Rutuli
Tribe of southern Latium in the region of Ardea (Str. 5,3,2-5: Ῥούτουλοι/Rhoútouloi; Dion. Hal. Ant. Rom. 1,43,2; 57,2; 59,2: Ῥοτόλοι/Rhotóloi; Ael. NA 11,16: Ῥουτουλοί/Rhoutouloí; Sil. Pun. 8,359: R.) where the Fosso Molo and the Fosso Acquabona flow into the Fosso Incastro, which in turn flows into the sea at Castrum [1] Inui. Its legendary King Turnus, like Aeneas [1], sought the hand of Lavinia, daughter of King Latinus, and fell in single combat (Cato Orig. fragments 9-11; Verg. Aen. 7-12 passim; Liv. 1,2,1-6; Dion. Hal. Ant. Rom. 1,59,2; 1,64,2-4; Ov. Met. 14,449-453; Str. 5,3,2; Origo gentis Romanae 13,6; 14,1; differently Dion. Hal. Ant. Rom. 1,64,2-4; Origo gentis Romanae 13,6; 14,1; Cato Orig. f. 11; Liv. 1,2,1-3). The name R. is derived from rutilus ('red'): According to [1.], R. (*r(ĕ)udh-ḷḷŏ) means 'the Blondes'.
There were differing views in antiquity about the origin of the R.: a) descendants of Odysseus and Circe, whose son Ardeias was supposed to have founded Ardea (Xen. Ages. FGrH 240 F 29; Steph. Byz. s. v. Ἀρδέα);

descendants of refugees from Argos, who came to Latium in the following of Danae (Verg. Aen. 7,371 f.; 409-411; Sil. Pun. 1,658-661; Plin. HN 3,56; Solin. 2,5; Serv. Aen. 7,367; 372) and joined forces with the indigenous King Pilumnus (Verg. Aen. 9,3 f.; 10,76; 10,619); c) descendants of King Daunus [2], the father of Turnus (Vibius Sequester 158 Riese: R., idem Dauni; cf. Lycoph. Alexandra 1254); d) of Latin origin (Verg. Aen. 12, 40), which seems plausible on the basis of the finds from Ardea, which are very similar to those from Latium vetus, and in view of Ardea's membership in the Latin League (Cato Orig. fragment 58; Liv. 32,1,9; Dion. Hal. Ant. Rom. 5,61,3); moreover, a festival of all Latini was celebrated in the Aphrodision at Ardea (Str. 5,3,5).
Liv. 1,57,1 speaks of the R. of the 6th cent. BC as a rich and powerful people, attacked by Tarquinius Superbus (Liv. 1,57-60; Dion. Hal. Ant. Rom. 4,64,1; Eutr. 1,8; Oros. 2,4). In a conflict between Ardea and Aricia, the R. were compelled to cede a portion of their territory to the Romans (Liv. 3,71,1 f.; 72,6 f.; 4,1,4; 7,4-7; Dion. Hal. Ant. Rom. 11,52; 54,2). From the mid-5th cent. BC, they were Rome's ally in the struggle against the Volsci (Liv. 4,9-11 with Licinius Macer HRR fragment 13: foedus Ardeatinum; Dion. Hal. Ant. Rom. 11,62,4; Ardea is already described as allied to Rome in Pol. 3,22,11 in connection with the first treaty between Rome and Carthage). Weakened by attacks of the Volsci, Ardea accepted a Roman colonia in 442 BC (Diod. Sic. 12,34,5; Liv. 4,11). During the Celtic assault of 387/6 BC, Ardea stood on the side of Rome (Liv. 5,43,6-45,3; Val. Max. 4,1,2; Plut. Camillus 23,4). Attacks by the Samnites (Str. 5,4,11) in the 3rd/2nd cents. BC led to a general decline. The proposition that the R. participated in the founding of Saguntum (Liv. 21,7,1 f.; Sil. Pun. 1,291-293) seems to lack historical foundation.
Bibliography
1 G. Devoto, Gli antichi italici, 41967.
R. Philipp, s. v. R. (2), RE 1 A, 1282 f.
F. Della Corte, La mappa dell'Eneide, 1985
BTCGI 3, 278-292 (Ardea).