The origin of the nomen Sentius is uncertain, but it might be derived from the
Latinsentus, thorny. Chase classifies it among those gentilicia that either originated at Rome, or cannot be shown to have come from anywhere else.[2]Syme prefers an
Etruscan origin, noting that the name seems abundant at
Clusium. However, the Sentii Saturnini of the late Republic were from
Atina in southern
Latium.[3]
Praenomina
The main
praenomina used by the Sentii were Gaius, Gnaeus, and Lucius, all of which were very common throughout Roman history. Other names attested from inscriptions include Quintus and Sextus.
Branches and cognomina
The most important family of the Sentii bore the
cognomenSaturninus, which occurs on coins. Other coins of this gens include no surnames.[1] One of the more noteworthy Sentii of
imperial times bore the surname Augurinus, an occupational cognomen probably indicating that he or one of his ancestors was an
augur.[4]
Members
This list includes abbreviated
praenomina. For an explanation of this practice, see
filiation.
Sentii Saturnini
Gaius Sentius C. f.,
praetorurbanus in 94 BC, and governor of
Macedonia from 93 to 87. He repelled an invasion of the
Thracians under Sothinus, but was later driven back by Ariathes and Taxiles.[5][6][7][8][9][10][11]
Lucius Sentius C. f., triumvir monetalis probably between 105 and 100 BC, was praetor in an uncertain year, between 93 and 89.[12][1][13][14]
Gaius Sentius C. f. C. n. Saturninus, the father of Vetulo.[14]
Gaius Sentius C. f. C. n. Saturninus Vetulo, one of those proscribed by the
triumvirs in 43 BC, escaped death by assuming the insignia of a praetor, and marching to
Puteoli, where he boarded a ship for
Sicily, and joined
Sexus Pompeius. He went over to
Octavian in 35.[21][22][23][24]
Lucius Sentius C. f. C. n. Saturninus, the third son of Gaius Sentius Saturninus, attended the trial of
Herod's sons in 6 BC, along with his father and brothers, Gaius and Gnaeus.[31][32]
Gnaeus Sentius Cn. f. Saturninus, a native of Atina, was a scout serving in the eighth cohort of the
Praetorian Guard, in the century of Severus. He was buried in a first century tomb at Rome, aged twenty-seven, having served for eight years.[35]
Lucius Sentius L. f. Saturninus, a native of
Mediolanum in
Cisalpine Gaul, was a scout serving in the century of Lucius Cornelius Viator. He was buried at Rome, aged thirty-three, having served for thirteen years.[36]
Gaius Sentius Saturninus, a veteran of the
fourth legion, built a tomb at
Stobi in Macedonia for himself, his wife, Gavia Julia, their son, Gaius Sentius Saturninus, and Sentia, the freedwoman of Zosimus.[37]
Gaius Sentius C. f. Saturninus, the son of Gaius Sentius Saturninus and Gavia Julia, was a soldier in the fourth cohort of the Praetorian Guard. He was buried at Stobi in a tomb built by his father.[37]
Sentia, the freedwoman of Zosimus, buried in a family sepulchre built at Stobi by Gaius Sentius Saturninus.[37]
Sentia Saturnina, dedicated a tomb at
Comum in Cisalpine Gaul to her husband, Gaius Catius Secundus.[38]
Sentia Saturnina, buried at
Naraggara in
Africa Proconsularis, aged sixty-five, along with Decimus Gargilius Gargilianus, aged sixty-eight.[39]
Quintus Sentius Saturninus, a man of
equestrian rank, buried in an ornate tomb at
Iufi in Africa Proconsularis.[40]
Others
Sentius Potitus, mentioned in a rescript of uncertain date.[41]
Sentius Augurinus, a close friend and contemporary of
Pliny the Younger, who described him as a skillful and eminent poet. He wrote short works in the style of
Catullus and
Gaius Licinius Macer Calvus. He might be the same person as the Quintus Gellius Sentius Augurinus, governor of Macedonia under
Hadrian.[46][47][48]
Sentius, a
centurion who was sent as an envoy to
Mebarsapes during
Trajan's
Parthian War, in AD 116. Mebarsapes imprisoned him at
Adenystrae, but when Roman forces approached the city, Sentius led his fellow prisoners in a revolt, killing the Parthian commander, and opening the gates to the Romans.[49]
Gnaeus Sentius Aburnianus, consul suffectus in AD 123.[50]
Gaius Sentius Severus Quadratus, a man of senatorial rank, and an official of the imperial court at an uncertain period.[51]
Sentia Sabina,[ii] a Roman matron from a senatorial family, named in an inscription from the late third or early fourth century.[52]
Quintus Sentius Fabricius Julianus, twice proconsul of Africa, the second time from AD 412 to 414.[53][54]
Michael Crawford, Roman Republican Coinage, Cambridge University Press (1974–2001).
Paul A. Gallivan, "The Fasti for A.D. 70–96", in Classical Quarterly, vol. 31, pp. 186–220 (1981).
J.E.H. Spaul, "Governors of Tingitana", in Antiquités Africains, vol. 30, pp. 235–260 (1994).
Werner Eck and Andreas Pangerl, "Neue Diplome mit den Namen von Konsuln und Statthaltern", in Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik, vol. 187, pp. 273–294 (2013).
The origin of the nomen Sentius is uncertain, but it might be derived from the
Latinsentus, thorny. Chase classifies it among those gentilicia that either originated at Rome, or cannot be shown to have come from anywhere else.[2]Syme prefers an
Etruscan origin, noting that the name seems abundant at
Clusium. However, the Sentii Saturnini of the late Republic were from
Atina in southern
Latium.[3]
Praenomina
The main
praenomina used by the Sentii were Gaius, Gnaeus, and Lucius, all of which were very common throughout Roman history. Other names attested from inscriptions include Quintus and Sextus.
Branches and cognomina
The most important family of the Sentii bore the
cognomenSaturninus, which occurs on coins. Other coins of this gens include no surnames.[1] One of the more noteworthy Sentii of
imperial times bore the surname Augurinus, an occupational cognomen probably indicating that he or one of his ancestors was an
augur.[4]
Members
This list includes abbreviated
praenomina. For an explanation of this practice, see
filiation.
Sentii Saturnini
Gaius Sentius C. f.,
praetorurbanus in 94 BC, and governor of
Macedonia from 93 to 87. He repelled an invasion of the
Thracians under Sothinus, but was later driven back by Ariathes and Taxiles.[5][6][7][8][9][10][11]
Lucius Sentius C. f., triumvir monetalis probably between 105 and 100 BC, was praetor in an uncertain year, between 93 and 89.[12][1][13][14]
Gaius Sentius C. f. C. n. Saturninus, the father of Vetulo.[14]
Gaius Sentius C. f. C. n. Saturninus Vetulo, one of those proscribed by the
triumvirs in 43 BC, escaped death by assuming the insignia of a praetor, and marching to
Puteoli, where he boarded a ship for
Sicily, and joined
Sexus Pompeius. He went over to
Octavian in 35.[21][22][23][24]
Lucius Sentius C. f. C. n. Saturninus, the third son of Gaius Sentius Saturninus, attended the trial of
Herod's sons in 6 BC, along with his father and brothers, Gaius and Gnaeus.[31][32]
Gnaeus Sentius Cn. f. Saturninus, a native of Atina, was a scout serving in the eighth cohort of the
Praetorian Guard, in the century of Severus. He was buried in a first century tomb at Rome, aged twenty-seven, having served for eight years.[35]
Lucius Sentius L. f. Saturninus, a native of
Mediolanum in
Cisalpine Gaul, was a scout serving in the century of Lucius Cornelius Viator. He was buried at Rome, aged thirty-three, having served for thirteen years.[36]
Gaius Sentius Saturninus, a veteran of the
fourth legion, built a tomb at
Stobi in Macedonia for himself, his wife, Gavia Julia, their son, Gaius Sentius Saturninus, and Sentia, the freedwoman of Zosimus.[37]
Gaius Sentius C. f. Saturninus, the son of Gaius Sentius Saturninus and Gavia Julia, was a soldier in the fourth cohort of the Praetorian Guard. He was buried at Stobi in a tomb built by his father.[37]
Sentia, the freedwoman of Zosimus, buried in a family sepulchre built at Stobi by Gaius Sentius Saturninus.[37]
Sentia Saturnina, dedicated a tomb at
Comum in Cisalpine Gaul to her husband, Gaius Catius Secundus.[38]
Sentia Saturnina, buried at
Naraggara in
Africa Proconsularis, aged sixty-five, along with Decimus Gargilius Gargilianus, aged sixty-eight.[39]
Quintus Sentius Saturninus, a man of
equestrian rank, buried in an ornate tomb at
Iufi in Africa Proconsularis.[40]
Others
Sentius Potitus, mentioned in a rescript of uncertain date.[41]
Sentius Augurinus, a close friend and contemporary of
Pliny the Younger, who described him as a skillful and eminent poet. He wrote short works in the style of
Catullus and
Gaius Licinius Macer Calvus. He might be the same person as the Quintus Gellius Sentius Augurinus, governor of Macedonia under
Hadrian.[46][47][48]
Sentius, a
centurion who was sent as an envoy to
Mebarsapes during
Trajan's
Parthian War, in AD 116. Mebarsapes imprisoned him at
Adenystrae, but when Roman forces approached the city, Sentius led his fellow prisoners in a revolt, killing the Parthian commander, and opening the gates to the Romans.[49]
Gnaeus Sentius Aburnianus, consul suffectus in AD 123.[50]
Gaius Sentius Severus Quadratus, a man of senatorial rank, and an official of the imperial court at an uncertain period.[51]
Sentia Sabina,[ii] a Roman matron from a senatorial family, named in an inscription from the late third or early fourth century.[52]
Quintus Sentius Fabricius Julianus, twice proconsul of Africa, the second time from AD 412 to 414.[53][54]
Michael Crawford, Roman Republican Coinage, Cambridge University Press (1974–2001).
Paul A. Gallivan, "The Fasti for A.D. 70–96", in Classical Quarterly, vol. 31, pp. 186–220 (1981).
J.E.H. Spaul, "Governors of Tingitana", in Antiquités Africains, vol. 30, pp. 235–260 (1994).
Werner Eck and Andreas Pangerl, "Neue Diplome mit den Namen von Konsuln und Statthaltern", in Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik, vol. 187, pp. 273–294 (2013).