The gens Obellia was an obscure
plebeian family at
ancient Rome, known almost entirely from inscriptions.
Origin
The only clue to the origins of the Obellii is an inscription from
Samnium, naming Saluta Obellia, daughter of Ovius. Both Saluta and Ovius are
Oscan names, and several other Obellii are mentioned in inscriptions from Samnium, suggesting that the Obellii were
Samnites, or at least of Oscan origin. The
nomenObellius might be derived from a cognomen Ovillus, from an adjective that means "pertaining to sheep", suggesting that an ancestor of the family was a shepherd. Another possibility is that Obellius could be a variation on the Oscan name Ofilius or Ofellius.[1]
Praenomina
The principal names of the Obelii were Manius and Gaius. Gaius was among the most common of all
praenomina, while Manius was considerably more distinctive, although not actually rare. A number of Obellii used other common praenomina, including Lucius,
Marcus,
Publius,
Quintus,
Sextus, and Titus. There was at least one Spurius Obellius, mentioned in an inscription from
Philippi, and from an Oscan inscription, we know of an Ovius Obellius, and his daughter, Saluta.
Members
This list includes abbreviated
praenomina. For an explanation of this practice, see
filiation.
Gaius Obellius C. f., one of the quattuorviri for carrying out the decrees of the
senate at
Aeclanum in Samnium.[2]
Gaius Obellius M. f., the husband of Mevia Obellia, buried at
Saepinum in Samnium.[3]
Manius Obellius M'. f., named in an inscription from
Praeneste in
Latium.[4]
Manius Obellius, the former master of Manius Obellius Faustus, Manius Obellius Eros, and Obellia Theophila.[5]
Marcus Obellius, named in an inscription from
Pompeii.[6]
Marcus Obellius, named in a list of municipal officials at
Ostia.[7]
Mevia Obellia L. f., the wife of Gaius Obellius, buried at Saepinum.[3]
Saluta Obellia Ovi f., named in an inscription from
Corfinium in Samnium.[8]
Sextus Obellius Sex. f., named in an inscription from
Sassina in
Umbria.[9]
Obellius L. f. Alexander, son of Lucius Obellius Crescens, helped erect a monument for his father.[11]
Obellia C. f. Cantabra, daughter of Gaius Obellius Stephanus, buried at Rome, aged seven.[12]
Obellia Celerina, the daughter of Junia Donata, buried at Ostia.[13]
Manius Obellius M'. l. Chaeria Hermogenes, a freedman, named in an inscription from Rome.[14]
Obellia Cleopatra, erected a monument to her daughter, Obellia Januaria.[15]
Manius Obellius M'. l. Compa, a freedman buried at Rome, with his wife, Salvedia.[16]
Lucius Obellius Crescens, the husband of Julia Eutychia and father of Obellius Alexander and Herculanus, buried at
Scupi in
Moesia Superior, aged seventy.[11]
Manius Obellius M'. l. Eros, freedman of Manius Obellius, named in a funerary inscription from Rome.[5]
Quintus Obellius Evangelus, named in a libationary inscription dedicated to
Fortuna at
Lugdunum.[17]
Manius Obellius Evaristus, named in an inscription from Ostia.[18]
Manius Obellius M'. l. Faustus, freedman of Manius Obellius and his wife, named in a funerary inscription from Rome.[5]
Obellia Felix, the wife of Lucus Castricius Hamillus, and mother of Lucius Castricius Felix, buried at Ostia.[19]
Obellius Firmus, erected a monument to his sister, Accia Moderata, at
Venusia in
Apulia.[20]
Obellia Fortunata, buried at Rome, was the wife of Gaius Julius Magnion.[21]
Manius Obellius M'. l. Fortunatus, a freedman buried at Rome. He was the
client of Manius Obellius Hilarus.[22]
(Obellius) L. f. Herculanus, son of Lucius Obellius Crescens, helped erect a monument for his father.[11]
Manius Obellius M'. l. Hilarus, a freedman buried at Rome. He was the patron of Manius Obellius Fortunatus.[22]
Obellia L. l. Irena, a freedwoman, named in an inscription from Rome.[23]
Obellia Januaria, daughter of Obellia Cleopatra, was buried at Rome, aged twenty-one.[15]
Bengt E. Thomasson, “Iscrizioni del Sepolcreto di via Ostiense” (Inscriptions from Selpulchres of the Via Ostiensis, abbreviated ISOstiense), in Opuscula Romana, vol. I (1954), pp. 125–145.
The gens Obellia was an obscure
plebeian family at
ancient Rome, known almost entirely from inscriptions.
Origin
The only clue to the origins of the Obellii is an inscription from
Samnium, naming Saluta Obellia, daughter of Ovius. Both Saluta and Ovius are
Oscan names, and several other Obellii are mentioned in inscriptions from Samnium, suggesting that the Obellii were
Samnites, or at least of Oscan origin. The
nomenObellius might be derived from a cognomen Ovillus, from an adjective that means "pertaining to sheep", suggesting that an ancestor of the family was a shepherd. Another possibility is that Obellius could be a variation on the Oscan name Ofilius or Ofellius.[1]
Praenomina
The principal names of the Obelii were Manius and Gaius. Gaius was among the most common of all
praenomina, while Manius was considerably more distinctive, although not actually rare. A number of Obellii used other common praenomina, including Lucius,
Marcus,
Publius,
Quintus,
Sextus, and Titus. There was at least one Spurius Obellius, mentioned in an inscription from
Philippi, and from an Oscan inscription, we know of an Ovius Obellius, and his daughter, Saluta.
Members
This list includes abbreviated
praenomina. For an explanation of this practice, see
filiation.
Gaius Obellius C. f., one of the quattuorviri for carrying out the decrees of the
senate at
Aeclanum in Samnium.[2]
Gaius Obellius M. f., the husband of Mevia Obellia, buried at
Saepinum in Samnium.[3]
Manius Obellius M'. f., named in an inscription from
Praeneste in
Latium.[4]
Manius Obellius, the former master of Manius Obellius Faustus, Manius Obellius Eros, and Obellia Theophila.[5]
Marcus Obellius, named in an inscription from
Pompeii.[6]
Marcus Obellius, named in a list of municipal officials at
Ostia.[7]
Mevia Obellia L. f., the wife of Gaius Obellius, buried at Saepinum.[3]
Saluta Obellia Ovi f., named in an inscription from
Corfinium in Samnium.[8]
Sextus Obellius Sex. f., named in an inscription from
Sassina in
Umbria.[9]
Obellius L. f. Alexander, son of Lucius Obellius Crescens, helped erect a monument for his father.[11]
Obellia C. f. Cantabra, daughter of Gaius Obellius Stephanus, buried at Rome, aged seven.[12]
Obellia Celerina, the daughter of Junia Donata, buried at Ostia.[13]
Manius Obellius M'. l. Chaeria Hermogenes, a freedman, named in an inscription from Rome.[14]
Obellia Cleopatra, erected a monument to her daughter, Obellia Januaria.[15]
Manius Obellius M'. l. Compa, a freedman buried at Rome, with his wife, Salvedia.[16]
Lucius Obellius Crescens, the husband of Julia Eutychia and father of Obellius Alexander and Herculanus, buried at
Scupi in
Moesia Superior, aged seventy.[11]
Manius Obellius M'. l. Eros, freedman of Manius Obellius, named in a funerary inscription from Rome.[5]
Quintus Obellius Evangelus, named in a libationary inscription dedicated to
Fortuna at
Lugdunum.[17]
Manius Obellius Evaristus, named in an inscription from Ostia.[18]
Manius Obellius M'. l. Faustus, freedman of Manius Obellius and his wife, named in a funerary inscription from Rome.[5]
Obellia Felix, the wife of Lucus Castricius Hamillus, and mother of Lucius Castricius Felix, buried at Ostia.[19]
Obellius Firmus, erected a monument to his sister, Accia Moderata, at
Venusia in
Apulia.[20]
Obellia Fortunata, buried at Rome, was the wife of Gaius Julius Magnion.[21]
Manius Obellius M'. l. Fortunatus, a freedman buried at Rome. He was the
client of Manius Obellius Hilarus.[22]
(Obellius) L. f. Herculanus, son of Lucius Obellius Crescens, helped erect a monument for his father.[11]
Manius Obellius M'. l. Hilarus, a freedman buried at Rome. He was the patron of Manius Obellius Fortunatus.[22]
Obellia L. l. Irena, a freedwoman, named in an inscription from Rome.[23]
Obellia Januaria, daughter of Obellia Cleopatra, was buried at Rome, aged twenty-one.[15]
Bengt E. Thomasson, “Iscrizioni del Sepolcreto di via Ostiense” (Inscriptions from Selpulchres of the Via Ostiensis, abbreviated ISOstiense), in Opuscula Romana, vol. I (1954), pp. 125–145.