Rutilia gens

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The gens Rutilia was a plebeian family at ancient Rome. Members of this gens appear in history beginning in the second century BC. The first to obtain the consulship was Publius Rutilius Rufus in 105 BC. [1]

Contents

Origin

The nomen Rutilius is derived from the Latin cognomen Rutilus, red or reddish, which was probably borne by an ancestor of the family who had red hair. The nomen belongs to a large class of gentilicia derived from other names using the suffix -ilius. [2]

Praenomina

The Rutilii used relatively few praenomina, chiefly Publius , Lucius , Marcus , and Gaius , all of which were among the most common names throughout Roman history. The only other praenomen found under the Republic was Quintus , known from Quintus Rutilius, quaestor in 44 BC.

Branches and cognomina

The Rutilii of the Republic bore the cognomina Calvus, Lupus and Rufus. In addition to these, the coins of the Rutilii include the surname Flaccus , which does not occur in literary sources. Other cognomina occur in the imperial times. A number of Rutilii bore no surname. [1] Rufus, red, was typically given to someone with red hair, and this choice of cognomen may have been influenced by the fact that the nomen Rutilius has the same meaning. [3] Another of the surnames of the Rutilii, Calvus, indicated someone bald, while Lupus, a wolf, belongs to a common type of cognomen derived from familiar objects and animals. [3] [4] [5] Flaccus indicated someone flabby, or with floppy ears. [3] [6]

Members

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

Rutilii Rufi

Rutilii Lupi

Others

See also

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References

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  3. 1 2 3 Chase, pp. 109, 110.
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Bibliography