The gens Orfia was a minor
plebeian family at
Rome. Few members of this
gens are mentioned by ancient writers, but others are known from inscriptions. The best-known may be Marcus Orfius, a
military tribune who served under the command of
Caesar.[1]
Origin
Chase regards the
nomenOrfius as the
Oscan cognate of the Latin name Orbius, which is derived from the
cognomenOrbus, meaning a waif or orphan. He suggests Orfa as the Oscan equivalent of Orbus.[2][3] An Oscan origin for the family would seem to be supported by the fact that Marcus Orfius was a native of
Atella in
Campania.[4] The same root would seem to have given rise to the surname Orfitus, found in a number of families, notably the
Salvidieni and
Cornelii, in
imperial times, and to the nomen Orfidius, formed either directly from the cognomen, or perhaps from Orfius using the suffix -idius, sometimes used to form new gentilicia from existing names.[5][6]
Praenomina
Most of the Orfii used only the most common
praenomina, including Gaius,
Lucius, and Marcus. There are a few instances of other common praenomina, including Titus, Quintus, and Gnaeus, as well as one instance of Vibius, an much less common name, frequently associated with families of
Sabine or Oscan origin.
Members
This list includes abbreviated
praenomina. For an explanation of this practice, see
filiation.
Marcus Orfius, an
eques from Atella, was a military tribune in Caesar's army, probably during the latter's
consulship in 59 BC.
Cicero had a high opinion of him, and recommended him to his brother,
Quintus, who was serving as one of Caesar's
legates.[4][1]
Marcus Orfius M. f. M. n. Rufus, a triumvir monetalisauro argento aere flando feriundo[i] during the early years of the empire.[7][8]
Orfia, a girl buried at
Nemausus in
Gallia Narbonensis, aged eleven. Her slaves Attius and Numeria dedicated a monument to her.[9]
Orfius Cn. f., a speculator[ii] buried at
Forum Sempronii in
Umbria, aged thirty-five, having served fourteen years.[10]
Orfia M. f. Fortunata, wife of Lucius Nonius Rogatianus Honoratianus,
flamen at Musti during the reign of
Macrinus and
Diadumenianus, and the mother of Nonius Orfianus and Nonius Fortunatus. The entire family is named in an inscription concerning the donation of some fifteen thousand
sestertii.[18]
Orfius Hermes, the grandfather of Orfia Priscilla.[19]
Orfia Lucretia, buried at the present site of El Ust, then in Africa Proconsularis, aged thirty.[20]
Gaius Orfius L. f. Luscinus,
prefect and
duumvir jure dicundo of a town located at the present site of El Ust, named in an inscription dating to AD 186.[21]
Lucius Orfius Maximinus, named in a list of the dendrophori[iii] under the supervision of the
Quindecimviri sacris faciundis at
Cumae. From his name, he might be the son of Lucius Orfius Maximus, also listed among the dendrophori.[22][23]
Lucius Orfius Maximus, one of the dendrophori at Cumae, and perhaps the father of Lucius Orfius Maximinus.[22]
Gaius Orfius Paederos, a freed child, buried at Rome, aged six.[24]
Lucius Orfius Papias, dedicated a monument at Rome to his son, Lucius.[25]
Orfia Phryne, a freedwoman buried at
Abella in Campania.[26]
Orfia C. f. Priscilla, donated six thousand sestertii to a school at
Ostra in
Umbria, in memory of her father, Gaius Orfius Severus, and grandfather, Orfius Hermes.[19]
Gaius Orfius C. f. Quietus, buried at Musti, aged fifty years, five months.[27]
Gaius Orfius Severus, the son of Orfius Hermes and father of Orfia Priscilla.[19]
Lucius Orfius C. f. Severus, buried at
Tarquinii, aged twenty-two.[28]
Orfia Statia, the wife of Helius,[iv] buried at
Mactaris in Africa Proconsularis, aged twenty.[29]
Titus Orfius T. l. Thyrsus, a freedman buried at Rome, together with his wife, Orfia Daphne, and daughter, Orfia Anthusa.[14]
Gaius Orfius M. f. Urbanianus, a soldier
third legion, buried at Musti.[31]
Orfia Vitalis, buried at
Puteoli in Campania, aged twenty.[32]
Orfia Vitilla, the mother of Domitia Juliana, named in a funerary inscription from the present site of Gaureni, then in
Moesia Inferior.[33]
Footnotes
^Abbreviated AAAFF, this inscription often found on coins signifies that the triumvir was authorized by the
senate to mint coins in gold, silver, and bronze.
^A scout in military service, sometimes appointed to the security detail of Imperial magistrates.
^A religious college of carpenters in the service of the
Magna Mater. Among their duties was the carrying of the "sacred tree", originally given to the shipbuilders of
Troy, hence the name dendrophori, "tree bearers".
^According to the inscription, Orfia and Helius were contubernales, indicating that at least one of them was a slave.
D.P. Simpson, Cassell's Latin and English Dictionary, Macmillan Publishing Company, New York (1963).
Azedine Beschaouch, "Mustitana: Recueil des nouvelles inscriptions de Mustis, cité romaine de Tunisie" (A New Collection of Inscriptions from Mustis, a Roman City in Tunisia, abbreviated "IMustis"), in Karthago, vol. XIV, pp. 121–224, Paris (1968).
Rosanna Friggeri and Carla Pelli, "Vivo e Morto nelle iscrizioni di Roma" (The Living and the Dead in the Inscriptions of Rome, abbreviated "Vivo"), in Miscellanea, pp. 95–172, Rome (1980).
The gens Orfia was a minor
plebeian family at
Rome. Few members of this
gens are mentioned by ancient writers, but others are known from inscriptions. The best-known may be Marcus Orfius, a
military tribune who served under the command of
Caesar.[1]
Origin
Chase regards the
nomenOrfius as the
Oscan cognate of the Latin name Orbius, which is derived from the
cognomenOrbus, meaning a waif or orphan. He suggests Orfa as the Oscan equivalent of Orbus.[2][3] An Oscan origin for the family would seem to be supported by the fact that Marcus Orfius was a native of
Atella in
Campania.[4] The same root would seem to have given rise to the surname Orfitus, found in a number of families, notably the
Salvidieni and
Cornelii, in
imperial times, and to the nomen Orfidius, formed either directly from the cognomen, or perhaps from Orfius using the suffix -idius, sometimes used to form new gentilicia from existing names.[5][6]
Praenomina
Most of the Orfii used only the most common
praenomina, including Gaius,
Lucius, and Marcus. There are a few instances of other common praenomina, including Titus, Quintus, and Gnaeus, as well as one instance of Vibius, an much less common name, frequently associated with families of
Sabine or Oscan origin.
Members
This list includes abbreviated
praenomina. For an explanation of this practice, see
filiation.
Marcus Orfius, an
eques from Atella, was a military tribune in Caesar's army, probably during the latter's
consulship in 59 BC.
Cicero had a high opinion of him, and recommended him to his brother,
Quintus, who was serving as one of Caesar's
legates.[4][1]
Marcus Orfius M. f. M. n. Rufus, a triumvir monetalisauro argento aere flando feriundo[i] during the early years of the empire.[7][8]
Orfia, a girl buried at
Nemausus in
Gallia Narbonensis, aged eleven. Her slaves Attius and Numeria dedicated a monument to her.[9]
Orfius Cn. f., a speculator[ii] buried at
Forum Sempronii in
Umbria, aged thirty-five, having served fourteen years.[10]
Orfia M. f. Fortunata, wife of Lucius Nonius Rogatianus Honoratianus,
flamen at Musti during the reign of
Macrinus and
Diadumenianus, and the mother of Nonius Orfianus and Nonius Fortunatus. The entire family is named in an inscription concerning the donation of some fifteen thousand
sestertii.[18]
Orfius Hermes, the grandfather of Orfia Priscilla.[19]
Orfia Lucretia, buried at the present site of El Ust, then in Africa Proconsularis, aged thirty.[20]
Gaius Orfius L. f. Luscinus,
prefect and
duumvir jure dicundo of a town located at the present site of El Ust, named in an inscription dating to AD 186.[21]
Lucius Orfius Maximinus, named in a list of the dendrophori[iii] under the supervision of the
Quindecimviri sacris faciundis at
Cumae. From his name, he might be the son of Lucius Orfius Maximus, also listed among the dendrophori.[22][23]
Lucius Orfius Maximus, one of the dendrophori at Cumae, and perhaps the father of Lucius Orfius Maximinus.[22]
Gaius Orfius Paederos, a freed child, buried at Rome, aged six.[24]
Lucius Orfius Papias, dedicated a monument at Rome to his son, Lucius.[25]
Orfia Phryne, a freedwoman buried at
Abella in Campania.[26]
Orfia C. f. Priscilla, donated six thousand sestertii to a school at
Ostra in
Umbria, in memory of her father, Gaius Orfius Severus, and grandfather, Orfius Hermes.[19]
Gaius Orfius C. f. Quietus, buried at Musti, aged fifty years, five months.[27]
Gaius Orfius Severus, the son of Orfius Hermes and father of Orfia Priscilla.[19]
Lucius Orfius C. f. Severus, buried at
Tarquinii, aged twenty-two.[28]
Orfia Statia, the wife of Helius,[iv] buried at
Mactaris in Africa Proconsularis, aged twenty.[29]
Titus Orfius T. l. Thyrsus, a freedman buried at Rome, together with his wife, Orfia Daphne, and daughter, Orfia Anthusa.[14]
Gaius Orfius M. f. Urbanianus, a soldier
third legion, buried at Musti.[31]
Orfia Vitalis, buried at
Puteoli in Campania, aged twenty.[32]
Orfia Vitilla, the mother of Domitia Juliana, named in a funerary inscription from the present site of Gaureni, then in
Moesia Inferior.[33]
Footnotes
^Abbreviated AAAFF, this inscription often found on coins signifies that the triumvir was authorized by the
senate to mint coins in gold, silver, and bronze.
^A scout in military service, sometimes appointed to the security detail of Imperial magistrates.
^A religious college of carpenters in the service of the
Magna Mater. Among their duties was the carrying of the "sacred tree", originally given to the shipbuilders of
Troy, hence the name dendrophori, "tree bearers".
^According to the inscription, Orfia and Helius were contubernales, indicating that at least one of them was a slave.
D.P. Simpson, Cassell's Latin and English Dictionary, Macmillan Publishing Company, New York (1963).
Azedine Beschaouch, "Mustitana: Recueil des nouvelles inscriptions de Mustis, cité romaine de Tunisie" (A New Collection of Inscriptions from Mustis, a Roman City in Tunisia, abbreviated "IMustis"), in Karthago, vol. XIV, pp. 121–224, Paris (1968).
Rosanna Friggeri and Carla Pelli, "Vivo e Morto nelle iscrizioni di Roma" (The Living and the Dead in the Inscriptions of Rome, abbreviated "Vivo"), in Miscellanea, pp. 95–172, Rome (1980).