The gens Cilnia was an
Etruscan family at
ancient Rome, from the late
Republic into imperial times. This
gens is best known from
Gaius Cilnius Maecenas, a trusted friend and advisor of
Augustus, who was famous for his immense wealth and patronage of the arts. At least two of the Cilnii obtained the
consulship under the
Empire.[1]
Origin
The Cilnii hailed from the Etruscan city of
Arretium, where they were amongst the local nobility, and had once held the title of
Lucumo, or king. Their
nomen was originally written Cfelne or Cfenle, which was subsequently Latinized as Cilnius, much as the Etruscan Lecne became Licinius. The Cilnii supported Roman interests in
Etruria, and were expelled from Arretium in 301 BC, but regained their position with Roman aid.[2][1]
Branches and cognomina
The only family of the Cilnii to achieve prominence under the Republic bore the
cognomenMaecenas, sometimes found as Maecaenas or Maecoenas. They claimed descent from
Lars Porsena, the legendary king of
Clusium, who played a prominent role in the early history of the Roman Republic. The name may be derived from a place, perhaps the same where the wines called the vina Maecenatiana were produced.[3][4] On Etruscan funerary urns, the names of Cilnius and Maecenas occur separately, but never together, from which Müller concludes that these families did not unite until a later period.[5] At Rome, the family was part of the
equestrian order. Other surnames were borne by the Cilnii of Imperial times, including Paetinus, a diminutive of Paetus, originally given to someone bleary-eyed,[6] and Proculus, an ancient
praenomen that had fallen out of use, but was revived as a common surname. It seems to have been a diminutive of procus, a prince or nobleman, although by the time of
Varro a popular etymology held that it originally designated a child born when his father was far from home.[7]
Members
This list includes abbreviated
praenomina. For an explanation of this practice, see
filiation.
Gaius Cilnius Maecenas, an
eques, who was instrumental in putting down the conspiracy of the tribune
Marcus Livius Drusus in 91 BC; he was probably the grandfather, or perhaps the father, of the famous Maecenas.[8]
Gaius Cilnius C. f. Proculus, consul suffectus in AD 100, probably for the months of May and June.[13] He is thought to be the son of Gaius Cilnius Proculus, the consul of 87.[14]