Families from Ancient Rome who shared the Persius nomen
The gens Persia was a minor
plebeian family at
ancient Rome. Members of this
gens are first mentioned during the
Second Punic War, but they only occasionally occur in history. The most illustrious of the family was the satirist
Aulus Persius Flaccus, who lived during the middle part of the first century.[1]
Origin
The Persii Flacci are known to have been from
Volaterrae in
Etruria, and a number of other Persii are found in inscriptions from Volaterrae, as well as the neighboring city of
Populonia. It therefore appears that the Persii were originally an
Etruscan family, some of whom had settled at Rome by the third century BC.[2] One of the Persii living in
Dalmatia bore the surname Etruscus, further indicating that the family claimed Etruscan descent.[3]
Praenomina
The chief praenomina of the Persii were Aulus, Gaius, and Lucius, all of which were common names throughout Roman history. A few other names are known from inscriptions, including Marcus, Quintus, and Titus, but they do not seem to have been regular praenomina of this gens.
Branches and cognomina
The only families of the Persii known to have been distinguished by their surnames bore the
cognominaFlaccus and Severus. Flaccus, a common surname that translates as "flabby", "droopy", or "flop-eared", was borne by the family of the poet. Severus, also a common surname, meaning "serious" or "stern", belonged to another family of Volaterrae.[4] Of the other surnames found among the various Persii, Hybrida was used of the merchant Persius, because his father was Roman and his mother Greek; Etruscus signified the Etruscan descent of its bearer; and Lepidus, more famous from a family of the
Aemilii, referred to someone who was pleasant or agreeable.[4][5]
Members
This list includes abbreviated
praenomina. For an explanation of this practice, see
filiation.
Gaius Persius, an officer serving under Marcus Livius Macatus, commander of the Roman garrison at
Tarentum during the
Second Punic War. In 210 BC, Persius led a charge of 2,500 men against a Tarentine force of 4,000 that had been sent to forage in the nearby fields, utterly destroying and dispersing the Tarentines.[6]
Gaius Persius, a very learned man in the time of the
Gracchi.
Cicero reports that the satirist
Lucilius did not want Persius to read his work, for fear that Persius would disapprove; and that some believed him the author of a famous speech delivered by
Gaius Fannius Strabo against
Gaius Gracchus.[7]
Persius Hybrida, a wealthy merchant at
Clazomenae, was involved in a lawsuit with the
praetor Publius Rupilius Rex in 43 BC. In one of his satires,
Horace describes the invective that they hurled at one another, concluding with Persius' desire for the
propraetorBrutus to rid the world of another "king".[5][8]
Persius Flaccus, father of the satirist, married Fulvia Sisennia. He died circa AD 40, and his widow married an
eques named Fusius.[9][2]
Aulus Persius Flaccus, the satirist, was from an early age acquainted with a number of leading literary figures at Rome. He died while still a young man, during the reign of
Nero. His extant work consists of six short satires, which were left in an unfinished state at his death, and edited by his friend, the poet
Caesius Bassus.[9][1][2]
Persia, named in several inscriptions from
Volaterrae in
Etruria, probably referring to different women.[10]
Persia C. f. Polla, buried at Populonia during the reign of Augustus.[13]
Persia L. f. Secunda Patriciensis, buried at Corduba, aged twenty-two.[17]
Aulus Persius Severus, husband of Vergilia Saturnina, and father of Aulus Persius Severus, to whom he dedicated monuments at Volaterrae.[18][19]
Aulus Persius A. f. Severus, son of Aulus Persius Severus and Vergilia Saturnina, buried at Volaterrae, aged eight years, three months, and nineteen days.[18]
Lucius Persius L. f. Severus, buried at
Thibilis in
Numidia, aged eighty-one.[20]
Marcus Valerius Probus, Vita Auli Persii Flacci de Commentario Probi Valerii Sublata (The Life of Aulus Persius Flaccus, with Commentary by Valerius Probus).
Families from Ancient Rome who shared the Persius nomen
The gens Persia was a minor
plebeian family at
ancient Rome. Members of this
gens are first mentioned during the
Second Punic War, but they only occasionally occur in history. The most illustrious of the family was the satirist
Aulus Persius Flaccus, who lived during the middle part of the first century.[1]
Origin
The Persii Flacci are known to have been from
Volaterrae in
Etruria, and a number of other Persii are found in inscriptions from Volaterrae, as well as the neighboring city of
Populonia. It therefore appears that the Persii were originally an
Etruscan family, some of whom had settled at Rome by the third century BC.[2] One of the Persii living in
Dalmatia bore the surname Etruscus, further indicating that the family claimed Etruscan descent.[3]
Praenomina
The chief praenomina of the Persii were Aulus, Gaius, and Lucius, all of which were common names throughout Roman history. A few other names are known from inscriptions, including Marcus, Quintus, and Titus, but they do not seem to have been regular praenomina of this gens.
Branches and cognomina
The only families of the Persii known to have been distinguished by their surnames bore the
cognominaFlaccus and Severus. Flaccus, a common surname that translates as "flabby", "droopy", or "flop-eared", was borne by the family of the poet. Severus, also a common surname, meaning "serious" or "stern", belonged to another family of Volaterrae.[4] Of the other surnames found among the various Persii, Hybrida was used of the merchant Persius, because his father was Roman and his mother Greek; Etruscus signified the Etruscan descent of its bearer; and Lepidus, more famous from a family of the
Aemilii, referred to someone who was pleasant or agreeable.[4][5]
Members
This list includes abbreviated
praenomina. For an explanation of this practice, see
filiation.
Gaius Persius, an officer serving under Marcus Livius Macatus, commander of the Roman garrison at
Tarentum during the
Second Punic War. In 210 BC, Persius led a charge of 2,500 men against a Tarentine force of 4,000 that had been sent to forage in the nearby fields, utterly destroying and dispersing the Tarentines.[6]
Gaius Persius, a very learned man in the time of the
Gracchi.
Cicero reports that the satirist
Lucilius did not want Persius to read his work, for fear that Persius would disapprove; and that some believed him the author of a famous speech delivered by
Gaius Fannius Strabo against
Gaius Gracchus.[7]
Persius Hybrida, a wealthy merchant at
Clazomenae, was involved in a lawsuit with the
praetor Publius Rupilius Rex in 43 BC. In one of his satires,
Horace describes the invective that they hurled at one another, concluding with Persius' desire for the
propraetorBrutus to rid the world of another "king".[5][8]
Persius Flaccus, father of the satirist, married Fulvia Sisennia. He died circa AD 40, and his widow married an
eques named Fusius.[9][2]
Aulus Persius Flaccus, the satirist, was from an early age acquainted with a number of leading literary figures at Rome. He died while still a young man, during the reign of
Nero. His extant work consists of six short satires, which were left in an unfinished state at his death, and edited by his friend, the poet
Caesius Bassus.[9][1][2]
Persia, named in several inscriptions from
Volaterrae in
Etruria, probably referring to different women.[10]
Persia C. f. Polla, buried at Populonia during the reign of Augustus.[13]
Persia L. f. Secunda Patriciensis, buried at Corduba, aged twenty-two.[17]
Aulus Persius Severus, husband of Vergilia Saturnina, and father of Aulus Persius Severus, to whom he dedicated monuments at Volaterrae.[18][19]
Aulus Persius A. f. Severus, son of Aulus Persius Severus and Vergilia Saturnina, buried at Volaterrae, aged eight years, three months, and nineteen days.[18]
Lucius Persius L. f. Severus, buried at
Thibilis in
Numidia, aged eighty-one.[20]
Marcus Valerius Probus, Vita Auli Persii Flacci de Commentario Probi Valerii Sublata (The Life of Aulus Persius Flaccus, with Commentary by Valerius Probus).