The gens Caecinia was a plebeian family of Etruscan origin at ancient Rome. Members of this gens are first mentioned in the time of Cicero, and they remained prominent through the first century of the Empire, before fading into obscurity in the time of the Flavian emperors. A family of this name rose to prominence once more at the beginning of the fifth century.
Origin
The Etruscan roots of the Caecinae are indicated by the form of their nomen, which in the masculine form ends in -na, typical of Etruscan names. The feminine form, Caecinia, is formed as though the masculine form were Caecinius, which is also encountered, though rarely, in inscriptions. The Caecinae seem either to have derived their name from, or given it to, the river Caecina, which flows by the town of Volaterrae, one of the ancient cities of Etruria. A sepulchre belonging to the Caecinae has been discovered near Volaterrae; a beautiful sarcophagus, now in the Museum of Paris, was found inside. The poet Caecina had a villa in the same neighbourhood, and families of the name have resided at modern Volterra until the present day. From the tomb of the Caecinae, we learn that Ceicna was the Etruscan form of the name.
Praenomina
The chief praenomina of the Caecinae were Aulus, Gaius, and Lucius, all of which were common throughout Roman history. Other common praenomina are occasionally found, including Quintus, Publius, and Sextus.
Branches and cognomina
The family was divided into several branches, and we accordingly find on the funeral urns the cognominaCaspu and Tlapuni; in Latin inscriptions we also meet with the surnames Quadratus and Placidus, and various others occur.
Members
This list includes abbreviated praenomina. For an explanation of this practice, see filiation.
Aulus Caecina, a native of Volaterrae, whom Cicero defended in his oration, Pro Caecina, in 69 BC.
Aulus Caecina A. f. Severus, an orator and scholar of Etruscan culture. He was a political opponent of Caesar, but was pardoned at the end of the Civil War. He was the author of a work on Etruscan religious practices, which was an important source of information for Pliny the Elder and Seneca the Younger.
Caecina, a native of Volaterrae, and friend of Octavian.
Gaius Caecina Largus, consul in AD 42, close friend of Claudius, inhabited the magnificent house which formerly belonged to Marcus Aemilius Scaurus, a contemporary of Cicero.
Quintus Caecina Primus, consul suffectus in AD 53, probably in the middle of the year.
↑Gordon and Gordon, "Roman Names and the Consuls of A. D. 13".
↑ Diana Gorostidi Pi, "Sui consoli dell’anno 13 d.C.: Nuovi dati dai fasti consulares Tusculani", Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik, 189 (2014), pp. 269-271
Paul A. Gallivan, "The Fasti for the Reign of Claudius", in Classical Quarterly, vol. 28, pp. 407–426 (1978); "The Fasti for A.D. 70–96", in Classical Quarterly, vol. 31, pp. 186–220 (1981).
Werner Eck, "Jahres- und Provinzialfasten der senatorischen Statthalter von 69/70 bis 138/139" (Annual and Provincial Fasti of the Senatorial Governors from AD 69/70 to 138/139), in Chiron, vol. 12 (1982).
Paul M. M. Leunissen, Konsuln und Konsulare in der Zeit von Commodus bis Severus Alexander (Consuls and Consulars from the Time of Commodus to Severus Alexander), Verlag Gieben, Amsterdam, (1989).
Olli Salomies, Adoptive and Polyonymous Nomenclature in the Roman Empire, Societas Scientiarum Fennica, Helsinki (1992).