The gens Passiena, occasionally written Passienia, Passenia, Passennia, or Passenna, was a
plebeian family at
ancient Rome, originally of
equestrian rank, but at least one member was later admitted to the
patriciate. Members of this
gens appear in history from the early years of the
Empire down to the third century, and several obtained the
consulship, beginning with Lucius Passienus Rufus in 4 BC.[1]
Origin
The varying orthography of the
nomen makes it difficult to be certain of its origin, but Passienus seems to be the most common. The gentile-forming suffix -enus was not typical of
Latin names, but was common in
Picenum and
Umbria. This has been regularized to Passienius or Passenius in a few instances, giving the name a more Roman appearance; the form Passennus, found in some sources with other variants, would be typical of a Latinized
Etruscan gentilicium, originally ending in -enna, but this resemblance is probably accidental.[2]
Members
This list includes abbreviated
praenomina. For an explanation of this practice, see
filiation.
Passienus, the father of Rufus, was an orator mentioned by
Seneca the Elder. He died in 9 BC.[3][4]
Gaius Sallustius Passienus L. f. Crispus, son of the consul Rufus, and the grandson of a sister of the historian
Sallust, who had no children of his own. Sallust adopted his grandnephew, who assumed his nomenclature. He was a confidant of
Augustus and
Tiberius, but held no public office. Tacitus reports that he died in AD 20. He is frequently confused with his son.[8]
Gaius Passienus Paulus,[i] an eques, highly regarded as a friend and fellow-poet by
Pliny the Younger.[12][4]
Gaius Passienius C. f. Cossonius Scipio Orfitus, served as
senator,
augur,
quaestorurbanus, and a judicial magistrate. He was
praetordesignatus, and curator of
Sutrium, and was admitted to the
patriciate.[4]
Passienus Rufus, a friend of the orator and grammarian
Marcus Cornelius Fronto. He was consul suffectus in AD 142.[13][7]
Quintus Passienus Licinus, consul suffectus in AD 149.[7]
Passenia Petronia, a woman of a senatorial family, named on a tile from about the time of
Commodus.[4]
Vibius Passienus,[ii] governor of
Africa Proconsularis between AD 260 and 268, during the reign of
Gallienus. According to
Trebellius Pollio, he attempted to place the usurper
Celsus on the throne, but his rebellion was swiftly quashed.[14]
^The interpretation of this name is very uncertain.
Vibius was a praenomen that could also be a gentilicium; since Romans aristocrats of the imperial era frequently had multiple nomina, it seems more likely that it was his nomen, and that Passienus was an additional nomen. But even if this is the case, the governor could still be a lineal descendant of the Passieni, who has prefixed a maternal nomen to his gentilicium.
Aelius Lampridius, Aelius Spartianus, Flavius Vopiscus, Julius Capitolinus, Trebellius Pollio, and Vulcatius Gallicanus, Historia Augusta (Augustan History).
The gens Passiena, occasionally written Passienia, Passenia, Passennia, or Passenna, was a
plebeian family at
ancient Rome, originally of
equestrian rank, but at least one member was later admitted to the
patriciate. Members of this
gens appear in history from the early years of the
Empire down to the third century, and several obtained the
consulship, beginning with Lucius Passienus Rufus in 4 BC.[1]
Origin
The varying orthography of the
nomen makes it difficult to be certain of its origin, but Passienus seems to be the most common. The gentile-forming suffix -enus was not typical of
Latin names, but was common in
Picenum and
Umbria. This has been regularized to Passienius or Passenius in a few instances, giving the name a more Roman appearance; the form Passennus, found in some sources with other variants, would be typical of a Latinized
Etruscan gentilicium, originally ending in -enna, but this resemblance is probably accidental.[2]
Members
This list includes abbreviated
praenomina. For an explanation of this practice, see
filiation.
Passienus, the father of Rufus, was an orator mentioned by
Seneca the Elder. He died in 9 BC.[3][4]
Gaius Sallustius Passienus L. f. Crispus, son of the consul Rufus, and the grandson of a sister of the historian
Sallust, who had no children of his own. Sallust adopted his grandnephew, who assumed his nomenclature. He was a confidant of
Augustus and
Tiberius, but held no public office. Tacitus reports that he died in AD 20. He is frequently confused with his son.[8]
Gaius Passienus Paulus,[i] an eques, highly regarded as a friend and fellow-poet by
Pliny the Younger.[12][4]
Gaius Passienius C. f. Cossonius Scipio Orfitus, served as
senator,
augur,
quaestorurbanus, and a judicial magistrate. He was
praetordesignatus, and curator of
Sutrium, and was admitted to the
patriciate.[4]
Passienus Rufus, a friend of the orator and grammarian
Marcus Cornelius Fronto. He was consul suffectus in AD 142.[13][7]
Quintus Passienus Licinus, consul suffectus in AD 149.[7]
Passenia Petronia, a woman of a senatorial family, named on a tile from about the time of
Commodus.[4]
Vibius Passienus,[ii] governor of
Africa Proconsularis between AD 260 and 268, during the reign of
Gallienus. According to
Trebellius Pollio, he attempted to place the usurper
Celsus on the throne, but his rebellion was swiftly quashed.[14]
^The interpretation of this name is very uncertain.
Vibius was a praenomen that could also be a gentilicium; since Romans aristocrats of the imperial era frequently had multiple nomina, it seems more likely that it was his nomen, and that Passienus was an additional nomen. But even if this is the case, the governor could still be a lineal descendant of the Passieni, who has prefixed a maternal nomen to his gentilicium.
Aelius Lampridius, Aelius Spartianus, Flavius Vopiscus, Julius Capitolinus, Trebellius Pollio, and Vulcatius Gallicanus, Historia Augusta (Augustan History).