 465, and Weuilleumier, 132, but accepted by De Sanctis, 2.412, and Frank, CAH 7.650. Zonaras (8.6) also says that Croton had revolted and was in the hands of the Campanians{195} in Rhegium. Rufinus received no triumph, but the strong opposition to him led by Fabricius (see 275) could account for this. His colleague's success in Lucania and Bruttium makes the report on him more credible. (Broughton MRR I)
    • Fast. Cap.; Act. Tr.; Chr. 354; Fast. Hyd.; Chr. Pasc.; Cassiod.; Zon. 8.6; and on Cornelius, Dion. Hal. 20.13; Gell. 4.8; 17.21.39. See Degrassi, 40f., 114, 430f. The Consuls suffered a reverse at Cranita in Samnium, then Rufinus won Croton and Locri (Frontin. Str. 3.6.4; Zon. 8.6; cf. App. Samn. 12, on Locri), while Brutus, according to Zonaras (8.6), remained in Samnium; but he triumphed over Lucanians and Bruttians (Act. Tr., Degrassi, 72f., 546). (Broughton MRR I)

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