The gens Caecilia was a

plebeian In ancient Rome, the plebeians (also called plebs) were the general body of free Roman citizens who were not patricians, as determined by the census, or in other words " commoners". Both classes were hereditary. Etymology The precise origins ...

family at

ancient Rome In modern historiography, ancient Rome refers to Roman people, Roman civilisation from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom ...

. Members of this

gens In ancient Rome, a gens ( or , ; plural: ''gentes'' ) was a family consisting of individuals who shared the same nomen and who claimed descent from a common ancestor. A branch of a gens was called a ''stirps'' (plural: ''stirpes''). The ''gen ...

are mentioned in history as early as the fifth century BC, but the first of the Caecilii who obtained the

consulship A consul held the highest elected political office of the Roman Republic ( to 27 BC), and ancient Romans considered the consulship the second-highest level of the ''cursus honorum'' (an ascending sequence of public offices to which politic ...

was

Lucius Caecilius Metellus Denter Lucius Caecilius Metellus Denter was consul in 284 BC, and praetor the year after. In this capacity, he fell in the war against the Senones and was succeeded by Manius Curius Dentatus. Fischer, in his ''Römische Zeittafeln'', has him as praetor ...

, in 284 BC.''Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology'', vol. I, p. 526 ("

Caecilia Gens The gens Caecilia was a plebeian family at ancient Rome. Members of this gens are mentioned in history as early as the fifth century BC, but the first of the Caecilii who obtained the consulship was Lucius Caecilius Metellus Denter, in 284 BC.' ...

"). The Caecilii Metelli were one of the most powerful families of the late

Republic A republic () is a " state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th ...

, from the decades before the

First Punic War The First Punic War (264–241 BC) was the first of Punic Wars, three wars fought between Roman Republic, Rome and Ancient Carthage, Carthage, the two main powers of the western Mediterranean in the early 3rd century BC. For 23 years ...

down to the time of

Augustus Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pr ...

Origin

Like other Roman families in the later times of the

, the Caecilii traced their origin to a mythical personage,

Caeculus In Roman mythology, Caeculus (meaning "little blind boy", from ''caecus'' "blind")Grimalp. 83/ref> was a son of Vulcan, and the legendary founder of Praeneste (modern Palestrina). King Caeculus appears in Book VII of Virgil's ''Aeneid'' as an ally ...

, the founder of Praeneste. He was said to be the son of Vulcan, and engendered by a spark; a similar story was told of

Servius Tullius Servius Tullius was the legendary sixth king of Rome, and the second of its Etruscan dynasty. He reigned from 578 to 535 BC. Roman and Greek sources describe his servile origins and later marriage to a daughter of Lucius Tarquinius Priscus, ...

. He was exposed as an infant, but preserved by his divine father, and raised by maidens. He grew up amongst the shepherds, and became a highwayman. Coming of age, he called upon the people of the countryside to build a new town, convincing them with the aid of a miracle. An alternative tradition claimed that the Caecilii were descended from Caecas, one of the companions of

Aeneas In Greco-Roman mythology, Aeneas (, ; from ) was a Trojan hero, the son of the Trojan prince Anchises and the Greek goddess Aphrodite (equivalent to the Roman Venus). His father was a first cousin of King Priam of Troy (both being grandsons ...

, who came with him to Italy after the

sack of Troy The ''Iliupersis'' (Greek: , ''Iliou persis'', "Sack of Ilium"), also known as ''The Sack of Troy'', is a lost epic of ancient Greek literature. It was one of the Epic Cycle, that is, the Trojan cycle, which told the entire history of the Troj ...

Praenomina

The

praenomina The ''praenomen'' (; plural: ''praenomina'') was a personal name chosen by the parents of a Roman child. It was first bestowed on the ''dies lustricus'' (day of lustration), the eighth day after the birth of a girl, or the ninth day after the birt ...

used by the Caecilii during the Republic are ''

Lucius Lucius ( el, Λούκιος ''Loukios''; ett, Luvcie) is a male given name derived from '' Lucius'' (abbreviated ''L.''), one of the small group of common Latin forenames ('' praenomina'') found in the culture of ancient Rome. Lucius derives from ...

'', '' Quintus'', ''

Gaius Gaius, sometimes spelled ''Gajus'', Kaius, Cajus, Caius, was a common Latin praenomen; see Gaius (praenomen). People * Gaius (jurist) (), Roman jurist *Gaius Acilius *Gaius Antonius * Gaius Antonius Hybrida *Gaius Asinius Gallus * Gaius Asiniu ...

'', and '' Marcus''. ''

Titus Titus Caesar Vespasianus ( ; 30 December 39 – 13 September 81 AD) was Roman emperor from 79 to 81. A member of the Flavian dynasty, Titus succeeded his father Vespasian upon his death. Before becoming emperor, Titus gained renown as a mili ...

'' appears only towards the very end of the Republic, and is not known to have been used by the great house of the Caecilii Metelli.

Branches and cognomina

The

cognomina A ''cognomen'' (; plural ''cognomina''; from ''con-'' "together with" and ''(g)nomen'' "name") was the third name of a citizen of ancient Rome, under Roman naming conventions. Initially, it was a nickname, but lost that purpose when it became h ...

of this gens under the Republic are ''Bassus'', ''Denter, Cornutus'', ''Metellus'', ''Niger'', and ''Rufus'', of which the Metelli are the best known. From the consulship of Lucius Caecilius Metellus Denter, the family of the Metelli became one of the most distinguished at Rome. In the latter half of the second century BC, it obtained an extraordinary number of the highest offices of the state. Quintus Metellus, who was consul in 143 BC, had four sons, who were raised to the consulship in succession; and his brother, Lucius Metellus, who was consul in 142, had two sons, who were likewise elevated to the same dignity. The Metelli were distinguished as a family for their unwavering support of the party of the

Optimates Optimates (; Latin for "best ones", ) and populares (; Latin for "supporters of the people", ) are labels applied to politicians, political groups, traditions, strategies, or ideologies in the late Roman Republic. There is "heated academic dis ...

. The etymology of their name is quite uncertain. Festus connects it, probably from mere similarity of sound, with . The history of the family is very difficult to trace, and in many parts conjectural. It is treated at length by Drumann. The victory of the consul L. Caecilius Metellus against Hasdrubal's

elephant Elephants are the largest existing land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant. They are the only surviving members of the family Elephantida ...

s at Panormus in 251 seems to have left a durable impression on the Caecili Metelli, as many of them featured an elephant on the coins they minted. In fact, elephants are so often used on their coins that it might have become their emblem.

Members

Caecilii Metelli

* Gaius Caecilius (Metellus), grandfather of Lucius Caecilius Metellus, the consul of 251 BC, and perhaps the father of Lucius Caecilius Metellus Denter, consul in 284. * Lucius Caecilius (C. f.) Metellus Denter,

consul Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states throu ...

in 284 and

praetor Praetor ( , ), also pretor, was the title granted by the government of Ancient Rome to a man acting in one of two official capacities: (i) the commander of an army, and (ii) as an elected '' magistratus'' (magistrate), assigned to discharge vari ...

in 283 BC, slain in battle against the Senones. * Lucius Caecilius L. f. C. n. Metellus, consul in 251 and 247 BC, during the

, and afterward Pontifex Maximus. * Lucius Caecilius L. f. L. n. Metellus,

quaestor A ( , , ; "investigator") was a public official in Ancient Rome. There were various types of quaestors, with the title used to describe greatly different offices at different times. In the Roman Republic, quaestors were elected officials who ...

in 214 BC, was degraded to an '' aerarius'' by the censors for proposing to abandon Italy and establish a new colony after the

Battle of Cannae The Battle of Cannae () was a key engagement of the Second Punic War between the Roman Republic and Carthage, fought on 2 August 216 BC near the ancient village of Cannae in Apulia, southeast Italy. The Carthaginians and their allies, led by Ha ...

. Nevertheless, he was elected

tribune of the plebs Tribune of the plebs, tribune of the people or plebeian tribune ( la, tribunus plebis) was the first office of the Roman state that was open to the plebeians, and was, throughout the history of the Republic, the most important check on the power o ...

for 213, and prosecuted the censors. * Quintus Caecilius L. f. L. n. Metellus, consul in 206 BC, during the

Second Punic War The Second Punic War (218 to 201 BC) was the second of three wars fought between Carthage and Rome, the two main powers of the western Mediterranean in the 3rd century BC. For 17 years the two states struggled for supremacy, primarily in Ital ...

. * Marcus Caecilius L. f. L. n. Metellus, praetor in 206 BC. * Quintus Caecilius Q. f. L. n. Metellus, surnamed ''Macedonicus'', triumphed over

Andriscus Andriscus ( grc, Ἀνδρίσκος, ''Andrískos''; 154/153 BC – 146 BC), also often referenced as Pseudo-Philip, was a Greek pretender who became the last independent king of Macedon in 149 BC as Philip VI ( grc-gre, Φίλιππος, ''Phil ...

, and became consul in 143 BC, and censor in 131. * Lucius Caecilius Q. f. L. n. Metellus, surnamed ''Calvus'', consul in 142 BC. * Quintus Caecilius Q. f. Q. n. Metellus, consul in 123 and censor in 120 BC, conquered the

Balearic Islands The Balearic Islands ( es, Islas Baleares ; or ca, Illes Balears ) are an archipelago in the Balearic Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. The archipelago is an autonomous community and a province of Spain; its capital is ...

, receiving the surname ''Balearicus'', and founded several cities there. * Lucius Caecilius L. f. Q. n. Metellus, surnamed ''Delmaticus'', consul in 119, triumphed over the Dalmati, and later became Pontifex Maximus. * Lucius Caecilius Q. f. Q. n. Metellus, surnamed ''Diadematus'', consul in 117 BC and censor in 115 BC. * Marcus Caecilius Q. f. Q. n. Metellus, consul in 115 BC, triumphed over the

Sardinia Sardinia ( ; it, Sardegna, label=Italian, Corsican and Tabarchino ; sc, Sardigna , sdc, Sardhigna; french: Sardaigne; sdn, Saldigna; ca, Sardenya, label= Algherese and Catalan) is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, aft ...

ns. * Gaius Caecilius Q. f. Q. n. Metellus, surnamed ''Caprarius'', consul in 113 and censor on 102 BC, triumphed over the

Thracians The Thracians (; grc, Θρᾷκες ''Thrāikes''; la, Thraci) were an Indo-European speaking people who inhabited large parts of Eastern and Southeastern Europe in ancient history.. "The Thracians were an Indo-European people who occupied ...

. * Caecilia Q. f. Q. n. Metella, married

Gaius Servilius Vatia Gaius Servilius Vatia was a politician of the Roman Republic in the second half of the 2nd century BC. Vatia belonged to the gens Servilia, which was initially patrician, but went over to the plebeians during the Second Punic War. He was probab ...

. * Caecilia Q. f. Q. n. Metella, married

Publius Cornelius Scipio Nasica Serapio Publius Cornelius Scipio Nasica Serapio (182/181–132 BC) was a politician of the Roman Republic best remembered today for leading a mob that assassinated the tribune Tiberius Gracchus, and hunted and killed Tiberius' supporters afterwards. A ...

. * Quintus Caecilius L. f. Q. n. Metellus, surnamed ''Numidicus'', consul in 109 and censor in 102 BC, triumphed over Jugurtha; expelled from the senate and exiled by

Lucius Appuleius Saturninus Lucius Appuleius Saturninus (died late 100 BC) was a Roman populist and tribune. He is most notable for introducing a series of legislative reforms, alongside his associate Gaius Servilius Glaucia and with the consent of Gaius Marius, during the ...

, and not recalled for two years. * Caecilia L. f. Q. n. Metella, wife of Lucius Licinius Lucullus, and mother of the younger

Lucullus Lucius Licinius Lucullus (; 118–57/56 BC) was a Roman general and statesman, closely connected with Lucius Cornelius Sulla. In culmination of over 20 years of almost continuous military and government service, he conquered the eastern kingd ...

, the conqueror of Mithridates; she had a reputation for dissoluteness. * Quintus Caecilius Q. f. Q. n. Metellus, surnamed ''Nepos'', consul in 98 BC. * Quintus Caecilius (L.? f.) Q. n. Metellus, surnamed ''Celer'', a mediocre orator, probably

in 90 BC and perhaps

aedile ''Aedile'' ( ; la, aedīlis , from , "temple edifice") was an elected office of the Roman Republic. Based in Rome, the aediles were responsible for maintenance of public buildings () and regulation of public festivals. They also had powers to ...

in 88. * Caecilia Q. f. Q. n. Metella, married Appius Claudius Pulcher, consul in 79 BC. * Caecilia L. f. L. n. Metella, married first Marcus Aemilius Scaurus, consul in 115 BC, and second

Lucius Cornelius Sulla Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix (; 138–78 BC), commonly known as Sulla, was a Roman general and statesman. He won the first large-scale civil war in Roman history and became the first man of the Republic to seize power through force. Sulla had ...

, the dictator. * Quintus Caecilius Q. f. L. n. Metellus, surnamed ''Pius'', one of

Sulla Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix (; 138–78 BC), commonly known as Sulla, was a Roman general and statesman. He won the first large-scale civil war in Roman history and became the first man of the Republic to seize power through force. Sulla had t ...

's most successful generals, consul in 80 BC, and later Pontifex Maximus. *

Gaius Caecilius Metellus Gaius Metellus was a young Roman senator at the time of Sulla's proscriptions in the late 80s BC. Given that his ''cognomen'' is Metellus, his ''gens'' name is likely to have been Caecilius. Nothing about his identity can be established with certa ...

, a junior senator ''circa'' 80 BC. * Quintus Caecilius Metellus, surnamed ''Creticus'', consul in 69 BC, triumphed over the

Cretans Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, and ...

. * Lucius Caecilius Metellus, consul in 68 BC, died at the beginning of his year of office. * Marcus Caecilius Metellus, praetor in 69 BC. * Quintus Caecilius Metellus Creticus, perhaps quaestor ''circa'' 60 BC, with Gaius Trebonius. * Quintus Caecilius Q. f. (L.? n.) Metellus Celer, consul in 60 BC. * Marcus Caecilius (M. f.) Metellus, mentioned by

Cicero Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, and academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises that led to the esta ...

in 60 BC. * Caecilia Q. f. Q. n. Metella, daughter of Metellus Celer. * Quintus Caecilius Q. f. Q. n. Metellus Nepos, consul in 57 BC. * Quintus Caecilius Q. f. Q. n. Metellus Pius Scipio, the son of Publius Cornelius Scipio Nasica, adopted by Metellus Pius; appointed consul ''suffectus'' from the kalends of

Sextilis Sextilis ("sixth") or ''mensis Sextilis'' was the Latin name for what was originally the sixth month in the Roman calendar, when March ('' Martius'', "Mars' month") was the first of ten months in the year. After the calendar reform that produced ...

in 52 BC, and a partisan of

Pompeius Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (; 29 September 106 BC – 28 September 48 BC), known in English as Pompey or Pompey the Great, was a leading Roman Republic, Roman general and statesman. He played a significant role in the tr ...

. * Lucius Caecilius (L. f.) Metellus, tribune of the plebs in 49 BC, opposed

Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, an ...

's attempt to take possession of the sacred treasury. * Quintus Caecilius (Q. f. Q. n.) Metellus Creticus Silanus, consul in AD 7.

Caecilii Dentri

*Lucius Caecilius Denter, praetor in 182 BC, obtained Sicilia for his province. * Marcus Caecilius Denter, one of the ambassadors sent to

Perseus In Greek mythology, Perseus ( /ˈpɜːrsiəs, -sjuːs/; Greek: Περσεύς, translit. Perseús) is the legendary founder of Mycenae and of the Perseid dynasty. He was, alongside Cadmus and Bellerophon, the greatest Greek hero and slayer ...

in 173 BC to inspect the affairs of Macedonia, and to

Alexandria Alexandria ( or ; ar, ٱلْإِسْكَنْدَرِيَّةُ ; grc-gre, Αλεξάνδρεια, Alexándria) is the second largest city in Egypt, and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Founded in by Alexander the Great, Alexandri ...

to renew the friendship with

Ptolemaeus Claudius Ptolemy (; grc-gre, Πτολεμαῖος, ; la, Claudius Ptolemaeus; AD) was a mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist, who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were of importance ...

Caecilii Cornuti

* Marcus Caecilius Cornutus, praetor before 90 BC, then legate in 89 and 88 during the Marsic War. He escaped the purges of Marius in 87 through a ruse of his slaves, who passed him off for dead, before spiriting him off to Gaul. *

Gaius Caecilius Cornutus Gaius, sometimes spelled ''Gajus'', Kaius, Cajus, Caius, was a common Latin praenomen; see Gaius (praenomen). People *Gaius (jurist) (), Roman jurist *Gaius Acilius *Gaius Antonius *Gaius Antonius Hybrida *Gaius Asinius Gallus *Gaius Asinius Po ...

, tribune of the plebs in 61 BC, praetor in 57, and

promagistrate In ancient Rome a promagistrate ( la, pro magistratu) was an ex-consul or ex- praetor whose '' imperium'' (the power to command an army) was extended at the end of his annual term of office or later. They were called proconsuls and propraetors. T ...

the following year in

Bithynia and Pontus Bithynia and Pontus ( la, Provincia Bithynia et Pontus, Ancient Greek ) was the name of a province of the Roman Empire on the Black Sea coast of Anatolia (modern-day Turkey). It was formed during the late Roman Republic by the amalgamation of the ...

. He helped

to return from exile during his praetorship, who affectionately called him a "quasi- Cato" for his Optimate ideas. He was probably the historian Cornutus, known from only three fragments, which deal with the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government polici ...

between

and

Pompey Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (; 29 September 106 BC – 28 September 48 BC), known in English as Pompey or Pompey the Great, was a leading Roman general and statesman. He played a significant role in the transformation of ...

. * Marcus Caecilius Cornutus, praetor in 43 BC, committed suicide when

Octavian Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pr ...

seized Rome after the

Battle of Mutina The Battle of Mutina took place on 21 April 43 BC between the forces loyal to the Senate under Consuls Gaius Vibius Pansa and Aulus Hirtius, supported by the forces of Caesar Octavian, and the forces of Mark Antony which were besieging the ...

. * Marcus Caecilius M. f. Cornutus, a member of the College of Arvales in 21–20 BC, but perhaps as early as 29, when Augustus re-established the college. * Marcus Caecilius M. f. M. n. Cornutus, succeeded his father as Arval. He was of

ian rank in the reign of

Tiberius Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus (; 16 November 42 BC – 16 March AD 37) was the second Roman emperor. He reigned from AD 14 until 37, succeeding his stepfather, the first Roman emperor Augustus. Tiberius was born in Rome in 42 BC. His father ...

but, unjustly accused in connection with a plot against the Emperor, put an end to his own life in AD 24.

Others

* Gaia Caecilia, the legendary personification of Roman domesticity, frequently equated with Tanaquil, the wife of Tarquinius Priscus, the fifth King of Rome. * Quintus Caecilius,

in 439 BC. * Statius Caecilius, a comic poet of the early 2nd century BC. * Quintus Caecilius Niger, a Sicilian, and quaestor of

Verres Gaius Verres (c. 120–43 BC) was a Roman magistrate, notorious for his misgovernment of Sicily. His extortion of local farmers and plundering of temples led to his prosecution by Cicero, whose accusations were so devastating that his defence adv ...

during his administration of Sicily. He contended with Cicero for the prosecution of Verres, pretending to be the enemy of his former master, but in reality desiring to deprive the Sicilians of Cicero's advocacy. Cicero's oration ''

Divinatio in Caecilium Cicero's ''Divinatio in Caecilium'' is his oration against Quintus Caecilius in the process for selecting a prosecutor of Gaius Verres (70 BC). Cicero asserts that he, rather than Q. Caecilius, will make the better prosecutor of Verres, the Roman ...

'' was delivered against this Caecilius when the had to decide which should be given the prosecution. *

Lucius Caecilius Rufus Lucius ( el, Λούκιος ''Loukios''; ett, Luvcie) is a male given name derived from ''Lucius'' (abbreviated ''L.''), one of the small group of common Latin forenames (''praenomina'') found in the culture of ancient Rome. Lucius derives from L ...

, half-brother of

Publius Cornelius Sulla Publius Cornelius Sulla (died 45 BC) was a politician of the late Roman Republic and the nephew of Lucius Cornelius Sulla. He was also a brother-in-law of Pompey, having married his sister Pompeia. Early life Publius Cornelius Sulla was the son ...

, was tribune of the plebs in 63 BC, and proposed that both Sulla and Publius Autronius Paetus, who had been elected consuls for 66, but been convicted of bribery and condemned, should again be allowed to stand for office; however, Sulla convinced him to withdraw the proposal. Rufus was a supporter of Cicero and the aristocratic party, and opposed agrarian reform. He was praetor in 57, and proposed the recall of Cicero from banishment, incurring the wrath of

Publius Clodius Pulcher Publius Clodius Pulcher (93–52 BC) was a populist Roman politician and street agitator during the time of the First Triumvirate. One of the most colourful personalities of his era, Clodius was descended from the aristocratic Claudia gens, one ...

. * Quintus Caecilius, an '' eques'', slain by his brother-in-law,

Catiline Lucius Sergius Catilina ( 108 BC – January 62 BC), known in English as Catiline (), was a Roman politician and soldier. He is best known for instigating the Catilinarian conspiracy, a failed attempt to violently seize control of the ...

, in the time of Sulla. * Quintus Caecilius, an ''eques'', who became wealthy as a moneylender, died in 57 BC, leaving his fortune to his nephew,

Titus Pomponius Atticus Titus Pomponius Atticus (November 110 BC – 31 March 32 BC; later named Quintus Caecilius Pomponianus Atticus) was a Roman editor, banker, and patron of letters, best known for his correspondence and close friendship with prominent Roman ...

. *

Quintus Caecilius Bassus Quintus Caecilius Bassus () was a Roman equestrian who fought during Caesar's civil war under Pompey before the Battle of Pharsalus. After the battle, he commandeered two mutinous legions in Syria and defended against a Caesarian siege at Apamea ...

, an ''eques'', and partisan of

, was praetor in 46 BC. * Titus Caecilius, ''

primus pilus The ''primus pilus'' or ''primipilus'' was the senior centurion of the first cohort in a Roman legion, a formation of five double-strength centuries of 160 men, was called the ''primus pilus''; he was a career soldier and advisor to the le ...

'' in the army of Lucius Afranius, killed at the

Battle of Ilerda The Battle of Ilerda took place in June 49 BC between the forces of Julius Caesar and the Spanish army of Pompey Magnus, led by his legates Lucius Afranius and Marcus Petreius. Unlike many of the other battles of the civil war, this was more ...

in 49 BC. * Caecilia, wife of the younger

Publius Cornelius Lentulus Spinther Publius Cornelius Lentulus Spinther ( – 47 BC) was a Roman politician and general. Hailing from the patrician family of the Cornelii, he helped suppress the Catilinarian conspiracy during his term as curule aedile in 63 BC and later s ...

, who divorced her in 45 BC. * (Caecilius) Bucilianus, a friend of

Brutus Marcus Junius Brutus (; ; 85 BC – 23 October 42 BC), often referred to simply as Brutus, was a Roman politician, orator, and the most famous of the assassins of Julius Caesar. After being adopted by a relative, he used the name Quintus Serv ...

and Cassius, was, together with his brother, Caecilius, recruited to the conspiracy against

. On the fateful day, Bucilianus wounded Caesar in the back. He was probably a Bucilius adopted by a Caecilius.Appian, ''Bellum Civile'', ii. 113, 117. * Caecilius, one of the conspirators against Caesar, along with his brother, Bucilianus. * Caecilia, the daughter of Titus Pomponius Atticus, married

Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa (; BC – 12 BC) was a Roman general, statesman, and architect who was a close friend, son-in-law, and lieutenant to the Roman emperor Augustus. He was responsible for the construction of some of the most notable build ...

. *

Quintus Caecilius Epirota Quintus Caecilius Epirota (1st Century BC) was a freeman of Atticus, a grammarian, and the first person to initiate the public teaching of Virgil’s poetry. Life Atticus had employed Epirota to teach his daughter, but he became suspicious about t ...

, a grammarian, and

freedman A freedman or freedwoman is a formerly enslaved person who has been released from slavery, usually by legal means. Historically, enslaved people were freed by manumission (granted freedom by their captor-owners), emancipation (granted freedom ...

of Titus Pomponius Atticus. * Titus Caecilius Eutychides, a freedman of Titus Pomponius Atticus, afterwards adopted by Quintus Caecilius. * Caecilius Calactinus, a Jewish Greek rhetorician at Rome in the time of

. * Caecilius Bion, a writer on the properties of medicinal plants, used by

Pliny the Elder Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/2479), called Pliny the Elder (), was a Roman author, naturalist and natural philosopher, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the emperor Vespasian. He wrote the encyclopedic ' ...

. *

Lucius Caecilius Jucundus Lucius Caecilius Iucundus (born c. 14 A.D., ''Floruit, fl.'' 62 A.D.) was a banker who lived in the Ancient Rome, Roman town of Pompeii around 14 A.D.–62 A.D. His house still stands and can be seen in the ruins of the city of Pompeii which rem ...

, a banker at

Pompeii Pompeii (, ) was an ancient city located in what is now the ''comune'' of Pompei near Naples in the Campania region of Italy. Pompeii, along with Herculaneum and many villas in the surrounding area (e.g. at Boscoreale, Stabiae), was burie ...

during the first century AD, selected as the fictionalized subject of the Cambridge Latin Course. * Quintus Caecilius L. f. Jucundus, elder son of the Pompeiian banker. * Sextus Caecilius L. f. Jucundus Metellus, younger son of the Pompeiian banker. * Caecilius of Elvira, or Saint Caecilius, traditional founder of the Archdiocese of Granada ''circa'' AD 64. *

Gnaeus Caecilius Simplex Gnaeus Caecilius Simplex was a Roman senator, who was active during the middle of the first century AD. The ephemeral emperor Vitellius appointed him consul during the Year of Four Emperors with Gaius Quinctius Atticus as his colleague, replacing ...

, appointed consul by the emperor

Vitellius Aulus Vitellius (; ; 24 September 1520 December 69) was Roman emperor for eight months, from 19 April to 20 December AD 69. Vitellius was proclaimed emperor following the quick succession of the previous emperors Galba and Otho, in a year of ci ...

in AD 69. * Caecilius Rufinus, expelled from the

senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

Domitian Domitian (; la, Domitianus; 24 October 51 – 18 September 96) was a Roman emperor who reigned from 81 to 96. The son of Vespasian and the younger brother of Titus, his two predecessors on the throne, he was the last member of the Fl ...

because he danced. * Caecilius Clemens, a notary in Egypt mentioned between AD 86 and 100 in four papyri, notably Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 241 and 581. * Caecilius Classicus, proconsul of

Hispania Baetica Hispania Baetica, often abbreviated Baetica, was one of three Roman provinces in Hispania (the Iberian Peninsula). Baetica was bordered to the west by Lusitania, and to the northeast by Hispania Tarraconensis. Baetica remained one of the basic di ...

from AD 97 to 98, was prosecuted for corruption, but died before he could be tried. * Aulus Caecilius Faustinus, consul in AD 99. * Gaius Caecilius, grandfather of the writer and statesman "Pliny the Younger". * Lucius Caecilius Cilo, father of the writer and statesman "Pliny the Younger". * Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus , or "Pliny the Younger", a writer and statesman during the late first and early second century. He was a member of gens Caecilia from birth, but was adopted by his maternal uncle, the scholar

Gaius Plinius Secundus Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/2479), called Pliny the Elder (), was a Roman author, naturalist and natural philosopher, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the emperor Vespasian. He wrote the encyclopedic '' ...

, or "Pliny the Elder", and changed his name accordingly. *

Quintus Caecilius Redditus Quintus Caecilius Redditus was a Roman '' eques'' who held a number of appointments during the reigns of the Emperors Trajan and Hadrian. He is known in a series of inscriptions. The earliest known appointment Redditus is known to have held was as ...

, an , was governor of

Mauretania Tingitana Mauretania Tingitana ( Latin for "Tangerine Mauretania") was a Roman province, coinciding roughly with the northern part of present-day Morocco. The territory stretched from the northern peninsula opposite Gibraltar, to Sala Colonia (or Chel ...

from AD 120 to 122, and later of

Noricum Noricum () is the Latin name for the Celtic kingdom or federation of tribes that included most of modern Austria and part of Slovenia. In the first century AD, it became a province of the Roman Empire. Its borders were the Danube to the nor ...

. * Quintus Caecilius Marcellus Dentilianus, consul around AD 150. * Caecilius Juventianus, governor of Noricum during the reign of Antoninus Pius. * Gaius Caecilius Salvianus, vice prefect of

Roman Egypt , conventional_long_name = Roman Egypt , common_name = Egypt , subdivision = Province , nation = the Roman Empire , era = Late antiquity , capital = Alexandria , title_leader = Praefectus Augustalis , image_map = Roman E ...

, who became governor in 176 following the execution of the rebel Gaius Calvisius Statianus. *

Sextus Caecilius Sextus is an ancient Roman '' praenomen'' or "first name". Its standard abbreviation is Sex., and the feminine form would be Sexta. It is one of the numeral ''praenomina'', like Quintus ("fifth") and Decimus ("tenth"), and means "sixth". Although ...

, a jurist, who may or may not be identical with Sextus Caecilius Africanus. *

Sextus Caecilius Africanus Sextus Caecilius Africanus (died ca. 169/175) was an ancient Roman jurist and a pupil of Salvius Julianus. Only one quote ( Dig. 30,39 pr.) remains of his '' Epistulae'' of at least twenty books. Excerpts of his '' Quaestiones'', a collection of l ...

, a jurist during the latter half of the second century * Caecilius, a writer of Argos on the art of fishing. * Caecilia, or

Saint Cecilia Saint Cecilia ( la, Sancta Caecilia), also spelled Cecelia, was a Roman virgin martyr and is venerated in Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, and some Lutheran churches, such as the Church of Sweden. She became the patroness of music and musicians, ...

, a semi-legendary matron of Rome, and Christian martyr under

Alexander Severus Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander (1 October 208 – 21/22 March 235) was a Roman emperor, who reigned from 222 until 235. He was the last emperor from the Severan dynasty. He succeeded his slain cousin Elagabalus in 222. Alexander himself wa ...

, ''circa'' AD 230. Modern historians suspect that she was executed during the reign of

Marcus Aurelius Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (Latin: áːɾkus̠ auɾέːli.us̠ antɔ́ːni.us̠ English: ; 26 April 121 – 17 March 180) was Roman emperor from 161 to 180 AD and a Stoic philosopher. He was the last of the rulers known as the Five Good E ...

. *

Caecilia Paulina Caecilia Paulina (died in 235/236) was a Roman Empress and consort to Emperor Maximinus Thrax, who ruled in 235–238. Name Her full titulature, ''Diva Caecilia Paulina Pia Augusta'', is preserved on an inscription (). On her coins she is terme ...

, Roman empress during the

Crisis of the Third Century The Crisis of the Third Century, also known as the Military Anarchy or the Imperial Crisis (AD 235–284), was a period in which the Roman Empire nearly collapsed. The crisis ended due to the military victories of Aurelian and with the ascensio ...

. She was the wife of

Maximinus Thrax Gaius Julius Verus Maximinus "Thrax" ("the Thracian"; – 238) was Roman emperor from 235 to 238. His father was an accountant in the governor's office and sprang from ancestors who were Carpi (a Dacian tribe), a people whom Diocleti ...

, and mother of Gaius Julius Verus Maximus. She probably died in 236, as Maximinus had her deified that year. Almost nothing is known about her, as most of the works dealing with the reign of Maximinus have been lost. * Caecilius Natalis, the person who maintains the cause of paganism in the dialogue of

Marcus Minucius Felix __NOTOC__ Marcus Minucius Felix (died c. 250 AD in Rome) was one of the earliest of the Latin apologists for Christianity. Nothing is known of his personal history, and even the date at which he wrote can be only approximately ascertained as bet ...

, entitled '' Octavius''.Bähr, ''Die Christlich-Römische Theologie'', § 19. * Thascius Caecilius Cyprianus, a Christian philosopher, who became Bishop of

Carthage Carthage was the capital city of Ancient Carthage, on the eastern side of the Lake of Tunis in what is now Tunisia. Carthage was one of the most important trading hubs of the Ancient Mediterranean and one of the most affluent cities of the classi ...

, was martyred, and sanctified as Saint Cyprian. * Lucius Caecilius Firmianus Lactantius, a Christian author and advisor to Emperor

Constantine the Great Constantine I ( , ; la, Flavius Valerius Constantinus, ; ; 27 February 22 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337, the first one to convert to Christianity. Born in Naissus, Dacia Mediterran ...

Footnotes

References

Bibliography

Polybius Polybius (; grc-gre, Πολύβιος, ; ) was a Greek historian of the Hellenistic period. He is noted for his work , which covered the period of 264–146 BC and the Punic Wars in detail. Polybius is important for his analysis of the mixed ...

, '' Historiae'' (The Histories). *

Marcus Tullius Cicero Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, and academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises that led to the esta ...

, '' Divinatio in Quintum Caecilium'', ''

Epistulae ad Atticum ''Epistulae ad Atticum'' ( Latin for "Letters to Atticus") is a collection of letters from Roman politician and orator Marcus Tullius Cicero to his close friend Titus Pomponius Atticus. The letters in this collection, together with Cicero's ...

'', ''

Epistulae ad Familiares ''Epistulae ad Familiares'' (''Letters to Friends'') is a collection of letters between Roman politician and orator Marcus Tullius Cicero and various public and private figures. The letters in this collection, together with Cicero's other letter ...

'', '' Epistulae ad Quintum Fratrem'', ''Post Reditum in Senatu'', ''

Pro Milone The "Pro Tito Annio Milone ad iudicem oratio" (Pro Milone) is a speech made by Marcus Tullius Cicero in 52 BC on behalf of his friend Titus Annius Milo. Milo was accused of murdering his political enemy Publius Clodius Pulcher on the Via Appia. Cic ...

'', ''Pro Sulla''. *

Quintus Tullius Cicero Quintus Tullius Cicero ( , ; 102 – 43 BC) was a Roman statesman and military leader, the younger brother of Marcus Tullius Cicero. He was born into a family of the equestrian order, as the son of a wealthy landowner in Arpinum, some south-eas ...

, '' De Petitione Consulatus'' (attributed). * Gaius Julius Caesar, ''

Commentarii de Bello Civili ''Commentarii de Bello Civili'' ''(Commentaries on the Civil War)'', or ''Bellum Civile'', is an account written by Julius Caesar of his war against Gnaeus Pompeius and the Roman Senate. It consists of three books covering the events of 49� ...

'' (Commentaries on the Civil War). *

Cornelius Nepos Cornelius Nepos (; c. 110 BC – c. 25 BC) was a Roman biographer. He was born at Hostilia, a village in Cisalpine Gaul not far from Verona. Biography Nepos's Cisalpine birth is attested by Ausonius, and Pliny the Elder calls him ''Pad ...

, ''De Viris Illustribus'' (On the Lives of Famous Men). * Titus Livius (

Livy Titus Livius (; 59 BC – AD 17), known in English as Livy ( ), was a Roman historian. He wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people, titled , covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome before the traditional founding in ...

), ''

History of Rome The history of Rome includes the history of the city of Rome as well as the civilisation of ancient Rome. Roman history has been influential on the modern world, especially in the history of the Catholic Church, and Roman law has influenced ...

''. *

Valerius Maximus Valerius Maximus () was a 1st-century Latin writer and author of a collection of historical anecdotes: ''Factorum ac dictorum memorabilium libri IX'' ("Nine books of memorable deeds and sayings", also known as ''De factis dictisque memorabilibus'' ...

, ''

Factorum ac Dictorum Memorabilium ''Factorum ac dictorum memorabilium libri IX'' ("nine books of memorable deeds and sayings", also known as ''De factis dictisque memorabilibus'' or ''Facta et dicta memorabilia'') by Valerius Maximus (c. 20 BC – c. AD 50) was written arou ...

'' (Memorable Facts and Sayings). * Marcus Annaeus Lucanus (

Lucan Marcus Annaeus Lucanus (3 November 39 AD – 30 April 65 AD), better known in English as Lucan (), was a Roman poet, born in Corduba (modern-day Córdoba), in Hispania Baetica. He is regarded as one of the outstanding figures of the Imperial ...

), ''

Pharsalia ''De Bello Civili'' (; ''On the Civil War''), more commonly referred to as the ''Pharsalia'', is a Roman epic poem written by the poet Lucan, detailing the civil war between Julius Caesar and the forces of the Roman Senate led by Pompey the Gr ...

''. *

Quintus Asconius Pedianus Quintus Asconius Pedianus (BC 9 - AD 76) was a Roman historian. There is no evidence that Asconius engaged in a public career, but he was familiar both with Roman government of his time and with the geography of the city. He may, therefore, have w ...

, ''Commentarius in Oratio Ciceronis In Toga Candida'' (Commentary on Cicero's Oration ''In Toga Candida''), ''Commentarius in Oratio Ciceronis Pro Milone'' (Commentary on Cicero's Oration ''Pro Milone''). * Gaius Plinius Secundus (

), '' Historia Naturalis'' (Natural History). * Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus (

Pliny the Younger Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus, born Gaius Caecilius or Gaius Caecilius Cilo (61 – c. 113), better known as Pliny the Younger (), was a lawyer, author, and magistrate of Ancient Rome. Pliny's uncle, Pliny the Elder, helped raise and educate ...

), '' Epistulae'' (Letters). * Publius Cornelius Tacitus, ''

Annales Annals are a concise form of historical writing which record events chronologically, year by year. The equivalent word in Latin and French is ''annales'', which is used untranslated in English in various contexts. List of works with titles contai ...

'', '' Historiae''. *

Plutarch Plutarch (; grc-gre, Πλούταρχος, ''Ploútarchos''; ; – after AD 119) was a Greek Middle Platonist philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist, and priest at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi. He is known primarily for hi ...

us, '' Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans''. *

Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus (), commonly referred to as Suetonius ( ; c. AD 69 – after AD 122), was a Roman historian who wrote during the early Imperial era of the Roman Empire. His most important surviving work is a set of biographies ...

, '' De Vita Caesarum'' (Lives of the Caesars, or The Twelve Caesars). * Appianus Alexandrinus (

Appian Appian of Alexandria (; grc-gre, Ἀππιανὸς Ἀλεξανδρεύς ''Appianòs Alexandreús''; la, Appianus Alexandrinus; ) was a Greek historian with Roman citizenship who flourished during the reigns of Emperors of Rome Trajan, Ha ...

), ''Bellum Civile'' (The Civil War). *

Sextus Pompeius Festus Sextus Pompeius Festus, usually known simply as Festus, was a Roman grammarian who probably flourished in the later 2nd century AD, perhaps at Narbo (Narbonne) in Gaul. Work He made a 20-volume epitome of Verrius Flaccus's voluminous and encyclop ...

, ''Epitome de M. Verrio Flacco de Verborum Significatu'' (Epitome of

Marcus Verrius Flaccus Marcus Verrius Flaccus (c. 55 BCAD 20) was a Roman grammarian and teacher who flourished under Augustus and Tiberius. Life He was a freedman, and his manumitter has been identified with Verrius Flaccus, an authority on pontifical law; but for c ...

' ''On the Meaning of Words''). *

Athenaeus Athenaeus of Naucratis (; grc, Ἀθήναιος ὁ Nαυκρατίτης or Nαυκράτιος, ''Athēnaios Naukratitēs'' or ''Naukratios''; la, Athenaeus Naucratita) was a Greek rhetorician and grammarian, flourishing about the end of ...

, ''

Deipnosophistae The ''Deipnosophistae'' is an early 3rd-century AD Greek work ( grc, Δειπνοσοφισταί, ''Deipnosophistaí'', lit. "The Dinner Sophists/Philosophers/Experts") by the Greek author Athenaeus of Naucratis. It is a long work of lit ...

'' (The Banquet of the Learned). * Lucius Cassius Dio Cocceianus (

Cassius Dio Lucius Cassius Dio (), also known as Dio Cassius ( ), was a Roman historian and senator of maternal Greek origin. He published 80 volumes of the history on ancient Rome, beginning with the arrival of Aeneas in Italy. The volumes documented the ...

), ''Roman History''. *

Gaius Julius Solinus Gaius Julius Solinus was a Latin grammarian, geographer, and compiler who probably flourished in the early 3rd century AD. Historical scholar Theodor Mommsen dates him to the middle of the 3rd century. Solinus was the author of ''De mirabilibus mu ...

, ''De Mirabilis Mundi'' (On the Wonders of the World). *

, '' Octavius''. * Maurus Servius Honoratus ( Servius), ''Ad Virgilii Aeneidem Commentarii'' (Commentary on Vergil's Aeneid). * Johann Adam Hartung, ''Die Religion der Römer'' (The Religion of the Romans), Palm und Enke, Erlangen (1836). *

Johann Christian Felix Bähr Johann Christian Felix Baehr or Bähr (June 13, 1798 – November 29, 1872) was a German philologist. Life Born at Darmstadt, he studied at the Gymnasium and the University of Heidelberg, where he was appointed professor of classical philology i ...

, ''Die Christlich-Römische Theologie'', Christian Friedrich Müller, Karlsruhe (1837). * Rudolf Heinrich Klausen, ''Aeneas und die Penaten'', Friedrich and Andreas Perthes, Hamburg and Gotha (1839). *

Wilhelm Drumann Wilhelm Karl August Drumann (11 June 1786, in Danstedt – 29 July 1861, in Königsberg) was a German classical historian. From 1805 he studied theology and philosophy at the University of Halle, receiving his doctorate at Helmstedt in 1810. Fol ...

, ''Geschichte Roms in seinem Übergang von der republikanischen zur monarchischen Verfassung, oder: Pompeius, Caesar, Cicero und ihre Zeitgenossen'', Königsberg (1834–1844). * ''

Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology The ''Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology'' (1849, originally published 1844 under a slightly different title) is an encyclopedia/ biographical dictionary. Edited by William Smith, the dictionary spans three volumes and 3,700 ...

'', William Smith, ed., Little, Brown and Company, Boston (1849). * *

Michael Crawford Michael Patrick Smith, (born 19 January 1942), known professionally as Michael Crawford, is an English tenor, actor and comedian. Crawford is best known for playing both the hapless Frank Spencer in the sitcom '' Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em'' a ...

, ''Roman Republican Coinage'', Cambridge University Press (1974, 2001). * Géza Alföldy, ''Konsulat und Senatorenstand unter der Antonien'' (The Consulate and Senatorial State under the Antonines), Rudolf Habelt, Bonn (1977). * Robin Waterfield, ''Plutarch: Roman Lives'', Oxford University Press (1999). *

Jörg Rüpke Jörg Rüpke (born 27 December 1962 in Herford, West Germany) is a German scholar of comparative religion and classical philology, recipient of the Gay-Lussac Humboldt Prize in 2008, and of the Advanced Grant of the European Research Council in 2011 ...

, Anne Glock, David Richardson (translator), ''Fasti Sacerdotum: A Prosopography of Pagan, Jewish, and Christian Religious Officials in the City of Rome, 300 BC to AD 499'', Oxford University Press, 2008. * Tim Cornell (editor), ''The Fragments of the Roman Historians'', Oxford University Press, 2013. * * {{cite book , editor1=August Pauly , editor2=Georg Wissowa , editor3=Wilhelm Kroll , editor4=Kurt Witte , editor5=Karl Mittelhaus , editor6=Konrat Ziegler , title=Paulys Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft , title-link=Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft , location=Stuttgart , publisher=J. B. Metzler , date=1894–1980 , ref={{harvid, RE Roman gentes