Quintus Julius Cordinus Gaius Rutilius Gallicus

Quintus Julius Cordinus Gaius Rutilius Gallicus was a Roman senator who held several posts in the emperor's service. He was twice suffect consul: for the first time in the nundinium of September to October 70 AD; and the second time in 85 with Lucius Valerius Catullus Messalinus as his colleague, succeeding the Emperor Domitian.

Gallicus was well thought of by both the emperors Claudius and Nero. He was an important supporter of Vespasian in his early period as emperor and was rewarded by being made consul only months after Vespasian's arrival in Rome. Gallicus held a series of further civic and military positions, including three governorships, pontifex, and urban prefect of Rome.

Family

He was often referred to by the shorter name Gaius Rutilius Gallicus, which Olli Salomies notes was his name prior to his adoption; Gallicus was a member of the gens Rutilia from Augusta Taurinorum, the modern Turin. The general consensus is that the adoptive element is Quintus Julius Cordius, and when his full name was used "Gaius" was frequently dropped. Although a Quintus Julius Cordius was the suffect consul of 71, Salomies doubts he was the adoptive father, although "no doubt closely related" to him. J. E. H. Spaul suggested his birth father was Gaius Rutilius Secundus, equestrian governor of Mauretania Tingitana during the reign of the emperor Claudius.

Gallicus was married and his wife's name is known from an inscription found in Augusta Tauricorum: Minicia L.f. Paetina.

Biography Offices under the Julio-Claudians Gallicus' first known post was as military tribune of Legio XIII Gemina, which he is attested as holding in 52. This was followed by the Republican magistracies of quaestor and curule aedile. He then served again in the military as the legatus legionis, or commander, of Legio XV Apollinaris during the reign of the emperor Claudius. During Gallicus' term as commander the legion was stationed in Pannonia. Following this he was assigned to govern the province of Galatia in central Anatolia. This role was important to the Julio-Claudian dynasty, and the appointment is a clear indication that Gallicus was favored by the emperor Nero.

He was Proconsular Governor of Africa in 73/74. Although being proconsul of Africa or Asia was considered a senator's highest and usually the final step in imperial service, Gallicus is known to have been Governor of Germania Inferior from 76 to 78. He was appointed consul for a second time seven years later by the emperor Domitian, serving with Lucius Valerius Catullus Messalinus. Gallicus' final office was urban prefect of Rome, which he held around 91.

Death Statius dedicated a poem to him (Silvae, 1.4), celebrating his recovery from illness. His recovery proved short-lived, as Statius notes Gallicus died from that same illness in the preface to the first book of Silvae, published not long after Gallicus' death.