From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The
gens Horatia was an ancient
patrician family at Rome. In legend, the
Gens dates back to the time of
Tullus Hostilius, the third
King of Rome. One of its members,
Marcus Horatius Pulvillus, was
consul suffectus in 509 B.C., the first year of the
Republic, and again in 507. But the most famous of the Horatii was certainly his nephew,
Publius Horatius Cocles, who held the
Sublician bridge against the army of
Lars Porsena circa 508 B.C.
[1]
Origin of the gens
The
nomen Horatius is said to have been derived from the hero
Horatus, to whom an oak wood was dedicated. The gens was certainly of Latin origin, although there was some uncertainty as to when they arrived at Rome. A legend relates that in the reign of Tullus Hostilius, the fate of the ancient city of
Alba Longa was decided by combat between three brothers from that city and three from Rome. The historian
Titus Livius states that most sources assigned the
Horatii to Rome, and their opponents, the Curiatii, to Alba Longa. The victory of the Horatii was a pretext for the destruction of Alba Longa, and the transfer of its noble families to Rome.
[2][3]
Praenomina used by the gens
The Horatii favored the
praenomina Publius, Marcus, Lucius, and
Gaius.
[4]
Branches and cognomina of the gens
The Horatii of the Republic bore the surnames
Barbatus, Cocles, and
Pulvillus. Of these,
Barbatus and
Pulvillus were family names, while
Cocles appears to have been a personal
Cognomen, given to the hero of the Sublician bridge.
Plutarchus supposes that it was derived from the Greek
cyclops, because he had lost an eye, or because the shape of his face made it appear as if he had but one eye. Cocles is said to have been the nephew of Marcus Horatius Pulvillus, and if he left any issue, they do not seem to have carried on his surname. Other surnames appearing amongst the Horatii in later times may have been adopted by
Freedmen of the gens; the poet
Quintus Horatius Flaccus was the son of a
libertinus, and the cognomen
Flaccus is not otherwise found amongst the Horatii.
[5][6]
Members of the gens
- This list includes abbreviated praenomina. For an explanation of this practice, see filiation.
- Publius Horatius, father of the Horatii who fought against the Curiatii, absolved his son of guilt in the death of his sister. In some versions of the story, his praenomen is Marcus.[7][8][9][10]
- Publius Horatius, one of the Horatii, three brothers who fought against the three Curiatii in the reign of Tullus Hostilius; and the sole survivor of the combat.
- Horatia, sister of the Horatii, was betrothed to one of the Curiatii, and because of her display of grief was slain by her victorious brother. An ancient tomb near the Porta Capena was said to have been hers.[11][12][13]
- Publius Horatius Cocles, one of the heroes of the Republic, defended the Sublician bridge against the army of Lars Porsena, circa 508 B.C.[14][15][16][17][18][19][20]
- Quintus Horatius Flaccus, a poet during the time of Augustus.
Horatii Pulvilli
Horatii Barbati
See also
Footnotes
- ^ Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, William Smith, Editor.
- ^ Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita, i. 24-26.
- ^ Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Romaike Archaiologia, iii. 12-22, 28-32, v. 14.
- ^ Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, William Smith, Editor.
- ^ Plutarchus, Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans, "Poplicola" 16.
- ^ Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, William Smith, Editor.
- ^ Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita, i. 26.
- ^ Joannes Zonaras, Epitome Historiarum, vii. 6.
- ^ Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Romaike Archaiologia, iii. 28-32.
- ^ Marcus Tullius Cicero, Pro Milone, 3.
- ^ Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Romaike Archaiologia, iii. 21.
- ^ Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita, i. 26.
- ^ Florus, Epitome de T. Livio Bellorum Omnium Annorum DCC libri duo, i. 3.
- ^ Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita, ii. 10.
- ^ Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Romaike Archaiologia, v. 24, 25.
- ^ Valerius Maximus, Factorum ac Dictorum Memorabilium libri IX, iii. 2. ยง 1.
- ^ Florus, Epitome de T. Livio Bellorum Omnium Annorum DCC libri duo, i. 10.
- ^ Sextus Aurelius Victor, De Viris Illustribus, 11.
- ^ Plutarchus, Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans, "Poplicola", 16.
- ^ Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Epistulae Morales ad Lucilium, 120 ff.
- ^ Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita, vi. 6.
- ^ Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita, vi. 31.
- ^ Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita, vi. 35.
- ^ T. Robert S. Broughton, The Magistrates of the Roman Republic (1952).
This article incorporates text from the Public domain Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology by William Smith (1870).
