Palpellia gens

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The gens Palpellia was an obscure plebeian family at ancient Rome. Members of this gens are first mentioned during the first century of the Empire, with Sextus Palpellius Hister obtaining the consulship in AD 43. Few other Palpellii are known from the historians, but several are known from inscriptions. [1]

Contents

Origin

The nomen Palpellius belongs to a class of gentilicia formed directly from cognomina using the diminutive suffix -illius or -ellius. [2] The name would thus seem to be derived from palpus, literally the palm of the hand; or metaphorically speaking, coaxing or flattery. [3] The Palpellii were almost certainly Histrian, as the greatest number known from inscriptions lived in various towns of Histria, and the most prominent family bore the cognomen Hister.

Praenomina

The main praenomina of the Palpellii were Publius and Sextus . A few of the Palpellii bore other names, including Gaius and Marcus . All of these were common names throughout Roman history.

Branches and cognomina

The only distinct family of the Palpellii bore the cognomen Hister, signifying one of the Histri. It was one of a class of common surnames derived from places or peoples. [4]

Members

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

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Pliny relates a curious event which occurred during his consulship: an owl (Cuvier suggests the horned owl, but Pliny's description of the owl's behaviour and fearful shriek suggests the barn owl) entered the Capitol, and was regarded as so ill an omen that the entire city had to be purified on the Nones of March (March 7).

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References

  1. 1 2 3 PIR, vol. III, p. 8.
  2. ↑ Chase, p. 124.
  3. ↑ New College Latin & English Dictionary, s. f. palpus.
  4. ↑ Chase, pp. 113, 114.
  5. ↑ Pliny the Elder, x. 16 (also numbered x. 35).
  6. ↑ CIL V, 35, CIL XIV, 2241, AE 1984, 221.
  7. ↑ Tacitus, Annales, xiii. 30.
  8. 1 2 CIL V, 48.
  9. 1 2 AE 1999, 474.
  10. ↑ AE 1947, 1.
  11. 1 2 AE 1998, 553.
  12. ↑ AfrRom, 2, 180.
  13. 1 2 InscrIt, x. 1, 683.
  14. ↑ AE 1985, 427.
  15. ↑ AE 1985, 439.
  16. ↑ CIL III, 10137.
  17. ↑ InscrIt, x. 1, 345.
  18. ↑ CIL VI, 38022.
  19. ↑ CIL VI, 14624.
  20. ↑ CIL V, 533.

Bibliography

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