70:
The position of the
Potitii in this cult was superior to that of the Pinarii, who were excluded from partaking of the entrails of the sacrifice, supposedly because they had arrived late to the sacrificial banquet given by Hercules. The two families are said to have carried out their religious
134:
or other important
Potitii are mentioned in surviving records, this has led some historians to suspect that they were not in fact a distinct gens, but instead a branch of another patrician family that became extinct around the period of the Samnite Wars, such as the
55:, and was received by the families of the Potitii and the Pinarii. He instructed them in a form of worship by which they honoured him for generations. The priesthood of this cult was carried out exclusively by members of these two families, as a
39:, and for a catastrophic plague that was said to have killed all of its members within a single month, at the end of the fourth century BC. However, a few Potitii of later times are known from literary sources and inscriptions.
114:
For their impiety, Hercules sent a plague that carried off the entire gens in the span of thirty days; twelve families and thirty grown men perished, and
Claudius himself was struck blind, which is how he obtained his
187:, through the passing down of a family heirloom. As depicted by Saylor, the Potitii who suddenly died were in fact murdered, a clever and ruthless killer poisoning them one by one and never being discovered.
395:
91:, attempted to persuade the Potitii and the Pinarii to instruct the public slaves in these rites. The Pinarii refused, but the Potitii accepted Claudius' offer of 50,000 pounds of copper.
371:. The C. D. Yonge translation (1903) calls him "Publius Potitius"; the William Peterson Edition (Latin, 1916) gives his name as "Publius Titius", but notes the other possible readings.
151:. However, the ancient historians unanimously describe the Potitii as a gens. There are also a few indications that some Potitii survived the destruction of the gens.
848:
283:
Potitius
Romulus, an artisan and silversmith buried at Lugdunum, aged twenty years, five months, with a monument dedicated by his wife, Martinia Lea.
119:. There is some uncertainty as to the chronology of this legend; Claudius could hardly have been blinded during his censorship, as he went on to be
719:
609:
699:
682:
660:
643:
592:
575:
244:, who extracted considerable sums of money, supposedly to make extensive repairs to the temple, which in fact was in sound condition.
844:(History of the Roman State from the Founding of the City to the Death of Caesar), Buchhandlung des Waisenhauses, Halle (1840).
350:, in several inscriptions implies that others were adopted from the Potitia gens, or descended from it through the female line.
127:
in 292 and 285. Niebuhr suggests that the
Potitii may instead have died in a terrible plague that struck Rome in 292.
867:
695:
678:
656:
639:
588:
571:
853:
240:, who died in 80 BC. After five years, the boy's guardians and stepfather became embroiled in a dispute with
202:
884:
715:
605:
748:
155:
mentions a
Publius Potitius who lived in the first century BC, and others are known from inscriptions.
629:, C. D. Yonge (trans.), Bell, London (1903); William Peterson (ed.), Clarendon Press, Oxford (1916).
800:
24:
837:
67:, and was devoted to one of the Phoenician gods, who afterwards became assimilated with Hercules.
263:
236:
Publius
Potitius, one of the guardians of the son of Publius Junius, custodian of the temple of
895:
820:
789:
781:
269:
Lucius
Potitius Bulicus, husband of Potitia Secundina and father of Potitia Paterna, buried at
219:
92:
84:
63:
suggests that the worship overseen by these families was originally introduced to Italy by the
60:
498:
916:
764:
171:
310:
31:. None of its members ever attained any of the higher offices of the Roman state, and the
8:
230:
300:
Seia
Potitia Consortiana, the mother of Roscius Potitius Memmianus, buried at Thibaris.
274:
252:
111:
could be appointed for a foreign god, it was necessary to entrust the rites to slaves.
842:
Geschichte der Römischen
Staatsverfassung von Erbauung der Stadt bis zu C. Cäsar's Tod
130:
The disappearance of an entire gens was extraordinary; together with the fact that no
71:
obligations for centuries, as hereditary priests of Hercules, until the period of the
237:
165:
144:
95:
explains that Claudius' intention was to introduce the worship of Hercules, formerly
771:
131:
859:
827:, Julius Charles Hare and Connop Thirlwall, trans., John Smith, Cambridge (1828).
286:
Potitia Secundina, wife of Lucius Potitius Bulicus and mother of Potitia Paterna.
280:
Potitia L. f. Paterna, daughter of Lucius Potitius Bulicus and Potitia Secundina.
136:
124:
100:
910:
247:
Potitia Alpina, the mother of Titus Tincius Alpinus, a municipal official at
176:
315:
290:
184:
120:
88:
72:
48:
28:
35:
is known primarily as a result of its long association with the rites of
52:
875:), Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften (1853–present).
51:. According to legend, Hercules came to Italy a generation before the
47:
The story of the Potitii is inextricably intertwined with that of the
810:
741:
293:
rank, erected a monument to his mother, Seia Potitia Consortiana, at
198:
64:
294:
248:
116:
36:
270:
259:
215:
180:
736:
241:
226:
152:
108:
179:. These novels follow the history of Rome, up to the reign of
834:(The Religion of the Romans), Palm und Enke, Erlangen (1836).
759:
32:
849:
Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology
392:
Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology
123:
in 307, and again in 296 BC, and was then nominated
892:), Presses Universitaires de France (1888–present).
786:
Epitome de M. Verrio Flacco de Verborum Significatu
385:
908:
856:, ed., Little, Brown and Company, Boston (1849).
418:
416:
673:
671:
669:
183:, and concern the fortunes of the Potitii and
871:(The Body of Latin Inscriptions, abbreviated
710:
708:
413:
467:
465:
455:
453:
201:. For an explanation of this practice, see
666:
211:Potitia, named in an inscription from Rome.
705:
406:
404:
214:Potitia, mentioned in an inscription from
553:
551:
462:
450:
561:(second oration), i. 133–139 (s. 50–58).
486:Geschichte der Römische Staatsverfassung
163:The Potitii are the focus of the novels
439:
437:
401:
75:, at the end of the fourth century BC.
59:—the sacred duty of a particular gens.
909:
548:
258:Marcus Potitius Aurelianus, buried at
225:Potitia, named in an inscription from
289:Roscius Potitius Memmianus, a man of
158:
888:(The Year in Epigraphy, abbreviated
434:
359:Alternate readings of his name are
255:, to whom she dedicated a monument.
13:
475:, vol. i. p. 88, vol. iii. p. 309.
14:
928:
776:Factorum ac Dictorum Memorabilium
143:, might have been mistaken for a
807:(Commentary on Vergil's Aeneid).
805:Ad Virgilii Aeneidem Commentarii
729:
688:
649:
632:
615:
598:
581:
564:
535:
526:
513:
504:
491:
353:
340:
197:This list includes abbreviated
868:Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum
811:Ambrosius Theodosius Macrobius
778:(Memorable Facts and Sayings).
478:
425:
328:
78:
1:
510:Valerius Maximus, i. 1. § 17.
378:
321:
7:
346:The presence of a surname,
304:
99:, into the religion of the
10:
933:
799:Maurus Servius Honoratus (
749:Dionysius of Halicarnassus
190:
42:
625:, second action, i. 135
297:in Africa Proconsularis.
794:On the Meaning of Words
832:Die Religion der Römer
821:Barthold Georg Niebuhr
790:Marcus Verrius Flaccus
782:Sextus Pompeius Festus
543:Die Religion der Römer
107:. However, because no
85:Appius Claudius Caecus
838:Karl Wilhelm Göttling
830:Johann Adam Hartung,
737:Marcus Tullius Cicero
394:, vol. III, p. 514 ("
885:L'Année épigraphique
755:(Roman Antiquities).
753:Romaike Archaiologia
521:Ad Virgilii Aeneidem
497:Festus, p. 237, ed.
422:Dionysius, i. 38–40.
311:List of Roman gentes
264:Africa Proconsularis
16:Ancient Roman family
825:The History of Rome
266:, aged eighty-five.
231:Venetia and Histria
103:, thus making them
532:Macrobius, iii. 6.
431:Macrobius, iii. 6.
275:Gallia Narbonensis
253:Gallia Lugdunensis
159:In popular culture
57:sacrum gentilicium
545:, vol. ii. p. 30.
139:, whose surname,
924:
772:Valerius Maximus
723:
712:
703:
692:
686:
675:
664:
653:
647:
636:
630:
619:
613:
602:
596:
585:
579:
568:
562:
555:
546:
539:
533:
530:
524:
517:
511:
508:
502:
495:
489:
482:
476:
469:
460:
457:
448:
441:
432:
429:
423:
420:
411:
408:
399:
389:
372:
357:
351:
344:
338:
332:
932:
931:
927:
926:
925:
923:
922:
921:
907:
906:
905:
860:Theodor Mommsen
765:History of Rome
732:
727:
726:
713:
706:
693:
689:
676:
667:
654:
650:
637:
633:
620:
616:
603:
599:
586:
582:
569:
565:
556:
549:
540:
536:
531:
527:
518:
514:
509:
505:
496:
492:
483:
479:
473:History of Rome
470:
463:
458:
451:
442:
435:
430:
426:
421:
414:
409:
402:
390:
386:
381:
376:
375:
358:
354:
345:
341:
333:
329:
324:
307:
193:
161:
81:
45:
23:was an ancient
17:
12:
11:
5:
930:
920:
919:
904:
903:
893:
876:
857:
845:
835:
828:
818:
808:
797:
779:
769:
758:Titus Livius (
756:
746:
733:
731:
728:
725:
724:
704:
687:
665:
648:
631:
614:
597:
580:
563:
547:
534:
525:
512:
503:
490:
477:
461:
449:
433:
424:
412:
400:
383:
382:
380:
377:
374:
373:
352:
339:
337:means "blind".
326:
325:
323:
320:
319:
318:
313:
306:
303:
302:
301:
298:
287:
284:
281:
278:
267:
256:
245:
234:
223:
212:
208:
207:
192:
189:
160:
157:
137:Valerii Potiti
80:
77:
44:
41:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
929:
918:
915:
914:
912:
901:
897:
896:Michael Grant
894:
891:
887:
886:
881:
877:
874:
870:
869:
864:
861:
858:
855:
854:William Smith
851:
850:
846:
843:
839:
836:
833:
829:
826:
822:
819:
816:
812:
809:
806:
802:
798:
795:
791:
787:
783:
780:
777:
773:
770:
767:
766:
761:
757:
754:
750:
747:
744:
743:
738:
735:
734:
721:
718:
717:
711:
709:
701:
698:
697:
691:
684:
681:
680:
674:
672:
670:
662:
659:
658:
652:
645:
642:
641:
635:
628:
624:
618:
611:
608:
607:
601:
594:
591:
590:
584:
577:
574:
573:
567:
560:
554:
552:
544:
538:
529:
522:
516:
507:
500:
494:
487:
481:
474:
468:
466:
459:Livy, ix. 29.
456:
454:
446:
440:
438:
428:
419:
417:
407:
405:
397:
393:
388:
384:
370:
366:
362:
356:
349:
343:
336:
331:
327:
317:
314:
312:
309:
308:
299:
296:
292:
288:
285:
282:
279:
276:
272:
268:
265:
261:
257:
254:
250:
246:
243:
239:
235:
232:
228:
224:
221:
217:
213:
210:
209:
206:
204:
200:
195:
194:
188:
186:
182:
178:
177:Steven Saylor
174:
173:
168:
167:
156:
154:
150:
146:
142:
138:
133:
128:
126:
122:
118:
112:
110:
106:
105:sacra publica
102:
98:
97:sacra privata
94:
90:
87:, during his
86:
76:
74:
68:
66:
62:
61:Michael Grant
58:
54:
50:
40:
38:
34:
30:
26:
22:
917:Roman gentes
899:
889:
883:
879:
878:René Cagnat
872:
866:
862:
847:
841:
831:
824:
814:
804:
793:
788:(Epitome of
785:
775:
763:
752:
740:
730:Bibliography
714:
694:
690:
677:
655:
651:
638:
634:
626:
622:
617:
604:
600:
587:
583:
570:
566:
558:
542:
537:
528:
523:, viii. 268.
520:
515:
506:
493:
485:
480:
472:
444:
427:
396:Potitia Gens
391:
387:
368:
364:
360:
355:
347:
342:
334:
330:
316:Pinaria gens
196:
170:
164:
162:
148:
140:
129:
113:
104:
96:
82:
73:Samnite Wars
69:
56:
46:
29:ancient Rome
21:gens Potitia
20:
18:
900:Roman Myths
445:Roman Myths
410:Livy, i. 7.
132:magistrates
101:Roman state
83:In 312 BC,
79:Destruction
65:Phoenicians
815:Saturnalia
700:XIII, 2024
661:VIII, 1381
644:XIII, 1922
484:Göttling,
379:References
348:Potitianus
291:senatorial
199:praenomina
89:censorship
53:Trojan War
27:family at
742:In Verrem
683:XII, 3835
623:In Verrem
610:1997, 678
559:In Verrem
541:Hartung,
519:Servius,
488:, p. 178.
471:Niebuhr,
322:Footnotes
203:filiation
25:patrician
911:Category
720:1913, 13
621:Cicero,
593:II, 4970
576:XV, 5457
557:Cicero,
305:See also
295:Thibaris
271:Nemausus
260:Tichilla
249:Lugdunum
220:Hispania
149:Potitius
125:dictator
117:cognomen
37:Hercules
902:(1971).
880:et alii
863:et alii
801:Servius
443:Grant,
369:Tertius
365:Tettius
216:Tarraco
191:Members
185:Pinarii
181:Hadrian
141:Potitus
93:Niebuhr
49:Pinarii
499:MĂĽller
367:, and
361:Titius
335:Caecus
242:Verres
238:Castor
227:Ateste
172:Empire
153:Cicero
121:consul
109:flamen
43:Origin
175:, by
145:nomen
760:Livy
169:and
166:Roma
33:gens
19:The
873:CIL
803:),
762:),
696:CIL
679:CIL
657:CIL
640:CIL
627:ff.
589:CIL
572:CIL
398:").
273:in
262:in
251:in
229:in
218:in
913::
898:,
890:AE
882:,
865:,
852:,
840:,
823:,
813:,
796:).
792:'
784:,
774:,
751:,
739:,
716:AE
707:^
668:^
606:AE
550:^
464:^
452:^
436:^
415:^
403:^
363:,
147:,
817:.
768:.
745:.
722:.
702:.
685:.
663:.
646:.
612:.
595:.
578:.
501:.
447:.
277:.
233:.
222:.
205:.
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