Ragonia gens

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The gens Ragonia was a plebeian family at ancient Rome. Members of this gens are first mentioned in the early decades of the Empire, but they did not become prominent until the time of Commodus, in the late second century, from which period several of them attained positions of high distinction in the Roman state. [1] [2]

Contents

Origin

The nomen Ragonius belongs to a class of gentilicia formed using the suffix -onius, typically of plebeian origin, and frequently of Oscan ancestry. Such names were originally formed from cognomina ending in -o, but once they became common, -onius came to be regarded as a regular gentile-forming suffix, and was used in cases where it had no morphological justification. [3]

The origin of Ragonius is obscure, but Chase suggests a possible etymological relationship to raga, a variation of braca, a harness, or, in the plural, breeches. [3] [4] The occurrence of the Etruscan gentilicia Urinatius and Larcius, and the Latin Tuscenius in the nomenclature of two of the earlier Ragonii might point to an Etruscan origin, but given the period at which they appear, in all probability they refer to ancestors of this family in the female line. [5]

Branches and cognomina

The Ragonii used a variety of common surnames, including Celer, swift, Celsus, tall, Clarus, bright or famous, and Priscus, elder. The only distinct family of this gens passed down the surnames Quintianus and Venustus for several generations; Quintianus was probably an old agnomen, originally belonging to someone who was adopted out of the gens Quinctia, while Venustus, which entered the family through the female line, was applied to someone charming or attractive. [6]

Members

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

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. III, p. 640 ("Ragonius").
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 PIR, vol. III, pp. 124, 125.
  3. 1 2 Chase, pp. 118, 119.
  4. ↑ New College Latin & English Dictionary, s. v. braca.
  5. ↑ Salomies, Adoptive and Polyonymous Nomenclature in the Roman Empire.
  6. ↑ New College Latin & English Dictionary, s. v. celer, celsus, clarus, priscus, venustus.
  7. ↑ CIL V, 1968, CIL V, 1969, CIL V, 2112, CIL VI, 1502, CIL VI, 1503, CIL VI, 1504, CIL VI, 1505.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Loriot, "Les consuls ordinaires", p. 258.
  9. ↑ Spartianus, "The Life of Pescennius Niger", 3.
  10. ↑ CIL VI, 1057.
  11. ↑ CIL VI, 41196
  12. ↑ Trebellius Pollio, "The Thirty Tyrants", 18.
  13. ↑ CIL X, 3698
  14. ↑ CIL VI, 1759, CIL XIV, 138, CIL XIV, 139, CIL XIV, 173.
  15. ↑ CIL VI, 503

Bibliography

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