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.
Origin
The root of the
nomenOpsius 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
praenomenOpiter, 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]
Praenomina
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.
Members
This list includes abbreviated
praenomina. For an explanation of this practice, see
filiation.
Marcus Opsius, a former praetor, was one of those who encouraged Titius Sabinus to denounce the government of
Tiberius in AD 28, so that they could betray Sabinus to
Sejanus, and win political favour for themselves.[3] He might be the same person as Fannianus.[4]
Wilhelm Henzen, Ephemeris Epigraphica: Corporis Inscriptionum Latinarum Supplementum (Journal of Inscriptions: Supplement to the Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum, abbreviated EE), Institute of Roman Archaeology, Rome (1872–1913).
Ettore Pais, Corporis inscriptionum Latinarum supplementa Italica (Italian Supplement to the Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum), Rome (1884).
René Cagnat et alii, L'Année épigraphique (The Year in Epigraphy, abbreviated AE), Presses Universitaires de France (1888–present).
George Davis Chase, "The Origin of Roman Praenomina", in Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, vol. VIII (1897).
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.
Origin
The root of the
nomenOpsius 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
praenomenOpiter, 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]
Praenomina
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.
Members
This list includes abbreviated
praenomina. For an explanation of this practice, see
filiation.
Marcus Opsius, a former praetor, was one of those who encouraged Titius Sabinus to denounce the government of
Tiberius in AD 28, so that they could betray Sabinus to
Sejanus, and win political favour for themselves.[3] He might be the same person as Fannianus.[4]
Wilhelm Henzen, Ephemeris Epigraphica: Corporis Inscriptionum Latinarum Supplementum (Journal of Inscriptions: Supplement to the Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum, abbreviated EE), Institute of Roman Archaeology, Rome (1872–1913).
Ettore Pais, Corporis inscriptionum Latinarum supplementa Italica (Italian Supplement to the Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum), Rome (1884).
René Cagnat et alii, L'Année épigraphique (The Year in Epigraphy, abbreviated AE), Presses Universitaires de France (1888–present).
George Davis Chase, "The Origin of Roman Praenomina", in Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, vol. VIII (1897).