Caninia (gens)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The gens Caninia was a plebeian family at Rome during the later Republic. The first member of the gens who obtained any of the curule offices was Gaius Caninius Rebilus, praetor in 171 BC; but the first Caninius who was consul was his namesake, Gaius Caninius Rebilus, in 45 BC.[1]

Origin of the gens

The nomen Caninius may be connected with the Latin adjective canus or kanus, meaning "white" or "grey", perhaps referring to the color of a person's hair. It might also be derived from the adjective caninus, meaning "hound-like", "snarling".[2]

Praenomina used by the gens

The principal names of the Caninii were Gaius, Lucius, and Marcus, which were also the three most common praenomina throughout Roman history. At least one of the family bore the praenomen Aulus.[3]

Branches and cognomina of the gens

The chief families of the Caninii bore the cognomina Gallus and Rebilus. The surname Satrius is also found, and there was a Caninius Sallustius, who was adopted by some member of this gens. Gallus was a common surname, which may refer to a Gaul, or to a cock.[4][5][6]

Members of the gens

This list includes abbreviated praenomina. For an explanation of this practice, see filiation.

Caninii Rebili

  • Gaius Caninius Rebilus, praetor in 171 BC, obtained Sicily as his province.[7]
  • Marcus Caninius Rebilus, sent by the senate sent into Macedonia in 170 BC to investigate the lack of Roman progress in the war against Perseus; one of the ambassadors appointed in 167 BC to return the Thracian hostages to Cotys.[8]
  • Gaius Caninius Rebilus, one of Caesar's legates in Gaul, and later during the Civil War; consul suffectus for the final day of 45 BC.
  • (Caninius) Rebilus, probably a brother of the consul of 45 BC, proscribed by the triumvirs, but escaped to Sextus Pompeius in Sicily.[9]
  • Caninius Rebilus, a man of consular rank and great wealth, but bad character; Julius Graecinus refused to accept a gift of money from him on account of his character. He is probably the same person who put an end to his life under the emperor Nero, whose name was evidently corrupted into C. Aminius Rebius.[10][11]

Caninii Galli

Others

  • Aulus Caninius Satrius, mentioned by Cicero in 65 BC.[16]
  • Caninius Sallustius, quaestor of Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus, the proconsul of Syria; one of Cicero's letters is addressed to him. He may have been adopted into the Caninia gens, or possibly his name is corrupt, and should read C. Annius Sallustius or Cn. Sallustius.[17][18]

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, William Smith, Editor.
  2. ↑ D.P. Simpson, Cassell's Latin & English Dictionary (1963).
  3. ↑ Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, William Smith, Editor.
  4. ↑ Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, William Smith, Editor.
  5. ↑ D.P. Simpson, Cassell's Latin & English Dictionary (1963).
  6. ↑ Wilhelm Drumann, Geschichte Roms, vol. ii. pp. 107-109.
  7. ↑ Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita, xlii. 28, 31.
  8. ↑ Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita, xlii. 28, 31.
  9. ↑ Appianus, Bellum Civile, iv. 48.
  10. ↑ Lucius Annaeus Seneca, De Beneficiis, ii. 21.
  11. ↑ Publius Cornelius Tacitus, Annales, xiii. 30.
  12. ↑ Fasti Capitolini.
  13. ↑ Lucius Cassius Dio Cocceianus, Roman History, "Index", lib. 48, xlviii. 49.
  14. ↑ Bartolomeo Borghesi, Giornale Arcadio, vol. xxvi. p. 66 ff.
  15. ↑ Fasti Capitolini.
  16. ↑ Marcus Tullius Cicero, Epistulae ad Atticum, i. 1. § 3.
  17. ↑ Marcus Tullius Cicero, Epistulae ad Familiares, ii. 17.
  18. ↑ Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, William Smith, Editor.

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1867). "article name needed". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. 

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.