Rasinia gens


The gens Rasinia was an obscure plebeian family at ancient Rome. Hardly any members of this gens are mentioned in history, but a number are known from inscriptions. In imperial times a Gaius Rasinius Silo was governor of Noricum.

Origin

From the large number of inscriptions mentioning the Rasinii in and around Etruria, and especially from Arretium and Pisae, as well as the surnames Pisanus and Pisaurensis, referring to members who were natives of Pisae and of the Etruscan colony at Pisaurum, it seems beyond doubt that the Rasinii were Etruscans, and that their nomen, Rasinius, must be derived from the Etruscan Rasenna, the Etruscan name for their own culture.

Praenomina

The chief praenomina of the Rasinii were Lucius, Gaius, and Marcus, with Decimus and Sextus being used to a lesser extent. Lucius, Gaius, and Marcus were the three most common names throughout Roman history, while Sextus was fairly common, and Decimus somewhat more distinctive. Other names occur infrequently among the Rasinii, although examples of Publius, Quintus, and Titus are known.

Members