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Roman Genealogies

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Hi,

 

I'm just wondering if anyone could suggest a comprehensive genealogical study of Roman families during the Republic and/or Empire. In other words, is there a book (or website) that traces many or most of the important Roman gentes? I'm looking for sources that would include not just the Julio-Claudians, Cornelii, etc. but that would also include the Metelli, Domitii, Iunii, Aemilii, etc. over a long period of time. I would GREATLY appreciate any help you can offer. Thanks a million!

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Sir Ronald Syme (author of The Roman Revolution) used to work them out and then draw political conclusions from them.

 

Roman Revolution is full of inferences about alliances and political associations based on who married whom and other familial relationships.

 

His book The Augustan Aristocracy (Clarendon Press Oxford 1986)- which is at my elbow as I type - is fascinating, full of short essays entitled things like "The Nobilitas"; "Nero's Aunts"; "Descendents of Pompeius and Sulla"; "Sixteen Aristocratic Consuls"; "The Resplendent Aemilii" etc.

 

Don't know whether this assists you in any way?

 

Phil

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Here's a very good source, its got all the genealogies of most of the famous families of ancient Rome

 

http://www.roman-emperors.org/stemm.htm

 

hope it helps

Edited by Gaius Paulinus Maximus

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How influential were the PISO family?

 

I don'y know whether its just coincidence but last weeks BBC docudrama on NERO had a PISO leading an attempted coup and being killed for his troubles.

The Caesars DVD (I have just bought) had a PISO being made governor of Armenia to help the Emperor Tiberius outmanouever GERMANICUS. He was consequently 'thrown to the wolves' by TIBERIUS.

And the GOLDWORTHY book on Caesar (I'm just now reading)has a PISO who was given a Spanish command (65BC)and murdered by his own men!

 

If they are the same lineage they must have been an unlucky lot!

 

This subject is really starting to suck me in. Its fascinating!

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Thank you so much. Syme's work is brilliant and very helpful.

 

Sir Ronald Syme (author of The Roman Revolution) used to work them out and then draw political conclusions from them.

 

Roman Revolution is full of inferences about alliances and political associations based on who married whom and other familial relationships.

 

His book The Augustan Aristocracy (Clarendon Press Oxford 1986)- which is at my elbow as I type - is fascinating, full of short essays entitled things like "The Nobilitas"; "Nero's Aunts"; "Descendents of Pompeius and Sulla"; "Sixteen Aristocratic Consuls"; "The Resplendent Aemilii" etc.

 

Don't know whether this assists you in any way?

 

Phil

 

 

I am definitely going to look for a copy of this work. Many thanks!!!

 

Depending on how deep you want to go into it, Friedrich M

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They are all part of the Calpurnian family, which was very influential well back into the Republic. The family held many consulships in the 1st and 2nd centuries BCE, and they continued to be a powerful family well into Imperial times. Here's a link to the Consular records, which shows just how many consulships the family held. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Repub...n_Roman_Consuls

 

If you want to read more about the guys you mentioned...

 

The first Piso, Gaius Calpurnius Piso, who led the conspiracy against Nero, you can find in Tacitus' Annales Book 15 (especially, 15.48-15.65).

 

The second Piso you talked about, whom many people suspected of killing Germanicus, can be found in Tacitus' Annales mostly in books 2 and 3 (especially 3.7-3.24).

 

The last is Gnaeus Calpurnius Piso, who was sent to Spain to try to keep Pompey's influence over the region in check. Pompey's supporters killed him there in 64 BCE. This man's son, also Gnaeus Calpurnius Piso, is even more interesting (and not as unlucky as the other Piso's you mention--haha). He sided with the Pompeians during the civil war but survived and was pardoned. He then joined the conspiracy to kill Julius Caesar but was pardoned again. Augustus even granted him a consulship in 23 BCE! This man is the father of the second guy you mentioned. See Tacitus Annales 2.43.

 

Another well-known Piso is L. Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus, consul of 58 BCE, who was Julius Caesar's father-in-law and was a friend and supporter of the Epicurean philosopher, Philodemus.

 

I hope this helps.

 

How influential were the PISO family?

 

I don'y know whether its just coincidence but last weeks BBC docudrama on NERO had a PISO leading an attempted coup and being killed for his troubles.

The Caesars DVD (I have just bought) had a PISO being made governor of Armenia to help the Emperor Tiberius outmanouever GERMANICUS. He was consequently 'thrown to the wolves' by TIBERIUS.

And the GOLDWORTHY book on Caesar (I'm just now reading)has a PISO who was given a Spanish command (65BC)and murdered by his own men!

 

If they are the same lineage they must have been an unlucky lot!

 

This subject is really starting to suck me in. Its fascinating!

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Thanks. It helps.

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