The gens Orfia was a minorplebeian family at Rome. Few members of this gens are mentioned by ancient writers, but others are known from inscriptions. The best-known may be Marcus Orfius, a military tribune who served under the command of Caesar.
Origin
Chase regards the nomenOrfius as the Oscan cognate of the Latin nameOrbius, which is derived from the cognomenOrbus, meaning a waif or orphan. He suggests Orfa as the Oscan equivalent of Orbus. An Oscan origin for the family would seem to be supported by the fact that Marcus Orfius was a native of Atella in Campania. The same root would seem to have given rise to the surnameOrfitus, found in a number of families, notably the Salvidieni and Cornelii, in imperial times, and to the nomen Orfidius, formed either directly from the cognomen, or perhaps from Orfius using the suffix-idius, sometimes used to form new gentilicia from existing names.
Praenomina
Most of the Orfii used only the most common praenomina, including Gaius, Lucius, and Marcus. There are a few instances of other common praenomina, including Titus, Quintus, and Gnaeus, as well as one instance of Vibius, an much less common name, frequently associated with families of Sabine or Oscan origin.
Members
Marcus Orfius, an eques from Atella, was a military tribune in Caesar's army, probably during the latter's consulship in 59 BC. Cicero had a high opinion of him, and recommended him to his brother, Quintus, who was serving as one of Caesar's legates.
Marcus Orfius M. f. M. n. Rufus, a triumvir auro argento aere flando feriundo during the early years of the empire.
Orfia, a girl buried at Nemausus in Gallia Narbonensis, aged eleven. Her slaves Attius and Numeria dedicated a monument to her.
Orfia M. f. Fortunata, wife of Lucius Nonius Rogatianus Honoratianus, flamen at Musti during the reign of Macrinus and Diadumenianus, and the mother of Nonius Orfianus and Nonius Fortunatus. The entire family is named in an inscription concerning the donation of some fifteen thousand sestertii.
Orfius Hermes, the grandfather of Orfia Priscilla.
Orfia Lucretia, buried at the present site of El Ust, then in Africa Proconsularis, aged thirty.
Gaius Orfius L. f. Luscinus, prefect and duumvir jure dicundo of a town located at the present site of El Ust, named in an inscription dating to AD 186.
Lucius Orfius Maximinus, named in a list of the dendrophori under the supervision of the Quindecimviri sacris faciundis at Cumae. From his name, he might be the son of Lucius Orfius Maximus, also listed among the dendrophori.
Lucius Orfius Maximus, one of the dendrophori at Cumae, and perhaps the father of Lucius Orfius Maximinus.
Gaius Orfius Paederos, a freed child, buried at Rome, aged six.
Lucius Orfius Papias, dedicated a monument at Rome to his son, Lucius.
Lucius Orfius L. f. Papias, buried at Rome.
Orfia Phryne, a freedwoman buried at Abella in Campania.
Orfia C. f. Priscilla, donated six thousand sestertii to a school at Ostra in Umbria, in memory of her father, Gaius Orfius Severus, and grandfather, Orfius Hermes.
Gaius Orfius C. f. Quietus, buried at Musti, aged fifty years, five months.
Gaius Orfius Severus, the son of Orfius Hermes and father of Orfia Priscilla.
Lucius Orfius C. f. Severus, buried at Tarquinii, aged twenty-two.
Orfia Statia, the wife of Helius, buried at Mactaris in Africa Proconsularis, aged twenty.
Orfia T. f. Tertulla, buried at Rome.
Titus Orfius T. l. Thyrsus, a freedman buried at Rome, together with his wife, Orfia Daphne, and daughter, Orfia Anthusa.
Gaius Orfius M. f. Urbanianus, a soldier third legion, buried at Musti.
Orfia Vitalis, buried at Puteoli in Campania, aged twenty.
Orfia Vitilla, the mother of Domitia Juliana, named in a funerary inscription from the present site of Gaureni, then in Moesia Inferior.
