A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology
William Smith, Ed.

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Rufus, L. Mesci'nius

Cicero's quaestor in Cilicia, B. C. 51, of whose official conduct Cicero complains to Atticus in the strongest terms (ad Att. 6.3, 4). On his departure from the province Cicero left Tiro at Laodiceia to settle his accounts with him; and in consequence of the difficulties and misunderstandings which arose out of this settlement, Cicero wrote to him a long letter which is extant (ad Fam. 5.20). But though Cicero had found so much fault with Rufus in his letter to Atticus, he bestows the highest praises upon him in a letter in which he urges him to join the side of Pompey on the breaking out of the civil war (ad Fam. 5.19). At a later time, B. C. 46, Cicero writes Rufus a letter of consolation, as he seems to have been discontented with his position (ad Fam. 5.21). In the same year Cicero recommended him to Serv. Sulpicius, the governor of Achaia, in which province Rufus had some business which required his presence (ad Fam. 13.26, 28). After the death of Caesar he joined the republican party, and served under Cassius Longinus, by whom he was sent against Tarsus. (D. C. 47.31.)

The name of L. Mescinius Rufus frequently occurs on coins as triumvir of the mint under Augustus; and it appears from these coins that he must have held this office in the years B. C. 17 and 16. The following is an interesting specimen of one of these coins. On the obverse is a cippus with IMP. CAES. AVGV. COMM. CONS., that is, Imperator Caesar Augustus communi consensu, and round the cippus L. MESCINIVS RVFVS III VIR : on the reverse we have inclosed in a chaplet of oak, I. O. M. S. P. Q. R. V. S. PR. S. IMP. CAES. QVOD PER EV. R. P. IN AMP. ATQ. TRAN. S. E. , that is, Iovi Optimo Maximo S. P. Q. R. votum susceptum pro salute Imperatoris Caesaris, quod per eun res public in ampliore atque tranquilliore status est. This interpretation is confirmed by the fact that, after the defeat of Varus some years afterwards, we read that games were vowed by Augustus to Jupiter Optimus Maximus, si respublica in meliorem statum vertisset (Suet. Aug. 23). (Eckhel, vol. v. p. 252, vol. vi. pp. 102-105.)