Peducaea (gens)


The gens Peducaea, occasionally written Paeducaea or Peducea, was a plebeian family at ancient Rome. Members of this gens occur in history from the end of the second century BC, and from then to the time of Antoninus Pius, they steadily increased in prominence. The first of the Peducaii to obtain the consulship was Titus Peducaeus in 35 BC.

Origin

The gentile-forming suffix -aeus occurs in a number of Latin names, many of which seem to be of Oscan or Umbrian origin, and cognate to the more regular endings -eius and -aius, both of which were sometimes reduced to -ius in Latin. The ending -aeus seems to be derived from nominative forms ending in -aes, which was typical of the Umbri, as well as the Paeligni, an Oscan-speaking people.

Praenomina

The main praenomina of the Peducaei were Sextus, Titus, and Lucius, all of which were common throughout Roman history. There are also several instances of the common praenomina Gaius and Quintus. Other names occur infrequently.

Members