The gens Pupia was a
plebeian family at
ancient Rome. Members of this
gens are mentioned as early as 409 BC, when Publius Pupius was one of the first plebeian
quaestors, but over the course of centuries they achieved little of significance, and rarely held any of the higher offices of the Roman state.[1]
Origin
The
nomenPupius seems to be derived from the
Latinpupus, a child. From this it seems that the Pupii were
Latins, and Chase classifies them among those gentes that either originated at Rome, or cannot be shown to have come from anywhere else.[2]
Praenomina
The Pupii favoured the
praenominaGnaeus, Lucius, and Marcus, all of which were common throughout Roman history. The only other praenomina found among the Pupii occurring in history are Publius, belonging to the first of this family to appear, and Aulus, appearing on coins.
Branches and cognomina
The only
cognomen of the Pupii under the
Republic is Rufus, red, usually referring to someone with red hair. This surname appears on coins of the Pupii bearing
Greek inscriptions. The surname Piso, belonging to
Marcus Pupius Piso, consul in 61 BC, was the result of his adoption from the
Calpurnia gens.[1]
Members
This list includes abbreviated
praenomina. For an explanation of this practice, see
filiation.
Publius Pupius, elected one of the first plebeian
quaestors in 409 BC.[3][4]
Lucius Pupius,
aedile in 185 BC, and
praetor in 183, was assigned the province of
Apulia. He was charged with investigating the celebration of the Bacchanalia, which had recently caused much panic at Rome.[7][8]
Marcus Pupius M. f., a senator in 129 BC. He was probably the same as the Marcus Pupius who adopted a Calpurnius Piso, since Cicero said he was "extremely old" when he did so.[9][10]
Marcus Pupius, an old man without living sons, adopted one of the
Calpurnii Pisones, who became Marcus Pupius Piso Frugi Calpurnianus.[10]
Gnaeus Pupius, a
publican representing his comrades in
Bithynia, received a recommendation from
Cicero to his son-in-law, Furius Crassipes, who was quaestor in Bithynia in 51 BC.[13]
Lucius Pupius, a
primus pilus captured by
Caesar at the beginning of the Civil War in 49 BC. Caesar released him unharmed.[14]
Pupius, a Roman
tragedian whose work has been entirely lost.
Horace mentions Pupius' "lachrymose poetry" in one of his letters.[15]
Aulus Pupius Rufus, known from his coins, appears to have been quaestor in
Cyrene.[16]