The gens Plautia, sometimes written Plotia, was a
plebeian family at
ancient Rome. Members of this
gens first appear in history in the middle of the fourth century BC, when
Gaius Plautius Proculus obtained the
consulship soon after that magistracy was opened to the plebeian order by the Licinio-Sextian rogations. Little is heard of the Plautii from the period of the
Samnite Wars down to the late second century BC, but from then to
imperial times they regularly held the consulship and other offices of importance.[1] In the first century AD, the emperor
Claudius, whose first wife was a member of this family, granted
patrician status to one branch of the Plautii.
The nomen Plautius is derived from the common
Latin surname Plautus, flat-footed.[4] Chase classifies the name among those gentilicia that were either native to Rome, or which occurred there and cannot be shown to have originated anywhere else.[5] However, other scholars have suggested that they may have come from
Privernum, a city of southern
Latium.[6] Several of the early Plautii appearing in the Fasti consulares carried on war against the Privernates.
The only distinct family of the Plautii during the middle Republic bore the cognomen Venno or Venox, a hunter.[4] Frontinus describes a story, in which Gaius Plautius,
censor in 312 BC, obtained the cognomen Venox by discovering the springs that fed the
Aqua Appia, Rome's first
aqueduct.[7] However, Venno occurs before this, and appears more often in the fasti. The first of this family to obtain the consulship bore the additional cognomen Hypsaeus, later spelled Ypsaeus on coins, which was evidently a personal cognomen, as it does not appear again for over a century, when this name replaces the older Venno.[8]
Proculus, which occurs as the cognomen of the first Plautius to obtain the consulship, also seems to have been a personal cognomen; it is not apparent whether this Plautius was part of the same family as the Vennones. Proculus was an old praenomen, which the Roman antiquarians supposed to have been given to a child born when his father was far from home, although morphologically it seems to be a diminutive of Proca, a name occurring in Roman mythology as one of the
Kings of Alba Longa.[9]
Later Plautii were entangled in the affairs of the imperial family during the first century, this branch first appears in the later years of the Republic, and flourished until the time of
Nero. They often bore the praenomen Aulus. This was the family of
Aulus Plautius, the first Roman governor of
Britain. Many members also wore the cognomen Silvanus, originally referring to one who dwells in the forest. The imperial Plautii of the late second century may have been descended from one of these families through marriage, but were apparently descended from the
Titii in the male line, and used Plautius because of its greater dignity.
Many of the Plautii bore no cognomen; these seem to have used the alternative spelling, Plotius, more than the others.[1]
Members
This list includes abbreviated
praenomina. For an explanation of this practice, see
filiation.
Publius Plautius, the grandfather of Gaius Plautius Proculus, consul in 357 BC.[10]
Publius P. f. Plautius, the father of Gaius Plautius Proculus.[10]
Gaius Plautius P. f. P. n. Decianus, consul in 329 BC, undertook the war with Privernum, and captured the city, for which he received a triumph. He was
censor in 312, with
Appius Claudius Caecus. At the expiration of the traditional term of eighteen months, Decianus resigned his office, but Claudius refused to do the same, remaining in office as sole censor for the ancient term of five years.[12][13][10][14][15]
Plautii Vennones et Hypsaei
Lucius Plautius Venno, the grandfather of the consul of 347 and 341 BC.[10]
Lucius Plautius L. f. Venno, the father of the consul of 347 and 341 BC.[10]
Lucius Plautius L. f. L. n. Venno, consul in 330 BC, fought against the Privernates and the
Fundani.[17][18][10]
Lucius Plautius L. f. L. n. Venno, consul in 318 BC, received the hostages sent by
Teate and
Canusium, two towns in
Apulia.[19][20][10]
Gaius Plautius C. f. C. n. Venox,
censor in 312, with
Appius Claudius Caecus. At the expiration of the traditional term of eighteen months, Plautius resigned his office, but Claudius refused to do the same, remaining in office as sole censor for the ancient term of five years.[21][7][10]
Lucius Plautius Hypsaeus, triumvir monetalis between 194 and 190 BC, probably the son of Lucius Plautius Hypsaeus, praetor in 189 BC.[23]
Gaius Plautius Hypsaeus, praetor in 146 BC, was assigned the province of
Hispania Ulterior. He was severely defeated twice by
Viriathus, and forced into exile after returning to Rome.[24][25][26]
Lucius Plautius (L. f.) Hypsaeus, praetor in
Sicily during the
First Servile War, was defeated by the slaves. Broughton tentatively places his praetorship in 139 BC.[27][28][29]
Marcus Plautius Hypsaeus, consul in 125 BC, was appointed to redistribute portions of the
ager publicus that had been illegally occupied. Cicero criticizes Plautius' understanding of the law.[30][31][32][33][10]
Gaius Plautius C. f. Hypsaeus, triumvir monetalis in 121 BC. His coins bear the inscription Pluti, the only instance of this spelling.[34]
Marcus Plautius Hypsaeus, praetor or
propraetor in Asia in an uncertain year before 90 BC, and perhaps a legate under Sulla. He might be the same Plautius who took his own life on returning from Asia, only to learn of the death of his wife, Orestilla.[35][36]
Aulus Plautius, father of the ambassador in Crete in 113 BC.
Quintus Plautius A. f., a senator and ambassador in Crete in 113 BC. He very likely belonged to this branch as his praenomen and that of his father, Aulus, are only found among them.[46][47]
Aulus Plautius (Varus),
tribune of the plebs in 70 BC, and legate in Sicily and the Adriatic Sea under Pompey in 67. The cognomen Varus found in Appian is probably a mistake. He might have been the same as Aulus Plautius, tribune of the plebs in 56 BC, or his father.[48][49]
Aulus Plautius, tribune of the plebs in 56 BC,
curule aedile in 55, praetor urbanus in 51, and subsequently propraetor of
Bithynia and Pontus. He was a friend of Cicero and supported Pompey. He also minted coins during his aedileship.[52][53][54]
Aulus Plautius, proconsul of Cyprus circa 22/21 BC. Probably the son of the tribune of the plebs in 56 BC.
Marcus Plautius A. f. Silvanus, husband of
Urgulania, probably son of the tribune of the plebs in 56 BC.
Aulus Plautius A. f., consul suffectus in 1 BC.[55] He married a Vitellia. Probably son of the proconsul of Cyprus.
Marcus Plautius M. f. M. n. Silvanus, praetor in AD 24, was condemned to death for having murdered his second wife, Apronia. His first wife,
Fabia Numantina, was charged with having caused his insanity through the use of witchcraft, but was acquitted.[57][58] Eldest son of the consul of 2 BC and Lartia.
Publius Plautius M. f. M. n. Pulcher, quaestor in 31, son of the consul of 2 BC and Lartia.[51]
Aulus Plautius Urgulanius, died at the age of 9. Son of the consul of 2 BC and Lartia.[51]
Plautia A. f. A. n., married
Publius Petronius. Probably the daughter of the consul of 1 BC and Vitellia.
Aulus Plautius A. f. A. n., consul suffectus from the Kalends of July in AD 29, was subsequently sent by Claudius to invade
Britain, and conquered the southern part of the island, becoming its first governor. He was granted an
ovation on his return in 47, and shown great favour by the emperor.[59][60][61][62] Probably the son of the consul of 1 BC and Vitellia.
Plautius Q. f. A. n. Lateranus, one of the paramours of the empress
Messalina, he was pardoned by Claudius out of respect for his famous uncle. Consul elect for AD 66, he participated in the
conspiracy of Piso, and was put to death, bravely refusing to reveal the names of his fellow conspirators.[66][67] Probably the son of the consul of 36 AD and Sextia.
Plautia, possible wife of
Lucius Antistius Vetus, probably the daughter of the consul of 36 AD and Sextia.
Aulus Plautius, a young man put to death by
Nero.[69] Probably the son of Plautius Pulcher.
Tiberius Plautius M. f. M. n. Silvanus Aelianus, consul suffectus from the Kalends of March to the Kalends of July in AD 45. In 74, he was chosen consul for the second time, replacing
Vespasian on the Ides of January, and serving with
Titus until the Ides of May.[70][62][71] Probably the adoptive son of the convicted murderer.
Plautia A. f. Quinctilia, wife of Publius Helvidius Priscus (son of the consul). She may have been the daughter of Aulus Plautius who was put to death by Nero.[75]
Plautia [...]lacuna, daughter of the suffect consul Tiberius Silvanus.
Plautia, wife of Lucius Ceionius Commodus, Gaius Avidius Nigrinus and Sextus Vettulenus Civica Cerialis. Possibly a daughter of Plautius Aelianus the consul of 80 AD.
Novius Plautius, a skilled metalworker, who probably lived about the middle of the third century BC. Many of his caskets have been found at
Praeneste.[77][78]
Plautius, a comic poet. According to
Varro, he was frequently confused with
Plautus, to whom his comedies were mistakenly attributed.[79]
Lucius Plotius Gallus, came to Rome from Cisalpine Gaul circa 88 BC, to establish the first school for
Latin and
rhetoric. He was very influential on the development of Roman rhetoric, and authored arguments for some of the leading advocates of his day. He was highly regarded by the young Cicero.[80][81][82][83][84][85]
Lucius Plautius Plancus, born Gaius Munatius Plancus, but adopted by one of the Plautii. He was the brother of
Lucius Munatius Plancus, consul in 42, Titus Munatius Plancus Bursa, a partisan of
Marcus Antonius, and Gnaeus Munatius Plancus, praetor in 43.[i] Plautius was proscribed by the
triumvirs, and gave himself up to preserve the lives of his slaves, who were being tortured to reveal his hiding place.[87][88][89][90][91][92][93]
Plotius Numida, fought in the
Cantabrian Wars. His safe return to Italy was celebrated by his friend, the poet
Horace, in one of his odes.[94]
Gaius Plautius Rufus, one of the
triumviri monetalis during the time of
Augustus. He may be the same person as the conspirator.[95]
Plotius Tucca, a friend of the poets Horace and
Virgil. Virgil named him one of his heirs, to whom he gave his unfinished writings, including the manuscript of the
Aeneid.[96][97][98]
Plautius Rufus, one of those who conspired against Augustus. He may be the same as Gaius Plotius Rufus.[99]
Plotius Firmus, one of
Otho's allies, who rose from humble beginnings to become praetorian prefect. He successfully quelled a mutiny through a combination of personal charisma and bribery, and encouraged the emperor to be brave and trust in his army.[100]
Plotius Griphus, one of Vespasian's supporters, appointed praetor in AD 70.[101]
Plautius M. f. Quintillus, son of Marcus Peducaeus Plautius Quintillus, and nephew of Commodus.
Plautia Servilia, daughter of Quintillus, and niece of Commodus.
Marius Plotius Sacerdos, a late Latin grammarian, probably belonging to the fifth or sixth centuries, and the author of De Metris Liber, originally the third part of a treatise on grammar.[106]
^The Realencyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft, followed by Broughton, makes Gaius Munatius Plancus the same as Gnaeus Munatius Plancus, praetor in 43 BC, who would otherwise be his brother. However, this identification is very uncertain, as the only sources that name the praetor call him Gnaeus, while the only sources that name the proscribed Plancus call him Gaius or Lucius.
References
^
abDictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, vol. III, p. 405 ("
Plautia Gens").
^Gallivan, "The Fasti for A.D. 70–96", pp. 189, 215.
^Settipani, Christian (2000). Continuité gentilice et continuité familiale dans les familles sénatoriales romaines à l'époque impériale: mythe et réalité. Prosopographica et genealogica (in Italian). Vol. 2 (illustrated ed.). Unit for Prosopographical Research, Linacre College, University of Oxford. p. 223.
ISBN9781900934022.
^Birley, Anthony R (2012). Marcus Aurelius: A Biography (reworked ed.). Routledge.
ISBN9781134695690.
^Winckelmann, Geschichte der Kunst des Alterhums, b. viii. c. 4. § 7.
^Müller, Handbuch der Archäologie der Kunst, § 173, note 4.
Scholia Bobiensia (
Bobbio Scholiast), In Ciceronis Pro Archia Poëta (Commentary on Cicero's Oration Pro Archia Poëta), In Ciceronis Pro Milone (Commentary on Cicero's Oration Pro Milone).
Guilielmus Grotius, De Vitae Jurisconsultorum (Lives of the Jurists), Felix Lopez, Brittenburg (1690).
Abraham Wieling, Jurisprudentia Restituta, seu Index Chronologicus in Totum Juris Justinianaei Corpus (Jurisprudence Restored, or a Chronological Index to the Whole Code of Justinian), Abraham van Paddenburgh, Utrecht (1739).
Joseph Hilarius Eckhel, Doctrina Numorum Veterum (The Study of Ancient Coins, 1792–1798).
Sigmund Wilhelm Zimmern, Geschichte des Römischen Privatrechts bis Justinian (History of Roman Private Law to Justinian), J. C. B. Mohr, Heidelberg (1826).
Poëtarum Latinorum Reliquiae (Surviving Works of Latin Poets), August Weichert, ed., B. G. Teubner, Leipzig (1830).
Karl Otfried Müller, Handbuch der Archäologie der Kunst (Handbook of Ancient Art, or Ancient Art and its Remains), 3rd ed., J. Leitch, trans., London (1847).
Michael Crawford, Roman Republican Coinage, Cambridge University Press (1974, 2001).
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).
Ronald Syme, The Augustan Aristocracy, Clarendon Press (1989).
Ancient Greece and Rome, Michael Gagarin and Elaine Fantham, eds., Oxford University Press, (2010).
Nicola Terrenato, "Private Vis, Public Virtus: Family Agendas during the Early Roman Expansion", in Roman Republican Colonization New Perspectives from Archaeology and Ancient History, Tesse D. Stek and Jeremia Pelgrom, eds., Papers of the Royal Netherlands Institute in Rome (2014).