Latinia gens

Last updated June 03, 2021

The gens Latinia was a minor family at ancient Rome, which flourished during Imperial times.

Origin

The nomen Latinius seems to imply that the ancestors of the gens were Latins, and perhaps were once known by the surname of Latinus, designating them as such. But one of the earliest records of the family is an inscription on an Etruscan cinerary urn, dating from the third century BC, which reads, AV·LATINI·VELSIAL, that is, "Aulus Latinius, son of Velsia". So the name may originally have been applied to an Etruscan family of Latin origin.

Members

This list includes abbreviated praenomina. For an explanation of this practice, see filiation.

Aulus Latinius Velsial natus, from an Etruscan cinerary urn, dating to the third century BC.^[1]
Latinius Pandus, propraetor of Moesia during the reign of Tiberius, was sent to Thrace to secure the release of Cotys, the Thracian king, from his uncle, Rhescuporis, in AD 19. He died in Moesia later that year.^[2]
Latinius Latiaris, a disciple of Sejanus, was praetor in an uncertain year during the reign of Tiberius. He denounced Titius Sabinus, an eques who had been a friend of Germanicus, and who was put to death through Latinius' conniving. He was condemned and executed after the fall of Sejanus.^[3]
Lucius Latinius L. f. Macer, centurion primi pili and praefectus castrorum of the Legio IX Hispana in the early second century AD. He dedicated an altar to Apollo at Aquae Grani.^[4]
Marcus Cassianius Latinius Postumus, a usurper, whose dominion over Gaul, Spain, Britain, and Germania from AD 260 to 269 is widely known as the Gallic Empire .^[5]^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10]^[11]
Latinius Pacatus Drepanius, a panegyrist of the late fourth century AD.^[12]

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The gens Valeria was a patrician family at ancient Rome, prominent from the very beginning of the Republic to the latest period of the Empire. Publius Valerius Poplicola was one of the consuls in 509 BC, the year that saw the overthrow of the Tarquins, and the members of his family were among the most celebrated statesmen and generals at the beginning of the Republic. Over the next ten centuries, few gentes produced as many distinguished men, and at every period the name of Valerius was constantly to be found in the lists of annual magistrates, and held in the highest honour. Several of the emperors claimed descent from the Valerii, whose name they bore as part of their official nomenclature.

The gens Julia was one of the most ancient patrician families in ancient Rome. Members of the gens attained the highest dignities of the state in the earliest times of the Republic. The first of the family to obtain the consulship was Gaius Julius Iulus in 489 BC. The gens is perhaps best known, however, for Gaius Julius Caesar, the dictator and grand uncle of the emperor Augustus, through whom the name was passed to the so-called Julio-Claudian dynasty of the first century AD. The nomen Julius became very common in imperial times, as the descendants of persons enrolled as citizens under the early emperors began to make their mark in history.

The gens Aurelia was a plebeian family at ancient Rome, which flourished from the third century BC to the latest period of the Empire. The first of the Aurelian gens to obtain the consulship was Gaius Aurelius Cotta in 252 BC. From then to the end of the Republic, the Aurelii supplied many distinguished statesmen, before entering a period of relative obscurity under the early emperors. In the latter part of the first century, a family of the Aurelii rose to prominence, obtaining patrician status, and eventually the throne itself. A series of emperors belonged to this family, through birth or adoption, including Marcus Aurelius and the members of the Severan dynasty.

The gens Pompeia was a plebeian family at ancient Rome, first appearing in history during the second century BC, and frequently occupying the highest offices of the Roman state from then until imperial times. The first of the Pompeii to obtain the consulship was Quintus Pompeius in 141 BC, but by far the most illustrious of the gens was Gnaeus Pompeius, surnamed Magnus, a distinguished general under the dictator Sulla, who became a member of the First Triumvirate, together with Caesar and Crassus. After the death of Crassus, the rivalry between Caesar and Pompeius led to the Civil War, one of the defining events of the final years of the Roman Republic.

The gens Calpurnia was a plebeian family at ancient Rome, which first appears in history during the third century BC. The first of the gens to obtain the consulship was Gaius Calpurnius Piso in 180 BC, but from this time their consulships were very frequent, and the family of the Pisones became one of the most illustrious in the Roman state. Two important pieces of Republican legislation, the lex Calpurnia of 149 BC and lex Acilia Calpurnia of 67 BC were passed by members of the gens.

The gens Terentia was a plebeian family at ancient Rome. Dionysius mentions a Gaius Terentilius Arsa, tribune of the plebs in 462 BC, but Livy calls him Terentilius, and from inscriptions this would seem to be a separate gens. No other Terentii appear in history until the time of the Second Punic War. Gaius Terentius Varro, one of the Roman commanders at the Battle of Cannae in 216 BC, was the first to hold the consulship. Members of this family are found as late as the third century AD.

The gens Minucia was an ancient Roman family, which flourished from the earliest days of the Republic until imperial times. The gens was apparently of patrician origin, but was better known by its plebeian branches. The first of the Minucii to hold the consulship was Marcus Minucius Augurinus, elected consul in 497 BC.

The gens Otacilia, originally Octacilia, was a plebeian family at ancient Rome. The gens first rose to prominence during the First Punic War, but afterwards lapsed into obscurity. The first of the family to obtain the consulship was Manius Otacilius Crassus, in 263 BC.

The gens Vibia was a plebeian family at ancient Rome. Although individuals named Vibius appear in history during the time of the Second Punic War, no members of this gens are found at Rome until the final century of the Republic. The first of the Vibii to obtain the consulship was Gaius Vibius Pansa in 43 BC, and from then until imperial times the Vibii regularly filled the highest offices of the Roman state. The emperors Trebonianus Gallus and Volusianus each claimed descent from the family.

The gens Arria was a plebeian family at ancient Rome, which occurs in history beginning in the final century of the Republic, and became quite prominent in imperial times. The first of the gens to achieve prominence was Quintus Arrius, praetor in 72 BC.

The gens Caecinia was a plebeian family of Etruscan origin at ancient Rome. Members of this gens are first mentioned in the time of Cicero, and they remained prominent through the first century of the Empire, before fading into obscurity in the time of the Flavian emperors. A family of this name rose to prominence once more at the beginning of the fifth century.

The gens Maria was a plebeian family of Rome. Its most celebrated member was Gaius Marius, one of the greatest generals of antiquity, and seven times consul.

The gens Ulpia was a Roman family that rose to prominence during the first century AD. The gens is best known from the emperor Marcus Ulpius Trajanus, who reigned from AD 98 to 117. The Thirtieth Legion took its name, Ulpia, in his honor. The city of Serdica, modern day Sofia, was renamed as Ulpia Serdica.

The gens Domitia was a plebeian family at ancient Rome. The first of the gens to achieve prominence was Gnaeus Domitius Calvinus, consul in 332 BC. His son, Gnaeus Domitius Calvinus Maximus, was consul in 283, and the first plebeian censor. The family produced several distinguished generals, and towards the end of the Republic, the Domitii were looked upon as one of the most illustrious gentes.

The gens Messia was a plebeian family at Rome. The first person of this name to appear in history is Vettius Messius, a Volscian soldier whose courage inspired his comrades in a desperate battle against the Romans in 431 BC. It is not known when the Messii first obtained Roman citizenship. Members of the family appear in the lists of annual magistrates during the final decades of the Republic. In imperial times, some of the Messii achieved the highest offices of the Roman state.

The gens Norbana was a plebeian family at ancient Rome. Members of this gens are first mentioned toward the beginning of the first century BC, and from then to the end of the second century AD they filled a number of magistracies and other important posts, first in the late Republic, and subsequently under the emperors.

The gens Opellia, also spelled Opelia and Opilia, was a minor family of imperial Rome, which briefly emerged from obscurity when Marcus Opellius Macrinus was proclaimed emperor following the murder of Caracalla in AD 217. The only members of this gens who appear in history are the emperor and his son, Marcus Opellius Diadumenianus, who ruled briefly as co-emperor in 218, but other Opellii are found in inscriptions, particularly from Dacia.

The gens Seia was a minor plebeian family of equestrian rank at ancient Rome. Members of this gens are first mentioned in the time of Cicero, and a few of them held various magistracies under the late Republic and into imperial times.

References

↑ Metropolitan Museum of Art.
↑ Tacitus, Annales, ii. 66.
↑ Tacitus, Annales, iv. 68, 69, vi. 4.
↑ AE (1968) 323.
↑ Trebellius Pollio, ii.
↑ Aurelius Victor, De Caesaribus, 33.
↑ Epitome de Caesaribus, 32.
↑ Eutropius, ix. 7.
↑ Orosius, vii. 22.
↑ Zosimus, i. 38.
↑ Zonaras, xii. 24.
↑ Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. I, p. 1074 ("Latinus Pacatus Drepanius").

Bibliography

Publius Cornelius Tacitus, Annales .
Trebellius Pollio, Triginta Tyranni (The Thirty Tyrants).
Eutropius, Breviarium Historiae Romanae (Abridgement of the History of Rome).
Sextus Aurelius Victor, De Caesaribus (On the Caesars).
Sextus Aurelius Victor (attributed), Epitome de Caesaribus .
Paulus Orosius, Historiarum Adversum Paganos (History Against the Pagans).
Zosimus, Historia Nova (New History).
Joannes Zonaras, Epitome Historiarum (Epitome of History).
Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology , William Smith, ed., Little, Brown and Company, Boston (1849).
René Cagnat et alii, L'Année épigraphique (The Year in Epigraphy, abbreviated “AE”), Presses Universitaires de France (1888–present).

External links

Cinerary urn of Aulus Latinius, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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[1] Metropolitan Museum of Art.

[2] Tacitus, Annales, ii. 66.

[3] Tacitus, Annales, iv. 68, 69, vi. 4.

[4] AE (1968) 323.

[5] Trebellius Pollio, ii.

[6] Aurelius Victor, De Caesaribus, 33.

[7] Epitome de Caesaribus, 32.

[8] Eutropius, ix. 7.

[9] Orosius, vii. 22.

[10] Zosimus, i. 38.

[11] Zonaras, xii. 24.

[12] Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. I, p. 1074 ("Latinus Pacatus Drepanius").

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