The gens Opsia was a minor plebeian family at ancient Rome. Members of this gens first appear in history during the reign of Tiberius. The most notable may have been Marcus Opsius Navius Fannianus, who filled a number of important posts, rising to the rank of praetor. Many other Opsii are known from inscriptions.
The root of the nomen Opsius appears to be op-, with the meaning of "help", found in the name of the goddess Ops, as well as the nomen Oppius . The same root may be the source of the praenomen Opiter , together with the patronymic surnames derived from it, Opiternius and Opetreius . Such forms are typical of non-Latin gentilicia, and are most likely of Sabine origin, which seems the more probable in light of the tradition that the cult of Ops was introduced to Rome by the Sabine king, Titus Tatius. [1] Opsius in turn appears to have given rise to two later gentilicia, Opsidius and Opsilius , which used the suffixes -idius and -ilius to form new nomina from an existing name. [2]
Nearly all of the Opsii known from various sources bear the praenomina Marcus or Gaius , two of the most common names. There are also a few Opsii named Publius and Gnaeus , which were likewise quite common.
The gens Afrania was a plebeian family at Rome, which is first mentioned in the second century BC. The first member of this gens to achieve prominence was Gaius Afranius Stellio, who became praetor in 185 BC.
The gens Numonia, occasionally written Nummonia, was a minor plebeian family at Rome. Members of this gens are first mentioned in the early years of the Empire. Few if any of the Numonii held any Roman magistracies.
The gens Obellia was an obscure plebeian family at Rome, known almost entirely from inscriptions.
The gens Ofania was a minor plebeian family at Rome. Members of this gens known almost entirely from inscriptions.
The gens Opetreia was a plebeian family at ancient Rome. No members of this gens are known to have held any important magistracies, but a number of them are found in inscriptions.
The gens Orcivia, also written Orcevia and Orchivia, was a minor plebeian family at Rome. Few of them achieved any prominence in the Roman state, but many are known from inscriptions.
The gens Palpellia was an obscure plebeian family at ancient Rome. Members of this gens are first mentioned during the first century of the Empire, with Sextus Palpellius Hister obtaining the consulship in AD 43. Few other Palpellii are known from the historians, but several are known from inscriptions.
The gens Pilia was an obscure plebeian family at ancient Rome. None of the Pilii attained any of the higher magistracies of the Roman state, and members of this gens are known primarily through the writings of Cicero, who was acquainted with a family of this name; but many others are known from inscriptions.
The gens Priscia was an obscure plebeian family at ancient Rome. No members of this gens are mentioned in history, but several are known from inscriptions. A family of this name settled at Virunum in Noricum.
The gens Safinia was a minor plebeian family at ancient Rome. Few members of this gens are mentioned in history, but a number are known from inscriptions.
The gens Salvidia was an obscure plebeian family at ancient Rome. No members of this gens attained any of the higher offices of the Roman state, but several are known from inscriptions.
The gens Saturia was an obscure plebeian family of equestrian rank at ancient Rome. Members of this gens are first mentioned in the time of Cicero, and a number of them had distinguished military careers, but none of them attained any of the higher offices of the Roman State.
The gens Seppia was an obscure plebeian family at ancient Rome. Few members of this gens appear in history, but many are known from inscriptions.
The gens Servenia was a minor plebeian family at ancient Rome. No members of this gens are mentioned in ancient writers, but a number are known from inscriptions, dating from the late Republic to the third century. At least some of the Servenii attained senatorial rank under the early Empire. None of them appear to have held the consulship, but Lucius Servenius Cornutus was praetor, and an important provincial governor under the Flavian dynasty.
The gens Iteia or Itia was an obscure plebeian family at ancient Rome. No members of this gens are mentioned by ancient writers, but several are known from inscriptions. Perhaps the most illustrious of the family was Iteius Rufus, legate of Thracia during the reign of Hadrian.
The gens Socellia was an obscure plebeian family at ancient Rome. No members of this gens are mentioned by ancient writers, but several are known from inscriptions.
The gens Staia was an obscure plebeian family at ancient Rome. Few members of this gens are mentioned by ancient writers, but a number are known from inscriptions. The most illustrious of the Staii was Lucius Staius Murcus, governor of Syria in 44 BC, and a military commander of some ability who served under several leading figures of the period.
The gens Strabonia was an obscure plebeian family at ancient Rome. No members of this gens are mentioned by ancient writers, but several are known from inscriptions.
The gens Spellia was an obscure plebeian family at ancient Rome. Few members of this gens appear in history, but several are known from inscriptions. The only Spellius known to have held any magistracy was Publius Spellius Spellianus Sabinus, quaestor in AD 57.
The gens Spedia was an obscure plebeian family at ancient Rome. No members of this gens are mentioned in ancient writers, but many are known from inscriptions, and several were locally important, serving as duumvirs at Antinum in Samnium, Pompeii in Campania, and Sarmizegetusa in Dacia.