The gens Caninia was a plebeian 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 BC ...

during the later Republic. The first member of the gens who obtained any of the curule offices was Gaius Caninius Rebilus,

praetor Praetor ( , ), also pretor, was the title granted by the government of Ancient Rome to a man acting in one of two official capacities: (i) the commander of an army, and (ii) as an elected '' magistratus'' (magistrate), assigned to discharge vari ...

in 171 BC; but the first Caninius who 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 throu ...

was his namesake, Gaius Caninius Rebilus, in 45 BC.

Origin

The nomen ''Caninius'' may be connected with the

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

adjective ''canus'' or ''kanus'', meaning "white" or "grey", perhaps referring to the color of a person's hair. It might also be derived from the adjective ''caninus'', meaning "hound-like", "snarling".

Praenomina

The principal names of the Caninii were ''

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 P ...

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 ...

'', and '' Marcus'', which were also the three most common

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 ...

throughout Roman history. At least one of the family bore the praenomen Aulus.

Branches and cognomina

The chief families of the Caninii bore the

cognomina A ''cognomen'' (; plural ''cognomina''; from ''con-'' "together with" and ''(g)nomen'' "name") was the third name of a citizen of ancient Rome, under Roman naming conventions. Initially, it was a nickname, but lost that purpose when it became here ...

''Gallus'' and ''Rebilus''. The surname ''Satrius'' is also found, and there was a Caninius Sallustius, who was adopted by some member of this gens. ''Gallus'' was a common surname, which may refer to a

Gaul Gaul ( la, Gallia) was a region of Western Europe first described by the Romans. It was inhabited by Celtic and Aquitani tribes, encompassing present-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, most of Switzerland, parts of Northern Italy (only during ...

, or to a cock.

Members

Caninii Rebili

* Gaius Caninius Rebilus,

in 171 BC, obtained

Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...

as his province. * Marcus Caninius Rebilus, sent by the senate into Macedonia in 170 BC to investigate the lack of Roman progress in the war against Perseus; one of the ambassadors appointed in 167 BC to return the

Thracian The Thracians (; grc, Θρᾷκες ''Thrāikes''; la, Thraci) were an Indo-European speaking people who inhabited large parts of Eastern and Southeastern Europe in ancient history.. "The Thracians were an Indo-European people who occupied ...

hostages to Cotys. * Gaius Caninius Rebilus, one of

Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a 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 a civil war, an ...

legates A ''legatus'' (; anglicised as legate) was a high-ranking Roman military officer in the Roman Army, equivalent to a modern high-ranking general officer. Initially used to delegate power, the term became formalised under Augustus as the office ...

, and later 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 ...

; consul ''suffectus'' for the final day of 45 BC. * (Caninius) Rebilus, probably a brother of the consul of 45 BC, proscribed by the

triumvirs A triumvirate ( la, triumvirātus) or a triarchy is a political institution ruled or dominated by three individuals, known as triumvirs ( la, triumviri). The arrangement can be formal or informal. Though the three leaders in a triumvirate are ...

, but escaped to

Sextus Pompeius Sextus Pompeius Magnus Pius ( 67 – 35 BC), also known in English as Sextus Pompey, was a Roman military leader who, throughout his life, upheld the cause of his father, Pompey the Great, against Julius Caesar and his supporters during the las ...

in Sicily. * Gaius Caninius Rebilus, suffect consul in 12 BC. Died in office. * Gaius Caninius Rebilus, consul in AD 37, and likely son of the consul ''suffectus'' of 12 BC. * Caninius Rebilus, a man of consular rank and great wealth, but bad character; Julius Graecinus refused to accept a gift of money from him on account of his character. He is probably the same person who put an end to his life under the emperor

Nero Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( ; born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus; 15 December AD 37 – 9 June AD 68), was the fifth Roman emperor and final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, reigning from AD 54 unti ...

, whose name was evidently corrupted into ''C. Aminius Rebius''.

Caninii Galli

* Lucius Caninius Gallus,

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 state that was open to the plebeians, and was, throughout the history of the Republic, the most important check on the power o ...

in 56 BC, and a friend of

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 esta ...

. * Lucius Caninius L. f. Gallus,

in 37 BC.''

Fasti Capitolini The ''Fasti Capitolini'', or Capitoline Fasti, are a list of the chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, extending from the early fifth century BC down to the reign of Augustus, the first Roman emperor. Together with similar lists found at Rom ...

''. * Lucius Caninius L. f. L. n. Gallus, consul ''suffectus'' in 2 BC, and probably ''

triumvir monetalis The ''triumvir monetalis'' ( ''tresviri'' or ''triumviri monetales'', also called the , abbreviated IIIVIR A. A. A. F. F.) was a moneyer during the Roman Republic and the Empire, who oversaw the minting of coins. In that role, he would be respons ...

'' in 12 BC. * Lucius Caninius Gallus, a Roman senator during the time of Tiberius, served as curator of the banks and channels of the Tiber.

Others

* Aulus Caninius Satrius, mentioned by Cicero in 65 BC. * Caninius Sallustius, quaestor of

Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus (c. 102 – 48 BC) was a politician of the Roman Republic. He was a plodding conservative and upholder of the established social order who served in several magisterial positions alongside Julius Caesar and conceived a ...

, the

proconsul A proconsul was an official of ancient Rome who acted on behalf of a consul. A proconsul was typically a former consul. The term is also used in recent history for officials with delegated authority. In the Roman Republic, military command, or ...

of Syria; one of Cicero's letters is addressed to him. He may have been adopted into the Caninia gens, or possibly his name is corrupt, and should read ''C. Annius Sallustius'' or ''Cn. Sallustius''. * Caius Caninius Onesimus was a veteran of the

Praetorian Guard The Praetorian Guard (Latin: ''cohortēs praetōriae'') was a unit of the Imperial Roman army that served as personal bodyguards and intelligence agents for the Roman emperors. During the Roman Republic, the Praetorian Guard were an escort fo ...

(cohortis VIII praetoriae), lived 63 years and 8 months. Died in

Como Como (, ; lmo, Còmm, label= Comasco , or ; lat, Novum Comum; rm, Com; french: Côme) is a city and ''comune'' in Lombardy, Italy. It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como. Its proximity to Lake Como and to the Alps h ...

.Datenbank Clauss - Slaby
/ref> * Titus Caninius, son of Sergius Maximus, was a veteran of the

(cohortis VI praetoriae), died in Corinium (Gornji Karin), Dalmatia. * Titus Caninius, commander of the victorious Cohors III Nerviorum in

Vindolanda Vindolanda was a Roman auxiliary fort ('' castrum'') just south of Hadrian's Wall in northern England, which it originally pre-dated.British windo- 'fair, white, blessed', landa 'enclosure/meadow/prairie/grassy plain' (the modern Welsh word ...

(Chesterholm),

Britannia Britannia () is the national personification of Britain as a helmeted female warrior holding a trident and shield. An image first used in classical antiquity, the Latin ''Britannia'' was the name variously applied to the British Isles, Great ...

. * Lucius Caninius Publius, son of Valentius and father of Caius, was procurator of public works (procuratori operum publicorum) in the

province of Africa Africa Proconsularis was a Roman province on the northern African coast that was established in 146 BC following the defeat of Carthage in the Third Punic War. It roughly comprised the territory of present-day Tunisia, the northeast of Algeria, ...

and died in

Roccaverano Roccaverano is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Asti in the Italian region Piedmont, located about southeast of Turin and about south of Asti. Roccaverano borders the following municipalities: Bubbio, Cessole, Denice, Loazzolo, ...

Regio IX Liguria it, Ligure , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographics1_title2 ...

. * Caius Caninius Germanus, veteran and centurion of the classis Ravennas died at the age of 90 in Calenzana, Corsica. * Caninia Longa, a Jewish woman of the early first century.

References

{{SmithDGRBM Roman gentes