Gaius Julius Rufio (died 38 BCE), also known as The Leader, was a Roman general commanding the Roman forces in Egypt and a member of the Order of the Ancients. Appointed by Julius Caesar, Rufio sought to undermine Cleopatra and Marcus Antonius' rule in Egypt and claim the kingdom for himself following Caesar's death.
Biography[]
During the mid-1st century BCE, Rufio served as an officer under Julius Caesar. At some point, he was inducted into the Order of the Ancients, adopting the cryptonym of "The Leader". After Caesar's death in 44 BCE, Rufio became a general and gained command of the Roman forces stationed in Egypt.[1] During this period of time, he made the acquaintance of Cleopatra and Marcus Antonius, the former lover and follower of Caesar, respectively. On one occasion, he seemingly disrespected Cleopatra, leading Antonius to reprimand the general for it in a letter.[2]
Rufio soon made plans to set up a meeting with Herod I, a Roman client king of Judea, in an attempt to establish an alliance with both Cleopatra and Antonius. However, relations between Rufio and the two soon broke down. Not able to get along with either of them, Rufio plotted to invade Egypt behind Cleopatra's back.[1]
Rufio with his men
To this end, Rufio made plans to create a network of Egyptian and Greek collaborators throughout the country, via his captains Adras and Jibade. This was so that when Rufio invaded Egypt through Siwa, he would be portrayed as a savior of the country and met with less resistance from the local population.[3] In addition, Rufio also stationed three of his lieutenants in the Sinai to gain a firm hold on the peninsula: Tacito in Klysma Nome, Ampelius in Madiama Nome, and Ptahmose in Arsinoe Nome.[1]
In 38 BCE, Rufio's plans to invade Egypt were discovered by Gamilat, the leader of the Nabatean resistance against the Roman occupation of the Sinai.[1] Gamilat reported his findings to Otis, a royal scribe, who in turn informed the Hidden Ones' Mentor Bayek of the invasion plan. After sabotaging Rufio's planned invasion of Siwa,[3] Bayek traveled to the Sinai to assist Gamilat and the local Hidden Ones in their fight against Rufio's men.[1]
Following the deaths of his lieutenants at the hands of Bayek, Rufio brought it upon himself to eliminate the threat in the Sinai, traveling to and docking his fleet in the harbors of Arsinoe.[1] Amunet, learning of Rufio's whereabouts, traveled to Arsinoe with Bayek, eliminating the Roman forces who were attacking the city. Bayek then boarded Rufio's octareme and assassinated him. In his final moments, the general pointed out the irony that the Order and the Hidden Ones had similar goals, yet only the former would survive the test of time thanks to their ideals, which were eternal.[2]
Personality and traits[]
Rufio taunting Bayek
Rufio was a true believer in the Order's cause, believing it to be their duty to unite the world under the Order's banner. He showed an ironic fascination with how his new opponents, the Hidden Ones, also wanted the same things as the Order, but was confident that the Order's faith and conviction were far stronger than those of the Hidden Ones. Even in his death, Rufio was deeply confident in the Order's survival, to the point where it terrified Bayek as he realized that the Order might as well be eternal.[2]
Aside from his devotion to the Order, Rufio was a highly capable military general. Amunet described him as an expert at intimidating others, stating that he could "cut" true fear into the hearts of the people. Rufio was also observed and described as being extremely cautious, with him deciding not to set foot onto the Sinai Peninsula. Amunet even stated that Rufio was a master at guarding himself, suggesting that he never let his guard down.[1]
Behind the scenes[]
Gaius Julius Rufio is a historical figure first mentioned in the memory "Incoming Threat" in the 2017 video game Assassin's Creed: Origins. He later appeared as the main antagonist of the game's first downloadable expansion, The Hidden Ones, where he was voiced by the English actor Ivan Sherry.
Rufio has the same praenomen (first name) and nomen (surname) as Gaius Julius Caesar. As they shared the same nomen, it means they are from the gens of the Julii, but it is unknown if they are directly related.
Gallery[]
Appearances[]
- Assassin's Creed: Origins (mentioned only)
- The Hidden Ones (first appearance)
References[]
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