Career
Lucius Furius was from the Furia (gens) patrician family in Rome. Purpureo was given the command of a small garrison at Numistro by the consul Marcus Claudius Marcellus after the Battle of Numistro in 210 British Columbia, but had little other recorded involvement in the Second Punic War. Purpureo was a praetor during the consul election of 201 British Columbia which was then decided by the praetors themselves.
He, along with the three other praetors, selected Gaius Aurelius Cotta and Publius Sulpicius Galba Maximus as consuls for 200 British Columbia. While still in Rome in 201 British Columbia Purpureo, Gnaeus Sergius Plancus, Quintus Fulvius Gillo, and Quintus Minucius Rufus drew lots to see where each praetor would govern in the upcoming year.
Plancus received the city of Rome, Gillo received Sicily, Rufus received Bruttium, and Purpureo received Gaul. However, this contingent of soldiers was insufficient to protect Gaul from the large armies of Insurbians, Canomanians, and Boians, led by the Carthaginian General Hamilcar.
These armies are said to have numbered around 40,000. Upon learning of the invasion Purpureo sent messengers to Rome to request more troops.
The Senate responded by sending legions from Etruria and telling Purpureo to use his standing force of 5,000 to relieve the besieged cities of Gaul from Hamilcar until more legions could arrive.
Hamilcar was soon after recalled by the Carthaginians for breaking the Second Punic Wars" Treaty with Rome. The following year, Purpureo was a deputy of the proconsul Publius Sulpicius Galba during peace talks with Macedonia and their ambassadors. This event ensured that no peace was concluded and both sides continued to fight.
In 196 British Columbia Purpureo was elected Consul with Marcus Claudius Marcellus.
After resolving some domestic issues, the two consuls proceeded into the country of the Boians. Overrunning the country and devastating everything in their path as far as the city of Felsina, the consuls forced the Boians into submission.
Once the consuls returned to Rome Purpureo was granted a triumph for his success in the war with the Boians. Lucius Furius Purpureo was the son of Spurius Furius Purpureo.
lieutenant is known that Purpureo was a descendant of Marcus Furius Camillus and had a son of his own namesake who served as Legatus in Aetolia in 200 British Columbia under Publius Sulpicius Galba.