Antistia gens explained

The gens Antistia, sometimes written Antestia on coins, was a plebeian family at ancient Rome. The first of the gens to achieve prominence was Sextus Antistius, tribune of the plebs in 422 BC.[1] [2] [3]

Origin

Tradition indicates that the Antistii came to Rome from Gabii, an ancient Latin town a short distance to the east. According to Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Antistius Petro, leader of Gabii, concluded a treaty with Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, the seventh and last King of Rome.[4] [5] Moreover, the gens may have claimed descent from the Alban kings since Gabii was an Alban foundation and the name 'Antistius' was claimed to derive from Antho daughter of Amulius, king of Alba and uncle of Romulus and Remus.[6]

Praenomina

The oldest branches of the gens Antistia used the praenomina Sextus, Aulus, Lucius, and Marcus. In the later Republic, members of the gens also used Publius, Titus, and Gaius. The Antistii Veteres used primarily Gaius and Lucius. One Quintus appears in the imperial era.

Branches and cognomina

In the earlier ages of the Republic, none of the members of the gens appear with any surname, and even in later times they are sometimes mentioned without one. The surnames under the Republic are Gragulus, Labeo, Reginus, and Vetus. The last of these, the Antistii Veteres, were the greatest of the Antistii. In 29 BC, Octavian elevated this family to the patriciate.[1] [7] They held several consulships from the time of Augustus to that of Antoninus Pius.

Gragulus refers to a jackdaw (Latin: graculus in Latin), which is displayed on the bronze coins of the only known Antestius with this cognomen.[8]

Members

Antistii Regini

Antistii Veteres

See also

Bibliography

. 1974 . The Attempt to Try Caesar . 145–166 . Polis and Imperium: Studies in Honour of Edward Togo Salmon . J.A.S. Evans . Hakkert . Toronto . 0-88866-526-1 . Ernst Badian .

Notes and References

  1. Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. I, p. 209 ("Antistia Gens").
  2. Livy, iv. 42.
  3. Universal Historical Dictionary, vol. 1, s.v. "Antistia, gens".
  4. Dionysius, 4. 57.
  5. Universal Historical Dictionary, vol. 1, s.v. "Antistius Petro".
  6. Farney, Ethnic Identity and Aristocratic Competition in Republican Rome, pp. 288, 289.
  7. Farney, Ethnic Identity and Aristocratic Competition in Republican Rome, p. 288.
  8. Crawford, Roman Republican Coinage, pp. 269–270.
  9. Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. I, p. 209 ("Antistius").
  10. Broughton, vol. I, p. 70.
  11. Livy, vi. 30.
  12. Broughton, vol. I, p. 106.
  13. Livy, xxvi. 33, ix. 12.
  14. Broughton, vol. I, p. 154.
  15. Livy, xxi. 63.
  16. Broughton, vol. I, p. 239.
  17. Livy, xxiii. 38.
  18. Broughton, vol. I, pp. 256, 258 (note 6).
  19. Livy, xxvii. 36.
  20. Broughton, vol. I, p. 293.
  21. Crawford, Roman Republican Coinage, pp. 257–258.
  22. Plutarch, "The Life of Tiberius Gracchus", 4.
  23. Cicero, Brutus, 49 s. 182; 63 s. 226, 227; 90 s. 308, 311.
  24. Velleius Paterculus, ii. 26.
  25. Appian, Bellum Civile, i. 88.
  26. Livy, Epitome 86.
  27. Plutarch, "The Life of Pompeius", 9.
  28. Drumann, Geschichte Roms, vol. i. p. 55.
  29. Broughton, vol. II, p. 41.
  30. Cicero, Pro Roscio Amerino, 32 s. 90.
  31. Broughton, vol. II, p. 195
  32. Cicero, Epistulae ad Familiares, xiii. 29.
  33. Broughton, vol. II, p. 249.
  34. Suetonius, "The Life of Caesar", 82.
  35. Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. II, pp. 692, 693 ("Marcus? Antistius Labeo").
  36. Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. III, p. 880 ("Antistius Sosianus").
  37. Tacitus, Annales xiii. 28, xiv. 48, xvi. 14, Historiae iv. 44.
  38. Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. III, p. 680 ("Antistius Rusticus").
  39. Martial, ix. 31.
  40. PIR, vol. I, p. 85.
  41. Krieckhaus, pp. 116–126.
  42. A Companion to Marcus Aurelius, pp. 236–237.
  43. Greek Anthology vol. xiii., p. 852 (ed. Jacobs).
  44. PIR, vol. I, p. 86.
  45. Valerius Maximus, iv. 7. § 3.
  46. Broughton, vol. I, p. 564.
  47. Caesar, De Bello Gallico, vi. 1, vii. 83, 90.
  48. Cicero, Epistulae ad Atticum, x. 12.
  49. Eckhel, vol. v. p. 137.
  50. Broughton, vol. II, p. 252.
  51. Velleius Paterculus, ii. 43.
  52. Plutarch, "The Life of Caesar", 5.
  53. Suetonius, "The Life of Caesar", 7.
  54. Broughton, vol. II, pp. 127, 133, 139.
  55. Broughton, vol. II, pp. 209, 214 (note 2).
  56. Plutarch, "The Life of Caesar", 5.
  57. Cicero, Epistulae ad Quintum Fratrem, ii. 1 § 3, Epistulae ad Atticum, xiv. 9. § 3.
  58. Cassius Dio, xlvii. 27, liii. 25.
  59. Appian, Bellum Illyricum, 17.
  60. Velleius Paterculus, ii. 90.
  61. Florus, iv. 12. § 21.
  62. Cassius Dio, lv. 9.
  63. Tacitus, Annales iv. 17.
  64. Frontinus, De Aquaeductu, 102.
  65. Fasti Arvales, .
  66. Camodeca, "I consoli del 43 e gli Antistii Veteres d'età claudia", pp. 234–236.
  67. Tacitus, Annales xxi. 25.
  68. Paul Gallivan, "The Fasti for the Reign of Claudius", pp. 408, 409, 413.
  69. Tacitus, Annales xiii. 11, 53, xiv. 57, 58, xvi. 10, 11.
  70. Tacitus, Annales, xiv. 22, 58 ff.
  71. Cassius Dio, lxvii. 14.
  72. Fasti Ostienses,, 245, 4531–4546, 5354, 5355.
  73. Gallivan, "The Fasti for A.D. 70–96", pp. 192, 218
  74. Liber Pontificalis.
  75. Hydatius.
  76. Chronography of 354.
  77. Corpus Juris Civilis, 2 tit. 13 § 1.