Villia (gens)


The gens Villia was a plebeian family at Rome. Its members are mentioned in the first century of the Republic, but the only Villius who obtained the consulship was Publius Villius Tappulus, in BC 199.

Praenomina

The Villii of the Republic used a variety of praenomina, including Appius, a name usually associated with the patrician Claudii, and Tiberius, both of which were fairly uncommon, as well as more common names such as Lucius, Lucius, and Sextus.

Branches and cognomina

There were two main families of the Villii, bearing the cognomina Annalis and Tappulus. The former was given in consequence of Lucius Villius, tribune of the plebs in 179 BC, and author of the lex Villia Annalis, establishing the minimum age at which candidates could stand for public offices. A few of the Villii are mentioned without a surname.

Members