The gens Fufia was a

plebeian In ancient Rome, the plebeians (also called plebs) were the general body of free Roman citizens who were not patricians, as determined by the census, or in other words " commoners". Both classes were hereditary. Etymology The precise origins of ...

family at

ancient Rome In modern historiography, ancient Rome refers to Roman civilisation from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom (753–509 B ...

. The

gens In ancient Rome, a gens ( or , ; plural: ''gentes'' ) was a family consisting of individuals who shared the same Roman naming conventions#Nomen, nomen and who claimed descent from a common ancestor. A branch of a gens was called a ''stirps'' (p ...

does not appear to have been of great antiquity, and only appears in history toward the beginning of the first century BC.''

Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology The ''Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology'' (1849, originally published 1844 under a slightly different title) is an encyclopedia/biographical dictionary. Edited by William Smith, the dictionary spans three volumes and 3,700 p ...

'', William Smith, Editor.

Origin

This gens has been frequently confounded, both in manuscripts and by the earlier scholars, with a Fusia gens, which did not exist, at least during the latter period of the

Republic A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...

, and is only the ancient form of the name of the

Furia gens The gens Furia, originally written Fusia, and sometimes found as Fouria on coins, was one of the most ancient and noble patrician Patrician may refer to: * Patrician (ancient Rome), the original aristocratic families of ancient Rome, and a syno ...

. The Fufii do not occur in history until the seventh century of the city. The surname ''Calenus'' borne by some of this family is probably derived from the town of

Cales Cales was an ancient city of Campania, in today's ''comune'' of Calvi Risorta in southern Italy, belonging originally to the Aurunci/Ausoni, on the Via Latina. The Romans captured it in 335 BC and established a colony with Latin rights of 2,500 ...

Campania Campania (, also , , , ) is an administrative Regions of Italy, region of Italy; most of it is in the south-western portion of the Italian peninsula (with the Tyrrhenian Sea to its west), but it also includes the small Phlegraean Islands and the i ...

. It is not improbable that the whole Fufia gens originally came from Campania.

Praenomina used

The Fufii are known to have used the praenomina ''

Gaius Gaius, sometimes spelled ''Gajus'', Kaius, Cajus, Caius, was a common Latin praenomen; see Gaius (praenomen). People *Gaius (jurist) (), Roman jurist *Gaius Acilius *Gaius Antonius *Gaius Antonius Hybrida *Gaius Asinius Gallus *Gaius Asinius Pol ...

Quintus Quintus is a male given name derived from '' Quintus'', a common Latin forename (''praenomen'') found in the culture of ancient Rome. Quintus derives from Latin word ''quintus'', meaning "fifth". Quintus is an English masculine given name and ...

Lucius Lucius ( el, Λούκιος ''Loukios''; ett, Luvcie) is a male given name derived from ''Lucius'' (abbreviated ''L.''), one of the small group of common Latin forenames (''praenomina'') found in the culture of ancient Rome. Lucius derives from L ...

'', and '' Marcus''.

Branches and cognomina

The only cognomens of the Fufii are ''Calenus'' and ''Geminus.'' The former is probably derived from Cales, a

municipium In ancient Rome, the Latin term (pl. ) referred to a town or city. Etymologically, the was a social contract among ("duty holders"), or citizens of the town. The duties () were a communal obligation assumed by the in exchange for the privi ...

in Campania, but whether the name merely indicated the origin of the family, or whether the first who bore it derived it from having conquered the town of Cales is uncertain, though the latter is the more profitable supposition. The name occurs on a coin of the Fufia gens. ''Geminus'' is a common surname meaning "twin."

Members

:''This list includes abbreviated

praenomina The ''praenomen'' (; plural: ''praenomina'') was a personal name chosen by the parents of a Roman child. It was first bestowed on the ''dies lustricus'' (day of lustration), the eighth day after the birth of a girl, or the ninth day after the birt ...

. For an explanation of this practice, see

filiation Filiation is the legal term for the recognized legal status of the relationship between family members, or more specifically the legal relationship between parent and child. As described by the Government of Quebec: Filiation is the relationship ...

.''

Fufii Caleni

* Gaius Fufius Calenus, grandfather of the tribune. * Quintus Fufius C. f. Calenus is mentioned by

Cicero Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, and academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises that led to the estab ...

only as one who thought that Scipio Nasica Serapio was the greatest man in the Republic, because he had delivered the state from the obnoxious

Tiberius Gracchus Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus ( 163 – 133 BC) was a Roman politician best known for his agrarian law, agrarian reform law entailing the transfer of land from the Roman state and wealthy landowners to poorer citizens. He had also serve ...

. From this sentiment, it may be inferred that Fufius occupied a considerable portion of the public land. * Quintus Fufius Q. f. C. n. Calenus,

tribune of the plebs Tribune of the plebs, tribune of the people or plebeian tribune ( la, tribunus plebis) was the first office of the Roman Republic, Roman state that was open to the plebs, plebeians, and was, throughout the history of the Republic, the most importan ...

in BC 61, protected

Publius Clodius Pulcher Publius Clodius Pulcher (93–52 BC) was a populist Roman politician and street agitator during the time of the First Triumvirate. One of the most colourful personalities of his era, Clodius was descended from the aristocratic Claudia gens, one ...

from a trial by special judges, after Clodius had violated the mysteries of the

Bona Dea Bona Dea (; 'Good Goddess') was a List of Roman deities, goddess in Religion in ancient Rome, ancient Roman religion. She was associated with chastity and fertility in Women in ancient Rome, Roman women, healing, and the protection of the SPQR, st ...

. He was one of

Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman people, Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in Caes ...

's generals during the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

, was

consul Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states throug ...

in 47 BC, and after Caesar's murder joined the party of

Marcus Antonius Marcus Antonius (14 January 1 August 30 BC), commonly known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general who played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic from a constitutional republic into the autoc ...

. * (Fufia) Q. f. Q. n., daughter of the consul Quintus Calenus, and wife of the consul Gaius Pansa. * Lucius Fufius Calenus, mentioned by Cicero as one of the witnesses against

Verres Gaius Verres (c. 120–43 BC) was a Roman magistrate, notorious for his misgovernment of Sicily. His extortion of local farmers and plundering of temples led to his prosecution by Cicero, whose accusations were so devastating that his defence adv ...

Fufii Gemini

* Fufius Geminus, one of the generals of

Octavian Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pri ...

, who after subduing the

Pannonia Pannonia (, ) was a province of the Roman Empire bounded on the north and east by the Danube, coterminous westward with Noricum and upper Italy, and southward with Dalmatia and upper Moesia. Pannonia was located in the territory that is now wes ...

ns in 35 BC, left Fufius in charge of Pannonia. Fufius successfully quelled a revolt of the Pannonians after several battles. * Gaius Fufius Geminus, perhaps the son or nephew of Octavian's general, was consul ''suffectus'' in 2 BC. * Gaius Fufius C. f. Geminus was consul in AD 29.

Others

* Lucius Fufius, an orator, and contemporary of Cicero. * Gaius Fufius, an eques mentioned by Cicero, but otherwise unknown.

Marcus Tullius Cicero Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, and academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises that led to the estab ...

, ''Pro Flacco'' 20. * Marcus Fufius, an eques mentioned by Cicero, but otherwise unknown. * Marcus Fufius, a friend of

Titus Annius Milo Titus Annius Milo (died 48 BC) was a Roman political agitator. The son of Gaius Papius Celsus, he was adopted by his maternal grandfather, Titus Annius Luscus. In 52 BC, he was prosecuted for the murder of Publius Clodius Pulcher and exiled from ...

, who was accompanied by him at the time of the murder of

. * Quintus Fufius, an intimate friend of Cicero, who recommended him in BC 50 to Gaius Mummius. * Quintus Fufius, an eques mentioned by Cicero, but otherwise unknown. * Gaius Fufius, a modeller, whose name is known by a statue in burnt clay, discovered near

Perugia Perugia (, , ; lat, Perusia) is the capital city of Umbria in central Italy, crossed by the River Tiber, and of the province of Perugia. The city is located about north of Rome and southeast of Florence. It covers a high hilltop and part o ...

in 1773. It is two feet high, representing a household god, covered with a dog-skin, and has on its base the inscription, "C. Fufius Finxit."

Johann Joachim Winckelmann Johann Joachim Winckelmann (; ; 9 December 17178 June 1768) was a German art historian and archaeologist. He was a pioneering Hellenist who first articulated the differences between Greek, Greco-Roman and Roman art. "The prophet and founding he ...

, ''Nachrichten von den neuesten Herculanischen Entdeckungen'' § 20, Fea's note.

References

{{SmithDGRBM Roman gentes