Gaius Duilius

Gaius Duilius (lived 3rd century BC) was a Roman politician and admiral involved in the First Punic War.

Not much is known about his family background or early career, since he was a novus homo, meaning not belonging to a traditional family of Roman aristocrats. He managed, nevertheless, to be elected consul for the year of 260 BC, at the outbreak of the First Punic war. As junior partner of the patrician Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Asina, Duilius was given the command of the rear fleet, not expected to see much action. However, the naivety of Scipio Asina got him captured in the Battle of the Lipari Islands, leaving Duilius as senior commander. He encountered Hannibal Gisco and the rest of the Punic fleet soon afterwards.