Gegania gens

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

The gens Gegania was an old patrician family at ancient Rome, which was prominent from the earliest period of the Republic to the middle of the fourth century BC. The first of this gens to obtain the consulship was Titus Geganius Macerinus in 492 BC. The gens fell into obscurity even before the Samnite Wars, and is not mentioned again by Roman historians until the final century of the Republic.[1]

Origin

The Geganii claimed to be descended from

Vestal Virgins, appointed by Numa Pompilius.[5] Elsewhere, Plutarch describes a Gegania who was the wife of Servius Tullius,[6] although Dionysius makes her the wife of Lucius Tarquinius Priscus.[7] A third Gegania is mentioned by Plutarch during the time of Lucius Tarquinius Superbus.[8]

Praenomina

The Geganii mentioned in history bore the common

praenomina Lucius, Marcus, and Titus, with one example of the rare praenomen Proculus. Those found in inscriptions mostly bore the names Lucius, Sextus, and Marcus, although other praenomina are occasionally found, including Aulus, Publius, and Quintus. As the inscription naming the priest Clesipus Geganius cannot be securely dated, it is unclear what sort of name "Clesipus" is, although it may be a cognomen being used in place of a praenomen, or an instance of the sort of polyonymous nomenclature that was typical of Imperial times.[9]

Branches and cognomina

The only family of the Geganii during the early Republic bore the cognomen Macerinus, a diminutive of Macer, meaning "lean" or "skinny".[1][10] Epigraphic sources mention a number of Geganii living under the early Empire, bearing a variety of surnames, but there is no evidence of how they were related to their Republican forebears.

Members

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

Undated Geganii

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. II, p. 233 ("Gegania Gens").
  2. ^ Servius, Ad Virgilii Aeneidem, v. 117.
  3. ^ Livy, i. 30.
  4. ^ Dionysius, iii. 29.
  5. ^ Plutarch, "The Life of Numa", 10.
  6. ^ Plutarch, De Fortuna Romanorum, p. 323.
  7. ^ Dionysius, iv. 7.
  8. ^ Plutarch, Comparison of Lycurgus and Numa, 3.
  9. ^ See Salomies, "Addenda".
  10. ^ Chase, pp. 109, 110.
  11. ^ Plutarch, "The Life of Numa", 10.
  12. ^ Plutarch, De Fortuna Romanorum, p. 323.
  13. ^ Dionysius, iv. 7.
  14. ^ Plutarch, "Comparison of Lycurgus and Numa", 3.
  15. ^ Livy, ii. 34.
  16. ^ a b Dionysius, vii. 1.
  17. ^ Orosius, ii. 5.
  18. ^ a b Broughton, vol. I, pp. 16, 17.
  19. ^ Livy, iii. 65, iv. 8–10, 17, 22, 24, ix. 33, 34.
  20. ^ Dionysius, xi. 51, 63.
  21. ^ Diodorus Siculus, xii. 29, 33, 43.
  22. ^ Zonaras, vii. 19.
  23. ^ Broughton, vol. I, pp. 50, 51 (and note 1), 53, 58.
  24. ^ Livy, iv. 12.
  25. ^ Diodorus Siculus, xii. 36.
  26. ^ Broughton, vol. I, p. 55.
  27. ^ Livy, vi. 31.
  28. ^ Diodorus Siculus, xv. 57.
  29. ^ Broughton, vol. I, p. 107.
  30. ^ Livy, vi. 42.
  31. ^ Broughton, vol. I, p. 113.
  32. ^ Orosius, v. 17.
  33. ^ CIL XI, 2979.
  34. ^ CIL VI, 4573.
  35. ^ AE 2004, 211.
  36. ^ AE 1978, 80.
  37. ^ AE 1930, 119.
  38. ^ CIL IV, 8424c.
  39. ^ CIL VI, 18946.
  40. ^ NSA, 1916–303.
  41. ^ CIL IV, 10196f.
  42. ^ CIL IV, 8521.
  43. ^ CIL VI, 5393.
  44. ^ CIL VI, 5767.
  45. ^ CIL XI, 6225.
  46. ^ CIL VI, 18952.
  47. ^ CIL XI, 6420.
  48. ^ a b CIL VI, 18950.
  49. ^ a b CIL VI, 18948.
  50. ^ a b CIL XIV, 3347.
  51. ^ AE 2008, 1742.
  52. ^ CIL XIV, 2953.
  53. ^ CIL X, 6488.
  54. ^ CIL X, 8043,060.
  55. ^ NSA, 1919–280.
  56. ^ a b c CIL VI, 18951.
  57. ^ CIL VI, 18953.
  58. ^ CIL VI, 18947.
  59. ^ CIL XV, 2291.
  60. ^ CIL VI, 18954.
  61. ^ CIL VI, 20299.
  62. ^ CIL VI, 18949.
  63. ^ CIL XII, 4840.

Bibliography