Duilia (gens)


The gens Duilia or Duillia was a plebeian family at Rome. The first of the gens to achieve prominence was Marcus Duilius, tribune of the plebs in BC 470. The family produced several important statesmen over the first three centuries of the Republic, before fading into obscurity.

Origin

The plebeian character of this gens is attested by the fact of Marcus Duilius being tribune of the plebs in BC 470, and further by the statement of Dionysius, who expressly says, that the decemvir Caeso Duilius and two of his colleagues were plebeians. In Livius we indeed read, that all of the decemvirs had been patricians; but this must be regarded as a mere hasty assertion which Livius puts into the mouth of the tribune Canuleius, for Livius himself in another passage expressly states, that Gaius Duilius, the military tribune, was a plebeian.

Praenomina used

The praenomina used by the Duilii included Marcus, Caeso, and Gaius.

Branches and cognomina

The only cognomen that occurs in this gens is Longus.

Members