Silvia gens


The gens Silvia was a minor plebeian family at ancient Rome. According to legend, the Silvii were the royal dynasty of Alba Longa, Rome's mother city, and presumably came to Rome when that city was destroyed by Tullus Hostilius in the seventh century BC. Notwithstanding their connection with Rome's foundation myths, the Silvii were plebeians, and hardly any members of this gens played a significant role in history. However, from inscriptions, several Silvii appear to have had distinguished military careers, and Silvius Silvanus was governor of Moesia Inferior in the time of Diocletian.

Origin

Both Livy and Dionysius of Halicarnassus relate the tradition that the Silvii were descended from Silvius, the second king of Alba Longa, who was so called because he was born in the woods. His descendants took the "cognomen" Silvius, which was then passed down to his descendants until the time of Numitor, the grandfather of Romulus and Remus. When Alba was destroyed by Tullus Hostilius, and its populus transferred to Rome, members of its leading families were enrolled in the Roman Senate, but the Silvii are not mentioned among them. Nowhere are Numitor's immediate successors named, nor is it stated whether they were descended from the Silvii; in the time of the war with Tullus Hostilius they were ruled by Gaius Cluilius, who died in the course of the war, and was replaced by a dictator, Mettius Fufetius. Unlike the Silvii, the Cluilii, presumably the royal house that succeeded them, are included in the list of Alban families accorded senatorial rank.

Praenomina

The main praenomina of the Silvii were Lucius, Gaius, and Quintus, which were among the most common names at all periods of Roman history. The inscriptions of this gens also afford examples of other common praenomina, including Marcus, Sextus, Publius, and Titus, as well as one instance of the rare praenomen Appius.

Branches and cognomina

The nomenclature of Appius Silvius Junius Silanus would seem to indicate that he was a descendant of the noble house of the Junii Silani, though whether Silvius was his paternal nomen, or came in through his mother's side, is not readily apparent.

Members

Silvian Dynasty