Rusticelia gens


The gens Rusticelia, occasionally spelled Rusticellia, was an obscure plebeian family at ancient Rome. Hardly any members of this gens are mentioned in ancient writers, but a number are known from inscriptions.

Origin

The nomen Rusticelius belongs to a class of gentilicia formed from cognomina ending in the diminutive suffixes -illus and -ellus. It appears to be derived from rusticellus, clownish, probably a diminutive of rusticus, rural or unsophisticated, rustic.

Praenomina

The chief praenomina of the Rusticelii were Gaius, Lucius, Aulus, and Quintus, all of which were very common throughout Roman history. Other praenomina are found infrequently, including Marcus and Publius, otherwise common names.

Branches and cognomina

The Rusticelii bore a variety of surnames in imperial times, most of which seem to have been personal cognomina. A number of Rusticelii lived at Ostia, Rome's ancient seaport, where several of them bore the surname Felix, fortunate or happy.

Members