The gens Sempronia was one of the most ancient and noble houses of ancient Rome. Although the oldest branch of this

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 ...

was patrician, with Aulus Sempronius Atratinus obtaining the consulship in 497 BC, the thirteenth year 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 ...

, but from the time of the Samnite Wars onward, most if not all of the Sempronii appearing in history were plebeians. Although the Sempronii were illustrious under the Republic, few of them attained any importance or notice in imperial times.''Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology'', vol. III, p. 777 (" Sempronia Gens").

Praenomina

The praenomina favored by the patrician Sempronii were ''

Aulus Aulus (abbreviated A.) is one of the small group of common forenames found in the culture of ancient Rome. The name was traditionally connected with Latin ''aula'', ''olla'', "palace", but this is most likely a false etymology. ''Aulus'' in fact p ...

'', '' Lucius'', and ''

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 ...

''. The plebeian families of the gens used primarily ''Gaius'', '' Publius'', '' Tiberius'', and ''

Marcus Marcus, Markus, Márkus or Mărcuș may refer to: * Marcus (name), a masculine given name * Marcus (praenomen), a Roman personal name Places * Marcus, a main belt asteroid, also known as (369088) Marcus 2008 GG44 * Mărcuş, a village in Dobârl� ...

''. The Tuditani used ''Marcus'', ''Gaius'', and ''Publius'', while their contemporaries, the Gracchi, used ''Tiberius'', ''Gaius'', and ''Publius''. Some families, including the Rutili and Muscae, used '' Titus'' instead of ''Tiberius''.

Branches and cognomina

Of the many branches of the Sempronia gens, the only family which was certainly patrician bore the cognomen ''Atratinus'', a surname originally describing someone clad in black or mourning attire. Several of this family attained the highest offices of the Roman state under the early Republic, but the name does not occur again until 34 BC. Given the fashion for reviving old surnames in the late Republic, it seems improbable that this represented the direct line of the Sempronii Atratini, returning to prominence after more than three centuries in eclipse. Tiberius Gracchus

Most or all of the other ''stirpes'' of the Sempronii were plebeian. Their surnames included ''Asellio'', ''Blaesus'', ''Densus'', ''Gracchus'', ''Longus'', ''Musca'', ''Pitio'', ''Rufus'', ''Rutilus'', ''Sophus'', and ''Tuditanus''. Along with ''Atratinus'', ''Gracchus'' and ''Pitio'' are found on coins. ''Sophus'', referring to someone regarded as "wise", belonged to a small, plebeian family that flourished from the time of the Samnite Wars down to the middle of the third century BC. ''Blaesus'', originally indicating someone known for stammering, was the surname of a plebeian family that attained prominence during the

Punic Wars The Punic Wars were a series of wars between 264 and 146BC fought between Roman Republic, Rome and Ancient Carthage, Carthage. Three conflicts between these states took place on both land and sea across the western Mediterranean region and i ...

. ''Tuditanus'', which the philologist

Lucius Ateius Praetextatus 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 ...

supposed to have been bestowed upon one of the Sempronii with a head like a , or mallet, belonged to a family that flourished during the latter half of the third century BC. ''Longus'' was a common surname, which usually referred to a person who was quite tall, although it could also mean "tedious". This family was prominent for a few decades, beginning around the start of the

Second Punic War The Second Punic War (218 to 201 BC) was the second of three wars fought between Carthage and Rome, the two main powers of the western Mediterranean in the 3rd century BC. For 17 years the two states struggled for supremacy, primarily in Ital ...

. ''Rutilus'', or "reddish", usually referred to the color of someone's hair, and it marks a family that first appears in the early second century BC. A diminutive of ''Rufus'', red, it may have belonged to the same family that later bore that surname. The cognomen ''Musca'' refers to a fly, a nickname might allude to someone's height, in contrast to ''Longus'', or could refer to a person's persistence. The Sempronii Gracchi were the most distinguished family of the gens. They belonged to the plebeian nobility, obtaining their first consulship during the First Punic War, and remaining prominent for over a century. Their surname, ''Gracchus'', indicated a jackdaw. The Sempronii Gracchi included several accomplished statesmen and generals, but they are perhaps better remembered for the brothers Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus, who were martyred in the cause of agrarian reform. A few members of this family are mentioned under the early Empire, but they were of little consequence.

Members

Sempronii Atratini

* Aulus Sempronius Atratinus, consul in 497 BC. * Aulus Sempronius A. f. Atratinus, one of the first three consular tribunes in 444 BC, was compelled to resign along with his colleagues, as a result of a defect in the auspices. * Lucius Sempronius A. f. Atratinus, elected consul in 444 BC, following the resignation of his brother and the other consular tribunes, became one of the first censors in 443. * Aulus Sempronius L. f. A. n. Atratinus, consular tribune in 425, 420, and 416 BC. * Gaius Sempronius A. f. A. n. Atratinus, consul in 423 BC. * Aulus Sempronius Atratinus, ''

magister equitum The , in English Master of the Horse or Master of the Cavalry, was a Roman magistrate appointed as lieutenant to a dictator. His nominal function was to serve as commander of the Roman cavalry in time of war, but just as a dictator could be nomi ...

'' in 380 BC.

Sempronii Sophi

* Publius Sempronius P. f. C. n. Sophus, consul in 304 BC and censor in 300, triumphed over the Aequi. * Publius Sempronius P. f. P. n. Sophus, consul in 268 BC, and censor in 252.

Sempronii Blaesi

* Gaius Sempronius Ti. f. Ti. n. Blaesus, consul in 253 and 244 BC, during the

First Punic War The First Punic War (264–241 BC) was the first of three wars fought between Rome and Carthage, the two main powers of the western Mediterranean in the early 3rd century BC. For 23 years, in the longest continuous conflict and grea ...

. * (Tiberius) Sempronius Blaesus,

quaestor A ( , , ; "investigator") was a public official in Ancient Rome. There were various types of quaestors, with the title used to describe greatly different offices at different times. In the Roman Republic, quaestors were elected officials who ...

in 217 BC, during the

, was killed during a raid upon the coast of Africa. *

Gaius Sempronius Blaesus The gens Sempronia was one of the most ancient and noble houses of ancient Rome. Although the oldest branch of this gens was patrician, with Aulus Sempronius Atratinus obtaining the consulship in 497 BC, the thirteenth year of the Republic, bu ...

, tribune of the plebs in 211 BC, was probably the same person who served as

legate Legate may refer to: *Legatus, a higher ranking general officer of the Roman army drawn from among the senatorial class :*Legatus Augusti pro praetore, a provincial governor in the Roman Imperial period *A member of a legation *A representative, ...

under the dictator Quintus Fulvius Flaccus the following year. * Publius Sempronius Blaesus, tribune of the plebs in 191 BC, opposed the triumph of

Publius Cornelius Scipio Nasica Scipio Nasica was the name of several members of the Scipiones, a branch of the patrician Roman gens Cornelia. Metellus Scipio was born into this family, but was later adopted out to the gens Caecilia. He still retained his former name by combini ...

, but relented. * Gaius Sempronius Blaesus, praetor in 184 BC, obtained Sicily as his province.

Sempronii Tuditani

* Marcus Sempronius C. f. M. n. Tuditanus, consul in 240 BC, and censor in 230. * Publius Sempronius C. f. C. n. Tuditanus, censor in 209 BC and consul in 204, was a survivor of the

Battle of Cannae The Battle of Cannae () was a key engagement of the Second Punic War between the Roman Republic and Carthage, fought on 2 August 216 BC near the ancient village of Cannae in Apulia, southeast Italy. The Carthaginians and their allies, led by ...

. He defeated

Hannibal Hannibal (; xpu, 𐤇𐤍𐤁𐤏𐤋, ''Ḥannibaʿl''; 247 – between 183 and 181 BC) was a Carthaginian general and statesman who commanded the forces of Carthage in their battle against the Roman Republic during the Second Puni ...

during his consulship. * Marcus Sempronius Tuditanus, one of Scipio's officers at the capture of Carthago Nova in 209 BC. * Gaius Sempronius Tuditanus, praetor in 197 BC, obtained

Hispania Citerior Hispania Citerior (English: "Hither Iberia", or "Nearer Iberia") was a Roman province in Hispania during the Roman Republic. It was on the eastern coast of Iberia down to the town of Cartago Nova, today's Cartagena in the autonomous community of ...

as his province, and died of wounds received in battle the following year. * Marcus Sempronius M. f. C. n. Tuditanus, consul in 185 BC, defeated the Apuani. * Gaius Sempronius C. f. Tuditanus, perhaps one of the senior praetors in 146 BC, was that year sent with the consul Lucius Mummius in order to form the province of Achaia. * Gaius Sempronius C. f. C. n. Tuditanus, an orator and historian and consul in 129 BC, triumphed over the Iapydes. * Sempronia C. f. C. n., daughter of the consul Gaius Sempronius Tuditanus, she married Lucius Hortensius, and was the mother of the orator Quintus Hortensius. * Sempronius Tuditanus, the grandfather of Fulvia, the wife 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 ...

the triumvir, was described by Cicero as a madman, who liked to scatter his money among the people from the Rostra. * Sempronia, the mother of Fulvia.

Sempronii Gracchi

* Tiberius Sempronius Ti. f. C. n. Gracchus, consul in 238 BC, carried on the First Punic War in Sardinia and

Corsica Corsica ( , Upper , Southern ; it, Corsica; ; french: Corse ; lij, Còrsega; sc, Còssiga) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 18 regions of France. It is the fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of ...

. * Tiberius Sempronius Ti. f. Ti. n. Gracchus, consul in 215 BC and 213 BC, during the Second Punic War, fell in battle against Mago. * Publius Sempronius Ti. f. Ti. n. Gracchus, brother of the consul of 215 and 213 BC, and father of the consul of 177. * Tiberius Sempronius Ti. f. Ti. n. Gracchus, elected

augur An augur was a priest and official in the classical Roman world. His main role was the practice of augury, the interpretation of the will of the gods by studying the flight of birds. Determinations were based upon whether they were flying i ...

in 203 BC, while still a young man, died in the great pestilence of 174 BC. * Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus, commander of the allies in the war against the Gauls, under the consul Marcellus in 196 BC, fell in battle against the Boii. * Tiberius Veturius Gracchus Sempronianus, apparently one of the Sempronii, who had been adopted into the gens Veturia, was subsequently elected augur to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus in 174 BC. * Publius Sempronius Gracchus, tribune of the plebs in 189 BC, with his colleague, Gaius Sempronius Rutilus, charged Manius Acilius Glabrio, the consul of 191, with misappropriating part of the booty taken from

Antiochus Antiochus is a Greek male first name, which was a dynastic name for rulers of the Seleucid Empire and the Kingdom of Commagene. In Jewish historical memory, connected with the Maccabean Revolt and the holiday of Hanukkah, "Antiochus" refers spec ...

at Thermopylae.Livy, xxxvii. 57. * Tiberius Sempronius P. f. Ti. n. Gracchus, consul in 177 and 163 BC, and censor in 169, triumphed over the Celtiberi and the Sardinians; father of the brothers Gracchi. * Tiberius Sempronius Ti. f. P. n. Gracchus, tribune of the plebs in 133 BC, carried a major

agrarian law Agrarian laws (from the Latin ''ager'', meaning "land") were laws among the Romans regulating the division of the public lands, or ''ager publicus''. In its broader definition, it can also refer to the agricultural laws relating to peasants and hu ...

, and was afterwards slain in a riot instigated by Publius Cornelius Scipio Nasica Serapio. * Gaius Sempronius Ti. f. P. n. Gracchus, tribune of the plebs in 123 and 122 BC, carried several major legal reforms; but as his opponents brought Rome to the brink of civil war, he was pursued from the city, and took his own life. * Sempronia Ti. f. P. n., sister of the Gracchi, married Scipio Aemilianus. * Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus, ''quadrumvir monetalis'' and quaestor-designate c. 40 BC or after. * Tiberius Sempronius Gracchus, a lover of Julia, the daughter of Augustus, was banished in AD 2, and put to death upon the accession of Tiberius. * Gaius Sempronius Gracchus, accused the senator Granius Marcianus of

maiestas ''Maiestas'' is a genus of insects in the family Cicadellidae, the vast majority of which were formerly placed in the genus '' Recilia''.Webb, M.D.; Viraktamath, C.A. 2009: Annotated check-list, generic key and new species of Old World Deltocep ...

in AD 35. * (Lucius) Sempronius Gracchus, consul ''suffectus'' in AD 167.

Sempronii Longi

* Tiberius Sempronius C. f. C. n. Longus, consul in 218 BC, the first year of the Second Punic War, defeated by

at the Trebia. * Tiberius Sempronius Ti. f. C. n. Longus, consul in 194 BC. * Gaius Sempronius (Ti. f. Ti. n.) Longus, elected decemvir sacris faciundis in the place of Tiberius Sempronius Longus, the consul of 194 BC, who died in the great pestilence of 174. * Publius Sempronius Longus, praetor in 184 BC, obtained Hispania Ulterior as his province. * Gaius (Sempronius?) Longus, legate of a governor of Sicily in the 90s BC.

Sempronii Rutili

* Gaius Sempronius Rutilus, tribune of the plebs in 189 BC, together with his colleague, Publius Sempronius Gracchus, prosecuted Manius Acilius Glabrio, the consul of 191. * Titus Sempronius Rutilus, the stepfather of Publius Aebutius, whom he disliked. His wife, Duronia, was indirectly responsible for the discovery of the Bacchanalia at Rome in 186 BC. * Marcus Sempronius Rutilus, 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 legates in Gaul. * Marcus (Sempronius) Rutilus, proconsul in Asia Minor in an uncertain date. Possibly identical with Caesar's legate.

Sempronii Muscae

* Titus Sempronius Musca, one of five commissioners appointed to settle the disputes between the Pisani and the Lunenses, in 168 BC. * Aulus Sempronius Musca, mentioned along with his brother, Marcus, by Cicero in ''

De Oratore ''De Oratore'' (''On the Orator''; not to be confused with ''Orator'') is a dialogue written by Cicero in 55 BC. It is set in 91 BC, when Lucius Licinius Crassus dies, just before the Social War and the civil war between Marius and Sulla, du ...

''.Cicero, ''De Oratore'', ii. 60 s. 247. * Marcus Sempronius Musca, mentioned along with his brother, Aulus, by Cicero in ''De Oratore''. * Sempronius Musca, scourged Gaius Gellius to death after detecting him in the act of adultery with his wife.

Sempronii Aselliones

Sempronius Asellio Sempronius Asellio (flourished BC c. 91BC) was an early Roman historian and one of the first writers of historiographic work in Latin. He was a military tribune of P. Scipio Aemilianus Africanus at the siege of Numantia in Hispania in 134BC. Later ...

, a military tribune under Scipio Aemilianus in 133 BC, wrote a history of his times. * Lucius (Sempronius?) Asellio or Asullius, praetor about 92 BC, restored Sicily after the slave revolt there. * Aulus Sempronius Asellio, praetor in 89 BC, was lynched by a mob of creditors after introducing debt relief measures during the financial difficulties of the Social War.

Others

* Publius Sempronius, prefect of the allies in 194 BC, was slain in battle by the Boii while serving under the consul Tiberius Sempronius Longus. * Lucius Sempronius Pitio, '' triumvir monetalis'' in 148 BC. * Aulus Sempronius A. f., a senator ''circa'' 140 BC. He might be identical with Aulus Sempronius Musca, or may alternatively be an Asellio. * Gaius Sempronius C. f., a senator in 129 BC. * Sempronia, the wife of Decimus Junius Brutus, consul in 77 BC. *

Gaius Sempronius Rufus 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 ...

, a friend of Cicero, was accused by Marcus Tuccius in 51 BC. * Lucius Sempronius L. f. L. n. Atratinus, consul ''suffectus'' in 34 BC, was a friend of Cicero, and the prosecutor of Marcus Caelius Rufus, whom Cicero defended. *

Sempronius Densus Sempronius Densus was a centurion in the Praetorian Guard in the 1st century. He was bodyguard to the deputy emperor, and is remembered by history for his courage and loyalty in singlehandedly defending his charge from scores of armed assassins, wh ...

centurion A centurion (; la, centurio , . la, centuriones, label=none; grc-gre, κεντυρίων, kentyríōn, or ) was a position in the Roman army during classical antiquity, nominally the commander of a century (), a military unit of around 80 ...

of a

praetorian cohort 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 ...

, gave his life in AD 69, while attempting to defend

Licinianus Julius Valens Licinianus, known as Licinian, was a Roman usurper in 250. Apparently, Licinian, who was a senator, had the support of the Roman Senate and parts of the population when he initiated an uprising against Decius, who was fighting the G ...

, adopted son of the emperor

Galba Galba (; born Servius Sulpicius Galba; 24 December 3 BC – 15 January AD 69) was the sixth Roman emperor, ruling from AD 68 to 69. After his adoption by his stepmother, and before becoming emperor, he was known as Livius Ocella Sulpicius Ga ...

, or in some accounts the emperor himself. * Sempronius Rufus, a friend of the younger Pliny. * Titus Sempronius Rufus, consul ''suffectus'' in AD 113. * Lucius Sempronius Merula Auspicatus, consul ''suffectus'' in AD 121. *

Marcus Sempronius Liberalis Marcus Sempronius Liberalis was a Roman '' eques'' who held a number of appointments during the reign of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius. He is known from military diplomas and non-literary papyrus. Liberalis was born in Acholla, located in what is Tu ...

, governor of Egypt from AD 154 to 159. * Sempronius Rufus, a eunuch from Hispania, who had committed various crimes, but had great influence over the emperor Caracalla.Cassius Dio, lxxviii. 17.

Notes

References

Bibliography

* Marcus Tullius Cicero, ''Academica Priora'', '' Brutus'', '' Cato Maior de Senectute'', ''

'', '' Epistulae ad Atticum'', '' Epistulae ad Familiares'', '' Philippicae'', ''

Pro Caelio ''Pro Caelio'' is a speech given on 4 April 56 BC, by the famed Roman orator Marcus Tullius Cicero in defence of Marcus Caelius Rufus, who had once been Cicero's student but more recently was a political rival. Cicero's reasons for defending Cael ...

'', '' Tusculanae Quaestiones''. * Gaius Julius Caesar, '' Commentarii de Bello Gallico'' (Commentaries on the Gallic War). *

Diodorus Siculus Diodorus Siculus, or Diodorus of Sicily ( grc-gre, Διόδωρος ; 1st century BC), was an ancient Greek historian. He is known for writing the monumental universal history ''Bibliotheca historica'', in forty books, fifteen of which su ...

, ''

Bibliotheca Historica ''Bibliotheca historica'' ( grc, Βιβλιοθήκη Ἱστορική, ) is a work of universal history by Diodorus Siculus. It consisted of forty books, which were divided into three sections. The first six books are geographical in theme, ...

'' (Library of History). *

Dionysius of Halicarnassus Dionysius of Halicarnassus ( grc, Διονύσιος Ἀλεξάνδρου Ἁλικαρνασσεύς, ; – after 7 BC) was a Greek historian and teacher of rhetoric, who flourished during the reign of Emperor Augustus. His literary sty ...

, ''Romaike Archaiologia'' (Roman Antiquities). * Titus Livius ( Livy), '' History of Rome''. * Valerius Maximus, ''

Factorum ac Dictorum Memorabilium ''Factorum ac dictorum memorabilium libri IX'' ("nine books of memorable deeds and sayings", also known as ''De factis dictisque memorabilibus'' or ''Facta et dicta memorabilia'') by Valerius Maximus (c. 20 BC – c. AD 50) was written arou ...

'' (Memorable Facts and Sayings). * Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus (

Pliny the Younger Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus, born Gaius Caecilius or Gaius Caecilius Cilo (61 – c. 113), better known as Pliny the Younger (), was a lawyer, author, and magistrate of Ancient Rome. Pliny's uncle, Pliny the Elder, helped raise and educate ...

), '' Epistulae'' (Letters). * Publius Cornelius Tacitus, '' Historiae''. * Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus ( Plutarch), '' Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans''. * Sextus Pompeius Festus, ''Epitome de M. Verrio Flacco de Verborum Significatu'' (Epitome of Marcus Verrius Flaccus' ''On the Meaning of Words''). * Appianus Alexandrinus ( Appian), ''Hispanica'' (The Spanish Wars). *

Aulus Gellius Aulus Gellius (c. 125after 180 AD) was a Roman author and grammarian, who was probably born and certainly brought up in Rome. He was educated in Athens, after which he returned to Rome. He is famous for his ''Attic Nights'', a commonplace book, or ...

, ''Noctes Atticae'' (Attic Nights). * Cassius Dio, ''Roman History''. * '' Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology'', William Smith, ed., Little, Brown and Company, Boston (1849). * Wilhelm Dittenberger, ''Sylloge Inscriptionum Graecarum'' (Collection of Greek Inscriptions, abbreviated ''SIG''), Leipzig (1883). * * D.P. Simpson, ''Cassell's Latin and English Dictionary'', Macmillan Publishing Company, New York (1963). * Robert K. Sherk,
The Text of the ''Senatus Consultum De Agro Pergameno''
, in ''Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies'', vol. 7, pp. 361–369 (1966). * * * Guido Bastianini, "Lista dei prefetti d'Egitto dal 30 a. al 299 p." (List of the Prefects of Egypt from 30 BC to AD 299), in '' Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik'', vol. 17 (1975). {{Refend Roman gentes