Obellia (gens)


The gens Obellia was an obscure plebeian family at Rome, known almost entirely from inscriptions.

Origin

The only clue to the origins of the Obellii is an inscription from Samnium, naming Saluta Obellia, daughter of Ovius. Both Saluta and Ovius are Oscan names, and several other Obellii are mentioned in inscriptions from Samnium, suggesting that the Obellii were Samnites, or at least of Oscan origin. The nomen Obellius might be derived from a cognomen Ovillus, from an adjective that means "pertaining to sheep", suggesting that an ancestor of the family was a shepherd. Another possibility is that Obellius could be a variation on the Oscan name Ofilius or Ofellius.

Praenomina

The principal names of the Obelii were Manius and Gaius. Gaius was among the most common of all praenomina, while Manius was considerably more distinctive, although not actually rare. A number of Obellii used other common praenomina, including Lucius, Marcus, Publius, Quintus, Sextus, and Titus. There was at least one Spurius Obellius, mentioned in an inscription from Philippi, and from an Oscan inscription, we know of an Ovius Obellius, and his daughter, Saluta.

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