Scandilia gens


The gens Scandilia, also written Scantilia, was an obscure plebeian family of equestrian rank at ancient Rome. Few members of this gens are mentioned by ancient writers, but a number are known from inscriptions.

Origin

The nomen Scandilius belongs to a large class of gentilicia formed using the suffix -, usually from cognomina with diminutive endings such as -ilus or -ulus. The root of the name appears to be Scantillus, perhaps a diminutive of Scantius, another gentile name, which also seems to have given rise to the nomen Scantinius.

Praenomina

The Scandilii used a variety of common praenomina, including Lucius, Gaius, Marcus, Publius, Quintus, Titus, and Aulus. One of the women of this family bore the Etruscan praenomen Hastia, perhaps the Etruscan equivalent of the old Latin praenomen Hosta.

Branches and cognomina

A number of personal cognomina appear among the Scandilii, some of which were the original names of freedmen who had assumed Roman names when they were manumitted. Of the others, Rufus was a common surname typically given to someone with red hair. Felix referred to someone happy, or fortunate, while Fabatus was derived from faba, a bean, and belonged to a large class of cognomina derived from the names of familiar objects, plants, and animals. Campana belongs to another group of surnames indicating one's place of origin, while Prima was originally a praenomen, given to an eldest daughter.

Members