Arulenus Rusticus

Who was Arulenus Rusticus?

Quintus Junius Arulenus Rusticus, is more usually called Arulenus Rusticus, but sometimes also Junius Rusticus. He was a friend and follower of Thrasea Paetus, and, like the latter, an ardent admirer of Stoic philosophy. He was Tribune of the plebs in AD 66, in which year Thrasea was condemned to death by the Roman Senate; and he would have placed his veto upon the senatus consultum, had not Thrasea prevented him, as he would only have brought certain destruction upon himself without saving the life of the defendant. He was Praetor in the civil wars after the death of Nero, when as one of the senate's ambassadors to the Flavian armies he was wounded by the soldiers of Petilius Cerialis. He attained a very late consulship in AD 92 under Domitian, but in the following year was condemned to death because of his panegyric on Thrasea. Suetonius attributes to him a panegyric on Helvidius Priscus; but the latter work was composed by Herennius Senecio, as we learn both from Tacitus and Pliny.