Numanus Remulus
Numanus Remulus is a Rutulian appearing in Book 9 of Virgil's Aeneid. He is the brother-in-law of the Rutulian prince Turnus and is killed by the Trojan prince Ascanius, son of Aeneas and future king of Alba Longa. Numanus is a minor character in the Aeneid and is otherwise unknown in Latin literature; he appears only within the episode in which he is killed in Aeneid 9 (Aen. 9.590-637).[1]
Virgil uses Numanus to highlight and contrast ancient ethnic stereotypes. Numanus gives a boasting speech (Aen. 9.598-620) which contrasts Italian 'toughness' to the 'softness' of the Trojans[1] (though both Italian and Trojan ethnic groups must come together to form the Roman identity in the Aeneid). Such ethnic contrasts have a long history in ancient epic, going back to Homer.[2] Virgil may also use the episode as a 'coming-of-age' narrative for Ascanius: Numanus is reported to be Ascanius' first kill on the battlefield (Aen. 9.590-592).