Junius (gens)

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Junius is the nomen of the gens Junia, an important and very ancient family of ancient Rome, with both Patrician and Plebeian branches. Many notable members of the family bore the cognomen Brutus.

The first Junius known to Roman tradition was the patrician Lucius Junius Brutus, founder of the Roman Republic. Marcus Junius Brutus, Caesar's assassin, was by no means his descendant, as some wished to believe, but came from the plebeian family of the same name.

In the early Roman Empire, several notable Junii belonged to the patrician Junii Silani branch. The Silani were in close contact with the Julio-Claudian emperors and even related to the imperial family by blood, some being direct descendants of Augustus. Other branches were the Bubulci, Gracchani, Norbani, Paciaeci, Penni, Pera, and Pulli.

In the historical drama Rome, Servilia of the Junii is a fictional character loosely based on the mother of Brutus.