Fabricia (gens)

The gens Fabricia was a plebeian family of Ancient Rome. Members of this gens are known from the early third century BC down to the end of the Republic, but they seldom attained positions of importance in the Roman state.[1]

Origin

The Fabricii seem to have belonged originally to the Hernician town of Aletrium, where Fabricii occur as late as the time of Cicero. The first Fabricius who occurs in history is the celebrated Gaius Fabricius Luscinus, who distinguished himself in the war against Pyrrhus, and who was probably the first of the Fabricii who left his native place and settled at Rome. We know that in 306 BC, shortly before the war with Pyrrhus, most of the Hernician towns revolted against Rome, but were subdued and compelled to accept the Roman franchise without suffrage. But three towns, Aletrium, Ferentinum, and Verulae, which had remained faithful to Rome, were allowed to retain their former constitution; that is, they remained to Rome in the relation of isopolity.

Gaius Fabricius Luscinus probably left Aletrium either at that time or soon after, and settled at Rome, where, like other settlers from isopolite towns, he soon rose to high honours. Besides this Fabricius, no members of his family appear to have risen to any eminence at Rome; and we must conclude that they were either men of inferior talent, or what is more probable, that being strangers, they laboured under great disadvantages, and that the jealousy of the illustrious Roman families, plebeian as well as patrician, kept them down, and prevented their maintaining the position which their sire had gained.[1][2][3]

Praenomina used

The early Fabricii favoured the praenomina Gaius and Lucius. In later generations, we also find Quintus and Aulus.[1]

Branches and cognomina

Luscinus is the only cognomen of the Fabricii that we meet with under the Republic. In the time of the Empire we find a Fabricius with the cognomen Veiento. There are a few without a cognomen.[1]

Members

This list includes abbreviated praenomina. For an explanation of this practice, see filiation.

See also

List of Roman gentes

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, William Smith, Editor.
  2. 1 2 Marcus Tullius Cicero, Pro Cluentio 16 ff.
  3. Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita ix. 42 ff.
  4. Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita xxxiii. 42, 43, xxxvii. 4.
  5. Lucius Cassius Dio Cocceianus, Roman History xxxvii. 45.
  6. Quintus Horatius Flaccus, Satirae ii. 3, 36.
  7. Becker, Handbuch der Römischen Alterhümer vol. i. p. 699.
  8. Joseph Hilarius Eckhel, Doctrina Numorum Veterum vol. v. p. 210.
  9. Marcus Tullius Cicero, Epistulae ad Quintum Fratrem i. 4, Post Reditum in Senatu 8, Pro Sexto Roscio 35 ff, Pro Milone 14.
  10. Lucius Cassius Dio Cocceianus, Roman History xlviii. 35.

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1870). "article name needed". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. 

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