Rusticelia gens

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The gens Rusticelia, occasionally spelled Rusticellia, was an obscure plebeian family at ancient Rome. Hardly any members of this gens are mentioned in ancient writers, but a number are known from inscriptions.

The plebs were, in ancient Rome, the general body of free Roman citizens who were not patricians, as determined by the census. The precise origins of the group and the term are unclear, though it may be that they began as a limited political movement in opposition to the elite (patricians) which became more widely applied.

Ancient Rome History of Rome from the 8th-century BC to the 5th-century

In historiography, ancient Rome is Roman civilization from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD, encompassing the Roman Kingdom, Roman Republic and Roman Empire until the fall of the western empire. The civilization began as an Italic settlement in the Italian peninsula, dating from the 8th century BC, that grew into the city of Rome and which subsequently gave its name to the empire over which it ruled and to the widespread civilisation the empire developed. The Roman empire expanded to become one of the largest empires in the ancient world, though still ruled from the city, with an estimated 50 to 90 million inhabitants and covering 5.0 million square kilometres at its height in AD 117.

In ancient Rome, a gens, plural gentes, was a family consisting of all those individuals who shared the same nomen and claimed descent from a common ancestor. A branch of a gens was called a stirps. The gens was an important social structure at Rome and throughout Italy during the period of the Roman Republic. Much of an individual's social standing depended on the gens to which he belonged. Certain gentes were considered patrician, others plebeian, while some had both patrician and plebeian branches. The importance of membership in a gens declined considerably in imperial times.

Contents

Origin

The nomen Rusticelius belongs to a class of gentilicia formed from cognomina ending in the diminutive suffixes -illus and -ellus. It appears to be derived from rusticellus, clownish, probably a diminutive of rusticus, rural or unsophisticated, rustic. [1] [2]

A cognomen was the third name of a citizen of ancient Rome, under Roman naming conventions. Initially, it was a nickname, but lost that purpose when it became hereditary. Hereditary cognomina were used to augment the second name in order to identify a particular branch within a family or family within a clan. The term has also taken on other contemporary meanings.

Praenomina

The chief praenomina of the Rusticelii were Gaius , Lucius , Aulus , and Quintus , all of which were very common throughout Roman history. Other praenomina are found infrequently, including Marcus and Publius , otherwise common names.

The praenomen was a personal name chosen by the parents of a Roman child. It was first bestowed on the dies lustricus, the eighth day after the birth of a girl, or the ninth day after the birth of a boy. The praenomen would then be formally conferred a second time when girls married, or when boys assumed the toga virilis upon reaching manhood. Although it was the oldest of the tria nomina commonly used in Roman naming conventions, by the late republic, most praenomina were so common that most people were called by their praenomina only by family or close friends. For this reason, although they continued to be used, praenomina gradually disappeared from public records during imperial times. Although both men and women received praenomina, women's praenomina were frequently ignored, and they were gradually abandoned by many Roman families, though they continued to be used in some families and in the countryside.

Gaius['ɡa.jus] is a Latin praenomen, or personal name, which was one of the most common names throughout Roman history. The feminine form is Gaia. The praenomen was used by both patrician and plebeian families, and gave rise to the patronymic gens Gavia. The name was regularly abbreviated C., based on the original spelling of Caius, which dates from the period before the letters "C" and "G" were differentiated.

Lucius is a Latin praenomen, or personal name, which was one of the most common names throughout Roman history. The feminine form is Lucia. The praenomen was used by both patrician and plebeian families, and gave rise to the patronymic gentes Lucia and Lucilia, as well as the cognomenLucullus. It was regularly abbreviated L.

Branches and cognomina

The Rusticelii bore a variety of surnames in imperial times, most of which seem to have been personal cognomina. A number of Rusticelii lived at Ostia, Rome's ancient seaport, where several of them bore the surname Felix, fortunate or happy. [3] [4]

Roman Empire period of Imperial Rome following the Roman Republic (27 BC–395 AD)

The Roman Empire was the post-Roman Republic period of the ancient Roman civilization. It had a government headed by emperors and large territorial holdings around the Mediterranean Sea in Europe, North Africa, and West Asia. From the constitutional reforms of Augustus to the crisis of the third century, the Empire was a principate ruled from the city of Rome. The Roman Empire was then divided between a Western Roman Empire, based in Milan and later Ravenna, and an Eastern Roman Empire, based in Nicomedia and later Constantinople, and it was ruled by multiple emperors.

Ostia Antica human settlement

Ostia Antica is a large archaeological site, close to the modern town of Ostia, that is the location of the harbour city of ancient Rome, 15 miles southwest of Rome. "Ostia" is a derivation of "os", the Latin word for "mouth". At the mouth of the River Tiber, Ostia was Rome's seaport, but due to silting the site now lies 3 kilometres from the sea. The site is noted for the excellent preservation of its ancient buildings, magnificent frescoes and impressive mosaics.

Members

This list includes abbreviated praenomina. For an explanation of this practice, see filiation.
  • Rusticelia, built a tomb at Rome for her son. [5]
  • Rusticelia, buried at Gurulis Nova in Sardinia, with a tomb dedicated by Pamphilus. [6]
  • Rusticelius, a donor to the cult of Vulcan at Ostia in Latium, in the late second century AD. [7]
  • Gaius Rusticelius, [lower-roman 1] a native of Bononia, was praised by Cicero as an experienced and voluble orator from among the allies. [8]
  • Lucius Rusticelius C. f., buried in a family sepulchre at Rome. [9]
  • Marcus Rusticelius C. f., buried in a family sepulchre at Rome. [9]
  • Quintus Rusticelius, named in an inscription from the present site of Riola Sardo in Sardinia. [10]
  • Quintus Rusticelius, a soldier serving in the century of Quintus Vitulus, buried at Cirta in Numidia. [11]
  • Quintus Rusticelius C. f., buried in a family sepulchre at Rome. [9]
  • Quintus Rusticelius Amerymnus, named in a series of inscriptions from Etruria and Umbria. [12]
  • Lucius Rusticelius Anoptes, a freedman buried at Rome in the late first or early second century, together with Rusticelia Tertia. [13]
  • Aulus Rusticelius Aptus, buried in a family sepulchre at Rome. [14]
  • Lucius Rusticelius Asellarius, buried at Castellum Celtianum in Numidia, aged forty-one. [15]
  • Gaius Rusticelius Athenio, dedicated a tomb at Rome for his client, Rusticelia Lemnias. [16]
  • Rusticelius Atticus, a member of one of the artisanal guilds at Rome early in the fourth century. [17]
  • Gaius Rusticelius Avitianus, buried at Madaurus in Africa Proconsularis, aged forty. [18]
  • Lucius Rusticelius Celer, one of the duumviri jure dicundo at Pompeii in Campania. [19]
  • Aulus Rusticelius A. l. Cinna, a freedman buried in a family sepulchre at Rome. [14]
  • Rusticelius Clementianus, flamen at Madaurus. [20]
  • Lucius Rusticelius Communis, buried at Rome in a tomb built by his mother, Mammia Liccaea. [21]
  • Lucius Rusticelius Cosmus, aedile in an uncertain year between 40 and 20 BC, made an offering to Neptune at Tarentum in Calabria. [22]
  • Rusticelius C. f. Crispus, son of Gaius Rusticelius Crispus and Clodia Herais, buried in the family sepulchre built by his father at Ostia, dating to the late second or early third century. [23]
  • Gaius Rusticelius Crispus, a freedman, built a tomb at Ostia for himself, his wife, Clodia Herais, his son, Rusticelius Crispus, and Gaius Rusticelius Felix, dating to the late second or early third century. [23]
  • Rusticelia M. l. Cytheris, a freedwoman named in a funerary inscription from Rome, dating to AD 10. [24]
  • Lucius Rusticelius Dolabella, a rhetorician buried at Rome, aged twenty-six years and six months, leaving a daughter, Rusticelia Selene, and a son, Zosimus Rusticelianus, a slave belonging to the imperial household. Publius Aelius Strato, a freedman of the emperor, paid for his tomb. [25]
  • Aulus Rusticelius Dorus, buried in a family sepulchre at Rome. [14]
  • Rusticelia Eromene, buried in a family sepulchre at Rome. [14]
  • Aulus Rusticelius Eros, a freedman buried at Casilinum in Campania, together with Rusticelia Euhemera. [26]
  • Quintus Rusticelius Q. l. Eros, a freedman buried at Rome with his son, Quintus Rusticelius Paratus. [27]
  • Rusticelia A. l. Euhemera, a freedwoman buried at Casilinum, together with Aulus Rusticelius Eros. [26]
  • Gaius Rusticelius Euhemerus, dedicated a tomb at Rome for his friend, Clymenus. [28]
  • Gaius Rusticelius Faustus, built a tomb at Rome for himself and his son, Gaius Rusticelius Minervius. [29]
  • Rusticelius Felix, buried at Carales in Sardinia, aged fifty. [30]
  • Rusticelius Felix, named in an inscription from Ostia in Latium, dating to AD 198. [31]
  • Gaius Rusticelius Felix, named in an inscription from Ostia. [32]
  • Gaius Rusticelius Felix, buried at Ostia, in a tomb built by Gaius Rusticelius Crispus. [23]
  • Gaius Rusticelius Felix, [lower-roman 2] a native of Africa, was a maker of figurines. He was buried at Rome, aged fifty, with a tomb dedicated by Oppia. [33] [34] [35] [36]
  • Rusticelius Fortunatus, named in an inscription from Pompeii. [37]
  • Rusticelia Gemella, buried at Rome, aged nineteen. [38]
  • Aulus Rusticelius Hilarus, buried in a family sepulchre at Rome. [14]
  • Quintus Rusticelius C. f. Honoratus, buried at Madaurus, aged thirty-six years, four months. [39]
  • Lucius Rusticelius Hospes, buried at Castellum Celtianum, aged sixty. [40]
  • Gaius Rusticelius Ingenuus, made an offering to Saturn at Carthage in Africa Proconsularis. [41]
  • Rusticelia Lemnias, buried at Rome, aged twenty-five, with a tomb dedicated by her patron, Gaius Rusticelius Athenio. [16]
  • Aulus Rusticelius Martialis, buried in a family sepulchre at Rome. [14]
  • Gaius Rusticelius C. f. Minervius, buried at Rome, in a tomb built by his father, Gaius Rusticelius Faustus. [29]
  • Rusticelia Namphadora, a girl buried at Madaurus, age ten. [42]
  • Rusticelia Octavianilla, buried at Ammaedara in Africa Proconsularis, aged twenty-eight years, eight days, with a tomb built by her husband, Julius Pallans. [43]
  • Aulus Rusticelius Paratus, buried in a family sepulchre at Rome. [14]
  • Aulus Rusticelius Paratus, buried at Rome, aged thirty, with a monument from his parents. [44]
  • Quintus Rusticelius Q. l. Paratus, a freedman, buried at Rome with his father, Quintus Rusticelius Eros. [27]
  • Lucius Rusticelius Philomusus, buried at Tibur in Latium, with a tomb dedicated by his wife, Rusticelia Triumphalis. [45]
  • Rusticelia Plaste, buried in a family sepulchre at Rome. [14]
  • Gaius Rusticelius Primitivus, a member of the shipwrights' guild at Ostia in AD 152. [46]
  • Gaius Rusticelius Proculus, a priest at Ammaedara, who together with his wife, Faonia Doniatula, made a libationary offering to the imperial family at the beginning of the third century AD. [47]
  • Rusticelia Ɔ. l. Rufa, a freedwoman, perhaps the wife of Lucius Plautius Scurra, and mother of Lucius Plautius and Plautia Tertia, whose names appear on the monument of their father at Signia in Latium, dating to the middle of the first century BC. [48]
  • Publius Rusticelius Saltator, dedicated a monument to Hercules at Tibur. [49]
  • Lucius Rusticelius Secundus, one of the Seviri Augustales and a decurion at Comum. [50]
  • Rusticelia L. f. Selene, the daughter of Lucius Rusticelius Dolabella, an orator buried at Rome. [25]
  • Rusticelia Sterceia, buried at Madaurus, aged fourteen, together with her mother, Claudia Valeria, aged forty. [51]
  • Rusticelia Tertia, a freedwoman buried at Rome in the late first or early second century, together with Lucius Rusticelius Anoptes. [13]
  • Marcus Rusticelius Tertius, gave pots made by Gaius Vettius Philomusus to Maetennia Europa and Lucius Vibius Gordia at Rome. [52]
  • Rusticelia Tertulla, buried at Madaurus, aged twenty-one. [53]
  • Rusticelia Triumphalis, dedicated a tomb at Tibur for her husband, Lucius Rusticelius Philomusus. [45]
  • Rusticelia Ɔ. l. Tryphera, a freedwoman buried at Rome. [54]
Cuglieri Comune in Sardinia, Italy

Cuglieri is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Oristano in the Italian region Sardinia, located about 120 kilometres (75 mi) northwest of Cagliari and about 42 kilometres (26 mi) north of Oristano.

Vulcan (mythology) Ancient Roman god of fire, volcanoes, and metalworking

Vulcan is the god of fire including the fire of volcanoes, metalworking, and the forge in ancient Roman religion and myth. Vulcan is often depicted with a blacksmith's hammer. The Vulcanalia was the annual festival held August 23 in his honor. His Greek counterpart is Hephaestus, the god of fire and smithery. In Etruscan religion, he is identified with Sethlans.

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Rusticellus in some manuscripts.
  2. ↑ Tudicellius in Gruter.

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Chase, p. 124.
  2. ↑ New College Latin & English Dictionary, s. v. rusticus.
  3. ↑ Chase, p. 111.
  4. ↑ New College Latin & English Dictionary, s. v. felix.
  5. ↑ CIL VI, 25616.
  6. ↑ CIL X, 8056,247.
  7. ↑ AE 1989, 125.
  8. ↑ Cicero, Brutus, 46. s. 169.
  9. 1 2 3 CIL VI, 11534.
  10. ↑ AE 2001, 1115.
  11. ↑ CIL VIII, 7082.
  12. ↑ CIL XI, 6689,206a, CIL XI, 6689,206b, CIL XI, 6689,206c.
  13. 1 2 AE 2001, 430.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 CIL VI, 21941.
  15. ↑ ILAlg, ii. 1, 3174.
  16. 1 2 CIL VI, 25620.
  17. ↑ CIL VI, 33856.
  18. ↑ ILAlg, i. 2675.
  19. ↑ CIL IV, 3572.
  20. ↑ ILAlg, i. 2133.
  21. ↑ CIL VI, 38593.
  22. ↑ CIL I, 3168.
  23. 1 2 3 ZPE, 81, 238.
  24. ↑ CIL VI, 25617.
  25. 1 2 AE 2001, 583.
  26. 1 2 CIL X, 497.
  27. 1 2 CIL VI, 38843.
  28. ↑ CIL VI, 15878.
  29. 1 2 CIL VI, 25615.
  30. ↑ CIL X, 7597.
  31. ↑ CIL XIV, 4569.
  32. ↑ CIL XIV, 263.
  33. ↑ CIL VI, 9895.
  34. ↑ Fabretti, Inscriptionum Antiquarum, p. 243, No. 669.
  35. ↑ Gruter, Inscriptiones Antiquae Totius Orbis Romani, p. mxxxv. No. 3.
  36. ↑ Orelli, Inscriptionum Latinarum Selectarum, No. 4279.
  37. ↑ AE 2000, 309.
  38. ↑ CIL VI, 25619.
  39. ↑ ILAlg, i. 2676.
  40. ↑ ILAlg, ii. 1, 3175.
  41. ↑ AE 2011, 1686.
  42. ↑ ILAlg, i. 2677.
  43. ↑ ILAfr, 162, 36.
  44. ↑ CIL VI, 6932.
  45. 1 2 CIL XIV, 3835.
  46. ↑ CIL XIV, 250.
  47. ↑ AE 1992, 1770.
  48. ↑ ZPE, 199, 120.
  49. ↑ CIL XIV, 3547.
  50. ↑ CIL V, 5257.
  51. ↑ ILAlg, i. 2378.
  52. ↑ CIL VI, 37700.
  53. ↑ CIL VIII, 4751.
  54. ↑ CIL VI, 25621.

Bibliography

Cicero 1st-century BC Roman philosopher and statesman

Marcus Tullius Cicero was a Roman statesman, orator, lawyer and philosopher, who served as consul in the year 63 BC. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the Roman equestrian order, and is considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.

Cicero's Brutus is a history of Roman oratory. It is written in the form of a dialogue, in which Brutus and Atticus ask Cicero to describe the qualities of all the leading Roman orators up to their time. Cicero then attempts to propose a reconstruction of Roman history. Although it is written in the form of a dialogue, the majority of the talking is done by Cicero with occasional intervention by Brutus and Atticus. The work was probably composed in 46 BC, with the purpose of defending Cicero's own oratory. He begins with an introductory section on Greek oratory of the Attic, Asianic, and Rhodian schools, before discussing Roman orators, beginning with Lucius Junius Brutus, "The Liberator", though becoming more specific from the time of Marcus Cornelius Cethegus.

Jan Gruter Flamish academic

Jan Gruter or Gruytère, Latinized as Janus Gruterus, was a Flemish-born philologist, scholar, and librarian.

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