Roman Patrician Families

  • Every member of a particular Roman Patrician Family or Gens was identified by bearing the same Nomen or nomen gentilicium of that family.
  • So, Titus Sulpicius Catulus would be a member of the Sulpicia family

Creation of the Roman Patrician Class

  • Romulus (753-716 BCE) initially created the first 100 Senators, creating 100 Patrician families. Later he added another 100 Senators.
  • Lucius Tarquinius Priscus (616-579 BCE) added another 100 Senators, making a total of 300 Senators.

Roman Senatorial Class

  • Promotion to the Roman Senate did not mean automatic membership of the Patrician class.
  • At the end of the 2nd century BCE, Gracchus, Sulla (138-78 BCE) and Julius Caesar (100-44 BCE) consecutively brought the number of Senators up to 900.
  • Augustus (27 BCE-14 CE) then reduced the number of Senators to 600. This number then remained fairly  constant until the end of the Roman Empire.
  • However, the exact number of Patrician families remains unknown. Being a Patrician did not give automatic access to becoming a Senator.

Patrician Gens

  • Gens (Plural Gentes) meant a family, clan or tribe bearing the same name (Nomen) and descended from the same ancestor.
  • The following is a list of some of the Patrician Families of Ancient Rome:
    • Aebutia
    • Aemilia
    • Aquillia
    • Atilia
    • Claudia
    • Cloelia
    • Cornelia
    • Curtia
    • Fabia
    • Foslia
    • Furia
    • Gegania
    • Genucia
    • Herminia
    • Horatia
    • Julia
    • Lartia
    • Lucretia
    • Manlia
    • Marcia (Rex)
    • Menenia
    • Metilia
    • Minucia
    • Mucia
    • Nautia
    • Numicia
    • Papiria
    • Pinaria
    • Pollia
    • Postumia
    • Potitia
    • Quinctia
    • Quinctilia
    • Romilia
    • Sempronia
    • Sergia
    • Servilia
    • Sestia
    • Siccia
    • Sulpicia
    • Tarpeia
    • Tarquinia
    • Tarquitia
    • Tullia
    • Valeria
    • Verginia
    • Veturia
    • Vitellia

 

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