Ofilia gens

The gens Ofilia, also spelled Ofillia and Ofellia,^[i] was a plebeian family at ancient Rome. Its most illustrious member was doubtless the jurist Aulus Ofilius, a friend of both Caesar and Cicero.^[1]

Origin

The nomen Ofilius first appears in history during the period of the Samnite Wars, both as a praenomen and a nomen among the Samnites, but by the first century BC individuals of this gens are found at Rome. As a nomen, Ofilius may be regarded as a patronymic surname based on the existing praenomen, but Chase suggests a derivation from Ofella, a cognomen formed as a diminutive of offa, "a morsel".^[2]

Members

• Ofilius Calavius, a Campanian leader during the Samnite Wars, although in this case Ofilius appears to be his praenomen.^[3]
• Aulus Ofilius,^[ii] an eminent jurist of the first century BC, with whom Caesar, Cicero, and Atticus were well-acquainted. He was a pupil of Servius Sulpicius Rufus, and the tutor of Tubero, Capito, and Labeo.^{[4][5][6][7][8]}
• Ofillius, a military tribune serving under Octavian at the time of the mutiny of the soldiers in 36 BC. Ofillius rejected Octavian's offers of military honours as a reward for service. He subsequently disappeared.^[9][10]
• Marcus Ofilius Hilarus, an actor whose death was remarked upon by Pliny the Elder. He expired at a birthday dinner, given by himself, so quickly and painlessly that some time elapsed before anyone discovered that he was dead.^[11]
• Ofellius, a philosopher mentioned by Arrian.^[12]
• Ofilius Macedo, one of the quindecimviri sacris faciundis in AD 204.^[13]
• Aulus Ofellius Macedo, a military tribune in the first legion, who subsequently became governor of Epirus, then of Bithynia and Pontus.^[13]
• Ofillius Maximus, patronus municipii of Terventum in Samnium.^[14][13]

See also

• List of Roman gentes

Footnotes

References

Bibliography