Nymphidia gens

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The gens Nymphidia was a plebeian family at ancient Rome. Members of this gens are not mentioned until imperial times, and none of them are known to have obtained any of the higher offices of the Roman state, although one of them, Gaius Nymphidius Sabinus, attempted to seize the throne following the death of the emperor Nero. [1]

Contents

Praenomina

As with other families of imperial times, the Nymphidii known to history used only a few praenomina, Gaius and Publius occurring in ancient writers and inscriptions. Tryphon, a Greek name appearing in the name of Tryphon Nymphidius Philocalus, was never a praenomen, although he may have used it in place of one; although unusual, it was not unheard of for freedmen to continue using their original names in place of praenomina, even after obtaining Roman nomina. Since the inscription mentioning him suggests that he was wealthy, it also seems possible that Tryphon was part of a longer name, perhaps the surname of one of his ancestors. [2]

Origin

The nomen Nymphidius is clearly not of Roman origin, being derived from the Greek name Nymphis, presumably borne by an ancestor of the Nymphidii. The nomen falls within a class of gentilicia formed using the suffix -idius, although in this case because the stem of Nymphis is Nymphid-, rather than because it ended in -idus. [3]

Branches and cognomina

There is no evidence that the Nymphidii were ever divided into distinct branches, but several surnames appear among those members of the family found in ancient writers and inscriptions. Sabinus, belonging to the most famous of the Nymphidii, and probably one of the earliest, refers to a Sabine, suggesting another possible origin for the gens; [4] Lupus means "wolf", Valens means "strong" or "powerful". [5] Ogulnianus signifies that its bearer was either adopted from the Ogulnia gens into some family of the Nymphidii, or that he was descended from the Ogulnii through the female line; Fuscanius appears to be a nomen gentilicium built on the cognomen Fuscus, "dark", and probably entered the family through the female line. [4] [6] Chresimus and Philocalus are Greek names, and probably belonged to freedmen of the Nymphidia gens, who may have passed them to their descendants as surnames. [4]

Members

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

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. II, p. 1217 ("Nymphidius Sabinus").
  2. 1 2 CIL VI, 9679.
  3. ↑ Chase, pp. 121, 122.
  4. 1 2 3 Chase, p. 114.
  5. ↑ New College Latin & English Dictionary, s. v. lupus, valens.
  6. ↑ New College Latin & English Dictionary, s. v. fuscus.
  7. 1 2 Plutarch, "The Life of Galba", 8–15.
  8. ↑ PIR, vol. II, p. 423.
  9. ↑ Tacitus, Annales, xv. 72, Historiae, i. 5, 25, 37.
  10. ↑ PIR, vol. II, pp. 422, 423.
  11. 1 2 Pliny the Younger, Epistulae, x. 19.
  12. 1 2 Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. II, p. 1217 ("Nymphidius Lupus").
  13. 1 2 3 PIR, vol. II, p. 422.
  14. ↑ CIL VI, 200, AE 2000, 156.
  15. ↑ Digesta, 35. 1. 81.
  16. ↑ CIL VI, 23179.
  17. ↑ CIL XIV, 221.
  18. 1 2 AE 2004, 1308.
  19. ↑ IPOstie, A-146, 147.

Bibliography

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